*3.3. Reducing Power*

Reducing power was determined using a modified reducing power assay. Briefly, sample (0.1 mL) was added to 0.2 M sodium phosphate buffer (0.5 mL) and 1% potassium ferricyanide (0.5 mL), followed by incubation at 50 ◦C for 20 min. Subsequently, 10% trichloroacetic acid solution (0.5 mL) was added to the reaction mixture followed by centrifugation at 12,000× *g* for 10 min. The supernatant was mixed with distilled water (0.5 mL) and 0.1% iron (III) chloride solution (0.1 mL). The absorbance of the resulting solution was measured at 700 nm. Reducing powers of samples are expressed as vitamin C equivalents [21].

#### *3.4. Determination of Total Phenolic Content*

Total phenolic content was determined by Folin–Ciocalteu assay. Briefly, 1 mL sample (final concentration: 5 mg/mL) was mixed with 1 mL of 2% sodium carbonate solution and 1 mL of 10% Folin–Ciocalteu's phenol reagent. After incubating the mixture at room temperature for 10 min, its absorbance was measured at 750 nm using microplate reader and compared with the calibration curve of gallic acid. Data are expressed as milligrams of gallic acid equivalents per gram of sample [21].

#### *3.5. Determination of Elastase Inhibitory Activity*

Elastase inhibitory activity was determined as previously described [22]. Briefly, 10 μL elastase derived from porcine pancreas (10 μg/mL) was mixed with 90 μL of 0.2 M Tris-HCl, 100 μL of STANA (2.5 mM, *<sup>N</sup>*-Succinyl-Ala-Ala-Ala-*p*-nitroanilide), and 50 μL of the sample and incubated at 37 ◦C for 30 min. The reaction mixture was then centrifuged at 15,000× *g* for 10 min to obtain supernatant. The absorbance of the supernatant was measured at 405 nm using a microplate reader. Phosphoramidon, an inhibitor of elastase from *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*, was used as a positive control.

#### *3.6. Determination of Ginsenoside Contents*

Contents of ginsenosides Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, and Rg1 were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The LC-MS/MS system consisted of a Sciex HPLC system coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (Triple Quad 4500, AB Sciex, Framingham, MA, USA). The mobile phase for the HPLC system consisted of water containing 0.1% formic acid (solvent A) and acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid (solvent B). It was eluted at 0.4 mL/min. A gradient elution protocol was used: solvent A:solvent B, *v*/*v* ramped from 72:28 to 65:35 for 6 min; ramped from 65:35 to 0:100 for 4 min; held at 0:100 for 1 min; back to 72:28 for 4 min; and then held at 72:28 form 5 min. Chromatographic separation was performed using a reversed-phase column ZORBAX Eclipse Plus (C18, 3 × 100 mm, particle size 1.8 μm; Agilent, Santa Clara, CA, USA), which was maintained at 40 ◦C. To avoid contamination by particles, the mobile phase was filtered through a 0.45 μm filter device (PEEK, Supelco, Taufkirchen, Germany) before use. The mass spectrometer was operated in the positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The following ion source parameters were used: temperature, 600 ◦C; collision gas pressure, 9 mTorr; sheath gas pressure, 40 Arb; and auxiliary valve flow rate, 10 Arb. Detailed mass spectrometry parameters are listed in Table 3.

**Table 3.** Mass spectrometry parameters for the detection of ginsenosides.

