Arginyl-fructosyl-glucose and arginyl-fructose as bioactives from red ginseng: efficient aqueous preparation and their protective effects on aging-related erectile dysfunction in rats

Red ginseng has been used to ameliorate erectile dysfunction (ED), a common age-related male reproductive disorder, though the active constituents responsible for this effect remain unclear. Arginyl-fructosyl-glucose (AFG) and arginyl-fructose (FA), are two arginine-derived Amadori compounds formed via Maillard reaction during red ginseng processing. An optimized vacuum dehydration method yielded 64.58% and 87.95%, respectively for AFG and FA, a significant increase compared to previous reported best results. In D-galactose-induced aging ED rats, the prepared AFG and FA significantly improved erectile function by reducing fibrosis and alleviating oxidative stress in the penile corpus cavernosum (PCC), alongside up-regulation of the eNOS/NO/cGMP signaling pathway within PCC. AFG and FA co-administration with 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 further enhanced the efficacy. These findings identify AFG and FA as key bioactives mediating the ED-improving effects of red ginseng and provide novel insights for red ginseng-based functional food development.