Applications of ELISA, western blotting and immunoaffinity concentration for survey of ginsenosides in crude drugs of Panax species and traditional Chinese herbal medicines.

A combination of ELISA, Western blotting and immunoaffinity concentration using an anti-ginsenoside Rb1 monoclonal antibody was applied for qualitative and quantitative surveys of ginsenoside Rb1 and related ginsenosides in roots and traditional Chinese herbal medicines. To improve the low correlation between ELISA and HPLC analysis, the crude extract of roots was immunoaffinity concentrated to make evident the effect of malonyl ginsenoside Rb1. Immunoaffinity column chromatography also concentrated an unknown ginsenoside which had the same cross-reaction with ginsenoside Rb1.