Enhanced Antiaging Effect of Fermented Ginseng through Biotransformation of Protopanaxadiol (PPD)-Type Ginsenosides to PPD
Aging couples oxidative stress, inflammation, and leaky gut; ginsenosides are promising yet hobbled by poor conversion. We asked whether probiotic fermentation enriching PPD-type ginsenosides converts ginseng into a potent, low-dose antiaging agent. In D-galactose-aged mice, 20 mg/kg of probiotic-fermented ginseng (GFB) outperformed 600 mg/kg native ginseng: Rg3/Rg5/Rd and antioxidant capacity surged, cytokines fell, redox balance, barrier integrity, and youthful microbiota were restored. Plasma 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) increased 4-6-fold only in fermented-ginseng mice; PPD down-regulated barrier-destabilizing genes and docked stably into CC-chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6), suggesting a potential mechanism for blocking CCL20-driven chemotaxis. Thus, fermentation transforms ginseng into a food-grade, microbe-activated pro-drug that delivers systemic PPD, antagonizes CCR6, and simultaneously quells inflammation, seals the gut, and resets redox homeostasis for precision geroprotection.
Authors
- Mengyao Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2355-4433)
- Sijin Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4554-4610)
- Yi‐Cheng Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6819-0400)
- Zijie Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6246-2812)
- Xingda Huang
- Yuyuan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4570-7478)
- Chaoran Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4665-6158)
- Ding Yuan
- Binbin Hou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6744-5752)
- Wutang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1786-1552)
- Zhixian Chen
- Qian Cheng
- Jixiang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7222-6637)
- Xuxu Du (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6171-3389)
- Muhammad Naveed
Institutions
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (CN)
- Dalian Medical University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University (CN)
- Institute for Advanced Medical Research (US)
- Higher Education Academy (GB)
- Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
- Published
- 2026-04-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c14948
- Primary Topic
- Ginseng Biological Effects and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Department of Education of Liaoning Province