Abstract
It has been found that the water solubilities of saikosaponins, the active principles
of Bupleuri radix, are greatly increased in the presence of ginsenoside-Ro, the glucuronide
bisdesmoside of oleanolic acid of Ginseng. No solubilizing effect was observed with
the neutral dammarane Saponins of Ginseng. However, the solubilizing effect of ginsenoside-Ro
was significantly potentiated in the presence of the dammarane saponins of 20 (S)-protopanaxadiol. The relationship between the solubilizing effect and the structure
of ginsenoside-Ro was also investigated, elucidating the important role of the glucuronide
moiety.
