Anti-prostate cancer components of black ginseng based on the "nine steaming and nine sun-drying" process

This study was to identify the main active components of black ginseng responsible for prostate cancer treatment. HPLC fingerprints of 10 batches of processed ginseng from the "nine steaming and nine sun-drying" procedure were established. MTT test was performed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of black ginseng on human prostate cancer (DU145) cells. The spectrum-effect relationship analysis was assessed by correlation coefficient and grey relational analysis, and the active ginsenosides were further validated by bioactivity assay. Results indicated the anti-prostate cancer activity of black ginseng increased until the 7th cycle times of steaming and sun-drying, and the primary anti-prostate cancer ingredients of black ginseng were disclosed to be ginsenosides Rg5, F4, Rh4, Rk1, R-Rg3, and S-Rg3, of which Rk3, Rg5, and F4 exerted the highest effects. It is for the first time that a spectrum-effect relationship based on the ingredient changes of the "Nine Steaming and Nine Sun-drying" process was used to identify the active anticancer constituents of ginseng systemically and could further the stronger anticancer activity of black ginseng as well as provide a theoretical basis for the quality evaluation of black ginseng.