• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.33-38
• /
• 2009

Korean Ginseng has been recognized as a representative special product in Korea and over the world for a long time, since its quality is known to be superior to Chinese, North American Ginseng. However, the export volume of Korean Ginseng products has been diminishing since 1990 because the imports of low price Chinese Ginseng and the effective marketing policy on North American Ginseng. Therefore, this study is to suggest the competitiveness reinforcement strategies through analyses of the present state and transition of the international competitiveness in Korean Ginseng. This study conducts the comparative analysis of international competitive power of ginseng between Korea and other exporting countries. There are many kinds of saponin that are competitive from a quality profile. However, price competitiveness was very low. According to the result of analysis, this study suggest the competitiveness reinforcement strategies of Korean Ginseng as follows ; First, it is necessary to establish the ginseng plan for high-quality environmentally-friendly production. Second, Korean Ginseng producer should develop various consumer-oriented products according to purchasing power and taste of target market consumers. Third, export strategies must be established by finding out every importing country’s characteristics with regard its import, circulation and consumption of the Korean Ginseng. The use of this study is to forecast useful information to concerned organization for the future policies to the ginseng products in the international market.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
• /
• v.6
• /
• pp.13-34
• /
• 2024

The abolishment of the red ginseng monopoly act by the Korean government in 1996 resulted in a drastic change in the Korean ginseng industry, leading to a significant increase in the market size and consumption of ginseng products. Red ginseng is most popular type, with approximately 74% of harvested fresh ginseng being processed into various red ginseng products. Since 1997, there has been a substantial increase in the cultivation of ginseng for production of red ginseng, which, in turn, has contributed to the proliferation of ginseng processing companies. To investigate the products of ginseng manufacturing businesses, we select 200 companies primarily engaged in ginseng processing or specializing solely in ginseng. Our survey on the status of ginseng industry covered 8 different categories. 1) Root ginseng: There were 66 companies involved in manufacturing red ginseng root, accounting for 33.0% of all surveyed companies. This was followed by black ginseng root with 36 companies (18.0%) and red ginseng fine roots with 22 companies (11%). 2) Red ginseng products: A total of 144 companies were involved in manufacturing red ginseng pouches, making it the most common product category. This was closely followed by 142 companies producing pure(100%) red ginseng extract concentrate. 3) Fermented red ginseng products: Companies producing fermented red ginseng extract concentrate products were the most numerous, totaling 26. Following this, companies producing fermented red ginseng stick and pouch products were next in line. 4) Ginseng products: There were 15 companies involved in the production of ginseng products, with the majority focusing on ginseng tea. 5) Black ginseng products: Companies producing black ginseng extract concentrate were the most numerous, with 31 companies, followed by 26 companies producing black ginseng extract pouches. 6) Taegeuk ginseng products: Only 5 companies were involved in the production of taegeuk ginseng products. 7) Fermented black ginseng, and 8) Ginseng berry products: These categories are manufactured by less than 5 companies each. However, the variety in ginseng berry products suggests the potential for future growth. In the 2000s, a trend emerged with the development of new processed products aimed at enhancing the functional components of red ginseng, and these products have captured the attention of consumers. However, this study primarily focuses on black ginseng, fermented red ginseng/fermented black ginseng, and ginseng berry products as they have exerted a significant influence on the overall ginseng industry.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.245-252
• /
• 2024

Ginseng is a traditional herbal medicine used for prevention and treatment of various diseases as a tonic. Recent scientific cohort studies on life prolongation with ginseng consumption support this record, as those who consumed ginseng for more than 5 years had reduced mortality and cognitive decline compared to those who did not. Clinical studies have also shown that acute or long-term intake of ginseng total extract improves acute working memory performance or cognitive function in healthy individuals and those with subjective memory impairment (SMI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or early Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia who are taking AD medication(s). Ginseng contains various components ranging from classical ginsenosides and polysaccharides to more recently described gintonin. However, it is unclear which ginseng component(s) might be the main candidate that contribute to memory or cognitive improvements or prevent cognitive decline in older individuals. This review describes recent clinical contributors to ginseng components in clinical tests and introduces emerging evidence that ginseng components could be novel candidates for cognitive improvement in older individuals, as ginseng components improve SMI cognition and exhibits add-on effects when coadministered with early AD dementia drugs. The mechanism behind the beneficial effects of ginseng components and how it improves cognition are presented. Additionally, this review shows how ginseng components can contribute to SMI, MCI, or early AD dementia when used as a supplementary food and/or medicine, and proposes a novel combination therapy of current AD medicines with ginseng component(s).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.577-584
• /
• 2018

Background: Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a widely used traditional herbal supplement that possesses various health-enhancing efficacies. Various ginseng products are available in market, especially in the Korean peninsula, in the form of drinks, tablets, and capsules. The different ginseng types include the traditional red ginseng extract (RGE), white ginseng, and black red ginseng extract (BRGE). Their fermented and enzyme-treated products are also available. Different treatment regimens alter the bioavailability of certain compounds present in the respective ginseng extracts. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to compare the antioxidant and immune-stimulating activities of RGE, BRGE, and fermented red ginseng extract (FRGE). Methods: We used an acetaminophen-induced oxidative stress model for investigating the reduction of oxidative stress by RGE, BRGE, and FRGE in Sprague Dawley rats. A cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression model was used to evaluate the immune-stimulating activities of these ginseng extracts in BALB/c mice. Results: Our results showed that most prominently, RGE (in almost all experiments) exhibited excellent antioxidant effects via increasing superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in the liver and decreasing serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels compared with the groups treated with FRGE and BRGE. Moreover, RGE significantly increased the number of white blood cells, especially T and B lymphocytes, and antibody-forming cells in the spleen and thymus, and it also activated a number of immune cell subtypes. Conclusion: Taken together, these results indicate that RGE is the best supplement for consumption in everyday life for overall health-enhancing properties.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.213-224
• /
• 2016

Objectives: Ginseng Rh2+ is enzyme-treated ginseng extract containing high amounts of converted ginsenosides, such as compound k, Rh2, Rg3, which have potent anticancer activity. We conducted general and genetic toxicity tests to evaluate the safety of ginseng Rh2+. Methods: An acute oral toxicity test was performed at a high-level dose of 4,000 mg/kg/day in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. A 14-day range-finding study was also conducted to set dose levels for the 90-day study. A subchronic 90-day toxicity study was performed at dose levels of 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg/day to investigate the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of ginseng Rh2+ and target organs. To identify the mutagenic potential of ginseng Rh2+, we conducted a bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test) using amino-acid-requiring strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli (E. coli), a chromosome aberration test with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells, and an in vivo micronucleus test using ICR mice bone marrow as recommended by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Results: According to the results of the acute oral toxicity study, the approximate lethal dose (ALD) of ginseng Rh2+ was estimated to be higher than 4,000 mg/kg. For the 90-day study, no toxicological effect of ginseng Rh2+ was observed in body-weight changes, food consumption, clinical signs, organ weights, histopathology, ophthalmology, and clinical pathology. The NOAEL of ginseng Rh2+ was established to be 2,000 mg/kg/day, and no target organ was found in this test. In addition, no evidence of mutagenicity was found either on the in vitro genotoxicity tests, including the Ames test and the chromosome aberration test, or on the in vivo in mice bone marrow micronucleus test. Conclusion: On the basis of our findings, ginseng Rh2+ is a non-toxic material with no genotoxicity. We expect that ginseng Rh2+ may be used as a novel adjuvant anticancer agent that is safe for long-term administration.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2014

Objectives: Mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP) is a pharmacopuncture made by distilling extract from mountain cultivated ginseng or mountain wild ginseng. This pharmacopuncture is injected intravenously, which is a quick, lossless way of strongly tonifying Qi function. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a 4-week, repeated, intravenous injection, toxicity test of MGP in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Twenty male and female 6-week-old SD rats were used as subjects. We divided the SD rats into 4 groups: the high-dosage (10 mL/kg), medium-dosage (5 mL/kg), low-dosage (2.5 mL/kg) and control (normal saline) groups. MGP or normal saline was injected intravenously into the caudal vein of the rats once daily for 4 weeks. Clinical signs, body weights, and food consumption were monitored during the observation period, and hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight, necropsy, and histological examinations were conducted once the observations had been completed. Results: No mortality was observed in any of the groups during the observation period. No changes due to MGP were observed in the experimental groups regarding clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight and necropsy. No histological changes due to MGP were observed in any of the male or female rats in the high-dosage group. Conclusion: During this 4-week, repeated, intravenous injection, toxicity test of MGP in SD rats, no toxic changes due to MGP were observed in any of the male or female rats in the high-dosage group. Thus, we suggest that the high and the low doses in a 13-week, repeated test should be 10 mL/kg and 2.5 mL/kg, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.200-208
• /
• 1986

It was attempted in this study to investigate the effect of ginseng saponin on several glycolytic enzymes of yeast cell and the following results were obtained. The amount of $CO_2$formed during the incubation of yeast cells in medium containing saponin fraction of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer was greater than that of control cells and found that the $CO_2$ formation was greatest when the cells were grown in the medium containing 10$^{-3}$% of the saponin fraction, at which the uptake of inorganic phosphate and glucose consumption were also increased. Radioactivity study of several glycolytic intermediates of yeast cells cultured in the medium containing [U-$^{14}$C]-glucose showed that the radioactivity of fructose 6-phosphate of test cells was as much as 1.6times that of control group. On the other hand, the radioactivity of pyruvate of test cells was considerably decreased compared to control. Investigation of the effect of ginseng saponin on yeast hexokinase, phosphoglucose isomers, pyruvate kinase and perverted decarboxylase in vitro showed that the maximum activities of the above enzymes were observed when the concentration of ginseng saponin was 10-$^{-5}$% in the reaction mixture. It seemed that the ginseng saponin stimulated both glycolytic enzymes such as hexokinase, phosphoglucose isomers and perverted decarboxylase significantly.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.408-417
• /
• 2022

Background: Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRGE) has been used as a health supplement and herbal medicine. Astrocytes are one of the key cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and have bioenergetic potential as they stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis. They play a critical role in connecting the brain vasculature and nerves in the CNS. Methods: Brain samples from KRGE-administered mice were tested using immunohistochemistry. Treatment of human brain astrocytes with KRGE was subjected to assays such as proliferation, cytotoxicity, Mitotracker, ATP production, and O₂ consumption rate as well as western blotting to demonstrate the expression of proteins related to mitochondria functions. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) was diminished utilizing siRNA transfection. Results: Brain samples from KRGE-administered mice harbored an increased number of GFAP-expressing astrocytes. KRGE triggered the proliferation of astrocytes in vitro. Enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis induced by KRGE was detected using Mitotracker staining, ATP production, and O₂ consumption rate assays. The expression of proteins related to mitochondrial electron transport was increased in KRGE-treated astrocytes. These effects were blocked by HIF-1α knockdown. The factors secreted from KRGE-treated astrocytes were determined, revealing the expression of various cytokines and growth factors, especially those related to angiogenesis and neurogenesis. KRGE-treated astrocyte conditioned media enhanced the differentiation of adult neural stem cells into mature neurons, increasing the migration of endothelial cells, and these effects were reduced in the background of HIF-1α knockdown. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KRGE exhibits prophylactic potential by stimulating astrocyte mitochondrial biogenesis through HIF-1α, resulting in improved neurovascular function.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.285-292
• /
• 2013

Ginseng is a well-known traditional medicine used in Asian countries for several thousand years, and it is currently applied to medicine, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements due to its many healing and energygiving properties. It is well demonstrated that ginsenosides, the main ingredient of ginseng, produce a variety of pharmacological and therapeutic effects on central nerve system (CNS) disorders, cardiovascular disease, endocrine secretions, aging, and immune function. Korean red ginseng extract is a dietary supplement containing ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rg1 extracted from Panax ginseng. While the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the extract have been well established, its toxicological properties remain obscure. Thus, four-week oral toxicity studies in rats were conducted to investigate whether Korean red ginseng extract could have a potential toxicity to humans. The test article was administered once daily by oral gavage to four groups of male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg/day for four weeks. Neither deaths nor clinical symptoms were observed in any group during the experiment. Furthermore, no abnormalities in body weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross findings, organ weights, or histopathology were revealed related to the administration of the test article in either sex of any dosed group. Therefore, a target organ was not determined in this study, and the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Korean red ginseng extract was established to be 2,000 mg/kg/day.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.156-167
• /
• 1979

Physiological characteristics of Panax ginseng were reviewed in relation to temperature. According to the old literatures and records of cultivator's experiences it was elucidated that ginseng plants require light but hate high temperature and that the cultural methods were developed to content two characteristics in contradiction. Low temperature (cool climate) during growing season seems (or ginseng to be essential and to escape from the extreme coldness according to air and soil temperature of natural habitat and cultivated area. Optimum temperature of dehiscence (15∼below 20$^{\circ}C$) is a little higher than that of germination (10∼15$^{\circ}C$). Optimum temperature for growing of new buds (18∼20$^{\circ}C$) is similar to that for growing after emergence (17∼21$^{\circ}C$). Dormancy of both matured embryo and new buds is broken at the same temperature (2∼3$^{\circ}C$). It seems reasonable that optimum temperature of photosynthesis (22$^{\circ}C$) is similar to that of growth. Respiration quotients of various organs or of whole plant ranged from 1.7 to 3 incrased with high temperature. Respiratory consumption and oxygen limitation seem to be potential factors to induce decay during dehiscence and germination of seeds and root rot in fields. Research on organ differentiation. photosynthesis, respiration and growth with age is needed for the development of cultivation methods.