Vinaginsenoside R4

Int J Mol Sci. 2015 Jan 13;16(1):1677-90.

The potential of minor ginsenosides isolated from the leaves of Panax ginseng as inhibitors of melanogenesis.[Pubmed: 25590297]

Three minor ginsenosides, namely, ginsenoside Rh6 (1), Vinaginsenoside R4 (2) and vinaginsenoside R13 (3), were isolated from the leaves of hydroponic Panax ginseng.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
The chemical structures were determined based on spectroscopic methods, including fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy (FAB-MS), 1D-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 2D-NMR, and, infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The melanogenic inhibitory activity of compounds 1, 2 and 3 was 23.9%, 27.8% and 35.2%, respectively, at a concentration of 80 μM. Likewise, the three compounds showed inhibitory activity on body pigmentation on a zebrafish model, which is commonly used as a model for biomedical or cosmetic research.
CONCLUSIONS:
These results from in vitro and in vivo systems suggest that the three aforementioned compounds isolated from Panax ginseng may have potential as new skin whitening compounds.

Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 1994 Jan;42(1):115-22.

Saponins from Vietnamese Ginseng, Panax vietnamensis HA et Grushv. Collected in central Vietnam. II.[Pubmed: 8124758]

METHODS AND RESULTS:
Further investigation on the saponin composition of rhizomes and roots of Panax vietnamensis HA et GRUSHV. has resulted in the isolation and structural elucidation of seven new dammarane saponins named vinaginsenoside R3 (12), Vinaginsenoside R4 (11), vinaginsenoside R5 (16), vinaginsenoside R6 (17), vinaginsenoside R7 (6), vinaginsenoside R8 (20), vinaginsenoside R9 (22), together with the identification of six known saponins including 20-gluco-ginsenoside-Rf (10), ginsenoside-Rc (4), notoginsenoside-R6 (9), quinquenoside-R1 (5), gypenoside XVII (2) and majoroside F1 (21). The structures of the novel saponins were established on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence.
CONCLUSIONS:
Vina-ginsenoside-R3 is the first naturally occurring glycoside of dammarenediol II, while vina-ginsenosides-R5 and -R6, two ocotillol-type saponins, are two other examples of saponins having the rare alpha-glucosyl linkage.