Lifespan- and cultivation-driven ginsenoside dynamics in Panax ginseng: chemical insights into harvest optimization...

Panax ginseng, revered globally as a "panacea," is cultivated as garden ginseng (GG) or wild-simulated ginseng (WSG), yet their differences and origins remain unclear. Furthermore, harvest age standards for this perennial herb are lacking.

This study aimed to characterize the age- and cultivation-driven dynamics of ginsenoside profiles in Panax ginseng, identify optimal harvest windows for GG and WSG, and reveal the chemical basis for differences in their pharmacological potency.

A comparative metabolomic analysis was conducted on ginseng samples across different ages and cultivation models. GG (farmland and deforestation-cultivated) and WSG (wild-simulated, forest-grown) were analyzed, with GG samples aged 1-7 years and WSG samples aged 1-7, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 years. Both taproots and fibrous roots were evaluated to account for tissue-specific metabolite distribution.

High-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLCOrbitrap MS) was used to profile ginsenosides. Multivariate statistical analyses, including Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA), time-series clustering, and principal component analysis (PCA), were applied to characterize ginsenoside dynamics. Absolute quantification of key rare ginsenosides was performed using standard compounds.

A total of 359 ginsenosides were identified, with 54 key ginsenosides distinguishing high-age WSG from GG. Ginsenoside profiles stabilized at 4 years for GG and 7 years for WSG, as indicated by reduced variability and consistent accumulation patterns. Four rare saponins (G-Rk₃, G-Rh₄, G-Rk₁, G-Rg₅) were identified as markers of high-age WSG: in fibrous roots of aged WSG, G-Rh₄ and G-Rg₅ levels were 17.60-49.73-fold higher than in GG. These rare ginsenosides showed strict dependence on both WSG cultivation and age, with minimal accumulation in GG regardless of age.

The study defines optimal harvest ages (4 years for GG, 7 years for WSG) based on ginsenoside stability. Rare ginsenosides (G-Rk₃, G-Rh₄, G-Rk₁, G-Rg₅) serve as chemical markers for authenticating high-age WSG, providing insights for quality control, harvest optimization, and pharmacological standardization of Panax ginseng.