Gibberellin improved the health-promoting properties of American ginseng sprouts

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a perennial herb of the Araliaceae family with various pharmacological activities, including antioxidative, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. The young seedlings, called American ginseng sprouts, have enormous market potential. However, the long dormancy periods of their seeds is a major factor that limits the production of sprouts. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of gibberellin 3 (GA₃) on germination, growth, as well as nutritional and medicinal values of American ginseng sprouts. Chemical analysis, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-Quadrupole TOF mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and multivariate statistical analysis were used to explore the metabolic changes of American ginseng at different growth stages. The results showed that GA₃ substantially enhanced the germination of seeds and the growth of sprouts. The roots of American ginseng sprouts contain high levels of nutritional compounds, such as proteins, sugars, and vitamin C, and functional composition, including saponins, polysaccharides, and phenolics. All of those components and their capacity to act as antioxidants were enhanced by the GA₃ treatment. Moreover, metabolite profiling was also performed on the roots of American ginseng sprouts. A total of 142 compounds were identified, which were divided into 6 groups, including 8 amino acids, 8 fatty acids, 8 saccharides, 37 organic acids, 67 saponins, and 14 other metabolites, with high nutritional value and various pharmacological effects. The active metabolites were the most abundant and varied in the 60-day-old sprout roots, which suggests the potential harvest time of American ginseng should be 60 d. This study provides a new concept for the development of a new market for American ginseng.