Wild ginseng is known to have better pharmacological effects than cultivated ginseng. Additionally, recently developed bioengineering technology has made it possible to produce cultured wild ginseng with the same genetic composition. In this study, we investigated the change in characteristics and the improvement of the intestinal barrier of cultured wild ginseng roots (CWG) and fermented cultured wild ginseng roots (FCWG). First, we screened nine strains of bacteria that are capable of growing on 5-brix CWG medium, and Limosilactobacillus fermentum HY7303 (HY7303) showed the highest growth. Second, changes in the characteristics of CWG due to fermentation using HY7303 showed that pH and total carbohydrates decreased, and reducing sugars increased. The contents of minor ginsenosides (Rg3(s), Rk1, and Rg5) increased. Third, extracellular vesicles (EVs) with a single peak at 493.7 nm were isolated from CWG, and EVs with three peaks at 9.0 nm, 155.6 nm, and 459.0 nm were isolated from FCWG, respectively. Finally, when we treated Caco-2 cells with FCWG and EVs, we confirmed the improvement of intestinal barrier functions, including recovery, permeability, and expression of tight-junction protein genes. In this study, we confirmed the potential pharmacological effects of minor ginsenosides and EVs derived from FCWG. In conclusion, this study suggests that CWG fermentation with HY7303 improves the intestinal barrier by increasing minor ginsenosides and producing EVs.

Background/Objectives: Hypertriglyceridemia is a critical cardiovascular risk factor, and the probiotic combination of Latilactobacillus curvatus HY7601 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KY1032 (HY+KY) has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy, though clinical validation in adults with mild hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is needed. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial, a total of 100 overweight participants with mild HTG were randomized (n = 50 per group). Ultimately, 80 participants completed the study without major protocol violations and were evaluated in the Per-Protocol Set (probiotics group: n = 41; placebo group: n = 39). Primary outcomes included changes in serum lipid profiles such as triglycerides (TG) and LDL cholesterol (LDL), metabolic biomarkers, and gut microbiota composition analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: HY+KY supplementation led to significant reductions in serum TG (158.61 ± 23.17 to 139.54 ± 54.31 mg/dL, p = 0.009) and LDL (129.22 ± 28.45 to 111.34 ± 21.03 mg/dL, p = 0.005) compared to baseline, while the placebo group showed no significant changes. Furthermore, the HY+KY group exhibited a significant increase in Apolipoprotein CII (ApoC2, p = 0.034) and a reduction in fasting glucose levels (p = 0.021). Microbiome analysis revealed that HY+KY significantly increased alpha diversity (Shannon index, p = 0.012) and significantly altered the microbial community structure (beta diversity, p = 0.015). Co-occurrence network analysis identified Lactiplantibacillus as a highly connected central node that is strongly associated with the favorable shifts in clinical biomarkers. Conclusions: HY+KY supplementation was associated with improved fasting TG and LDL profiles in adults with mild HTG, alongside coordinated changes in ApoC2, fasting glucose, and gut microbiota structure. These findings support the potential of probiotic supplementation as a preventive nutritional approach in borderline HTG.