Profiling of constituents from American Ginseng processed products using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS and its effect on improving glucose and lipid metabolism in IR-HepG2 cells.

Dried American ginseng and red American ginseng, common processed products of American ginseng with hypoglycaemic activity, are classified as functional foods. This study employed UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS to analyse the chemical composition of their ethanol extracts (EDAG and ERAG), identifying 47 ginsenosides including 9 differential saponins (Rg1, Re, Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rd, Rg6, and 20(R)-Rg3), accounting for 12.16% and 19.11% of total saponins in EDAG and ERAG, respectively. Using an IR-HepG2 cell model, EDAG and ERAG significantly increased glucose consumption and glycogen content, while reducing triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rd, and 20(R)-Rg3 normalised glucose metabolism; Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rd ameliorated lipid metabolism disorders. Notably, ERAG showed stronger insulin resistance-improving activity than EDAG. This study provided theoretical support for the regulation of blood glucose by American ginseng and its processed products and aided the development of their functional foods.