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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Nutr.
Sec. Food Chemistry
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1482125

Synergistic Effect in the Co-extraction of Ginseng and Schisandra Protein

Provisionally accepted
Han Zhang Han Zhang Haidong Wang Haidong Wang *Hongyan Zhou Hongyan Zhou *Jialin Shi Jialin Shi *Zhiqiang Wan Zhiqiang Wan *Guangzhe Li Guangzhe Li *Mingming Yan Mingming Yan *
  • Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Ginseng and Schisandra are traditional Chinese plants that have been used in culinary practices and are renowned for their immune-boosting properties. In Chinese medicine, Ginseng and Schisandra are frequently used together as a clinical pair to mutually enhance their effect, producing a synergistic effect when consumed in combination. However, the underlying mechanism of their synergistic effect remains uncertain. Therefore, this study investigates the synergistic effect of Ginseng-Schisandra in terms of macromolecular proteins. Methods: We used a dual-protein research methodology combined with co-extraction techniques to obtain the co-extracted protein of ginseng and Schisandra. We then compared the physicochemical and functional properties and antioxidant activities of co-extracted protein (COP), simple mixed protein (SMP), Ginseng protein (PGP), and Schisandra protein (SCP). Results: Generally, PGP and SCP are considered as functional food with antioxidant activity. COP are composite proteins with a shared internal structure that are combined by Ginseng and Schisandra proteins, while SMP are simple mixtures of PGP and SCP. Free radical scavenging experiments indicated that COP exhibited the highest scavenging ability for hydroxyl radicals (98.89%), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals (85.95%), and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS+) radicals (42.69%). In vitro, COP significantly reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), while increasing intracellular levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in HepG2 cells. Discussion: The comparative results of the macromolecular proteins reveal that COP contributes to the synergistic effect of Ginseng-Schisandra and indicate the advantages of co-extraction in protein production, suggesting the potential application of COP in the food industry.

    Keywords: synergistic effect, Co-extracted protein, physicochemical properties, functional properties, Antioxidant properties

    Received: 17 Aug 2024; Accepted: 14 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Wang, Zhou, Shi, Wan, Li and Yan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Haidong Wang, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
    Hongyan Zhou, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
    Jialin Shi, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
    Zhiqiang Wan, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
    Guangzhe Li, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
    Mingming Yan, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.