Stimulatory Effect of Ginsenosides on $pp60^{c-src}$ Protein Tyrosine Kinase

Ginsenosides present in the roots of panax ginseng C.A. Meyer were shown to induce a stimulatory effect on the overexpressed cellular chicken c-src protein tyrossine kinase in NH3T3 cells. Among 4 ginsenosides studied $(G-Rb_2,\;G-Rc,\;G-Re\;and\;G-Rg_1),\;G-Rg_1$ showed the most stimulatory effect at $16.7\mu{g/ml}$ ginsenoside concentration increasing the activity by 2-4 times. Inhibitors of either protein synthesis or RNA synthesis blocked the activation of c-src proein tyrosine kinase. These results suggest that the csrc kinase activation apprars to involve an increase in the amount of protein of the kinase by transcriptional control mechanism rather than an increase in the kinase activity.