Double staining of ginsenosides by Western blotting using anti-ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg1 monoclonal antibodies.

Ginsenosides separated by silica gel TLC blotted to a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane was treated with a NaIO4 solution followed by bovine serum albumin (BSA), resulting in a ginsenoside-BSA conjugate on a PVDF membrane. The blotted bands were stained with anti-ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The newly established double staining with the Western blotting methods was applied for the determination of ginsenosides possessing protopanaxadiol or protopanaxatriol and the number of sugar depending on the stained color and their Rf values in the Panax plants.