• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2003

Cylindrocarpon destructans is the major pathogen inducing the root rot disease in ginseng. Up to now, there is no reliable and convenient method to analyze the spore density or population of this pathogen in ginseng-growing soil or any contaminated farmlands. Therefore, it will be very valuable to develop a new and reliable method in detecting the spore of this pathogen. In this study, a molecular biological technique using two step nested PCR method, was developed. Two universal ITS primers, ITS5F and ITS4R were used in the first round of PCR to amplify a fragment of ITS region from the genomic DNA of C. destructans. The specific prmers Nest 1 and Nest 2 were designed and used in the second round of PCR to amplify a inner fragment from the first round PCR product of C. destructans. C. destructans spore, only soil samples from the diseased ginseng farm produced the positive bands, suggesting its usefulness in detecting the C. destructans spores in soil samples. Thus it is recommended to first extract the whole genomic DNA from soil samples and use it for the PCR reaction, thereby eliminating the inhibitory activity of soil components.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.11-18
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• 2010

Object : This study was to evaluate the effect of Ginseng Radix, aqueous extracts of the root part of Panax ginseng on the 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil(PTU)-induced rat hypothyroidism. Methods : Aqueous extracts of Ginseng Radix(GR; yield = 11.70%) were administered, once day for 42 days from 2 weeks before start of PTU treatment as an oral dose of 300 and 150 mg/kg(body weight), and hypothyroidism was induced by daily subcutaneous treatment of PTU 10mg/kg for 28 days. The changes in the body weight, thyroid gland weights, serum levels of thyroid hormone-thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH), tri-iodothyronine(T3) and thyroxine(T4), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein(LDL), high density lipoprotein(HDL) and triglyceride, liver antioxidant defense system-lipid peroxidation, $H_2O_2$, superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) were observed with histopathology of thyroid glands. Results : Results were compared with LevoT4 0.5mg/kg treated rats. GR extracts suppressed the decreases in the body weight, thyroid gland weights, T3 and T4, TG, liver $H_2O_2$ and SOD activities as results of PTU treatment. And GR extracts suppressed the increases of HDL contents, liver CAT activities, thyroid gland weight as results of PTU treatment. In addition, marked hyperplasia of follicular cells with decreases of follicular colloid contentsand sizes were demonstrated at histopathological inspections. However, these PTU-induced histopathological changes related to hypothyroidism were dramatically decreased by treatment of both different dosages of GR extract, respectively Conclusions : This study suggest that GR extracts have favorable effects on the thyroid hormone productions with beneficial effects on the hypothyroidism mediated by the modulatory effects on the antioxidant defense system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.137-148
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• 2007

Objectives : Following central nervous system (CNS) injury, inhibitory influences at the site of axonal damage occur. Glial cells become reactive and form a glial scar, know as gliosis. As well,myelin debris such as MAG inhibits axonal regeneration. Astrocyte-rich gliosis relates to up-regulation of GFAP and CD81, and eventually becomes a physical and mechanical barrier to axonal regeneration. It is postulated that when the astrocytic reaction is absent, regeneration of axons can occur. It was reported that treatment with anti CD81 antibodies enhanced functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injury. Methods : MAG is one of several endogenous axon regeneration inhibitors that limit recovery from central nervous system injury and disease. It was reported that molecules which block such inhibitors enhanced axon regeneration and functional recovery. Results : In this current study, the author investigated the effect of the water extract of Ginseng Radix on the regulation of CD81, GFAP and MAG which increases when gliosis occurs. MTT analysis was performed to examine cell viability, and cell based ELISA, Western Blot and PCR were used to detect the expression of CD81, GFAP and MAG. Immunohistochemistry was also performed to confirm in vivo. Conclusions : We observed that Ginseng Radix significantly down-regulates the expression of CD81, GFAP and MAG by means of cell based ELISA, Western Blot and PCR. In immunohistochemistry, expression of CD81, GFAP and MAG also decreased. Taken together, these results suggest that Ginseng Radix can be a candidate for regenerating CNS injury.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2012

The radioprotective effects of white ginseng and Entomopathogenic Fugi Extract on liver damage induced by X-ray were investigated. To one group of ICR male mice were given white ginseng(150 mg/kg/day for 7days, orally) and Entomopathogenic Fugi (200 mg/kg/day for 7days, orally) before X-ray irradiation. To another group were irradiated by 5 Gy(1.01 Gy/min) dose of X-ray. Contrast group were given with saline(0.1 ml). The levels of reduced(GSH) and oxidized(GSSG) glutathione in liver tissue were measured. The ratio of GSSG/total GSH was significantly decreased in the white ginseng and Entomopathogenic Fugi (200 mg/kg/day)(150 mg/kg/day) groups than irradiation group.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.168-172
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• 1998

Systematic electrophoretic analysis of alcohol-soluble proteins and salt-soluble proteins of 247 Panax ginseng (P.g) and Panax quinquefolium (P.q) germplasms seed was carried out on an improved lactate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a method with high resolving power, good reproducibility and stability. The electrophoregrams of proteins, according to their migration rate, were classified into four groups such as ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$, ${\gamma}$ and $\omega$ for the alcohol-soluble proteins and three such as I, II and III for the salt-soluble ones. Panax ginseng or Panax quinquefolium had their own unique band pattern distinguishable from each other, regarding as their specific "fingerprint". In this study, 3 of 168 (1.8%) P.g germplasms and 1 of 79 (1.3%) P.q germplasms had their own unique band pattern, showing that P.g and P.q germplasms have poor genetic diversity in species. The band patterns of dry seed and stratified seed (embryo rate=60%) were basically the same. The band number of the F, hybrid of p.gx p.q was exactly equivalent to the number of the common bands plus the specific bands of the two parents, indicating that the difference of band patterns was a genetic trait con- trolled by the nuclear genes. The electrophoregram of F1 of P.g x P.q could be predicted by that of the two parents and the band pattern of the F1 hybrids could be demnonstrated by that of the mixed seed extract from the two parents.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.220-225
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• 2008

The present investigation was performed to evaluate the homeostatic regulation of sleep architecture by the ethanol extract of Korea red ginseng (KRG), since the available data were often controversial. In addition, it was also interested in whether the sleep-wake stages were differently affected by low and high doses of KRG. Each adult Wistar male rat was implanted with a transmitter for recording EEG and activity via telemetry. After one week of surgery, polygraphic signs of undisturbed sleep-wake activities were recorded for 12 h (between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm) after KRG administration. KRG (10 and 100 mg/kg) increased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep as well as total sleep. The total percentages of wakefulness were decreased comparably. KRG (10 mg/kg) decreased the power density of the ${\delta}-wave$ (0.75-4.5 Hz) and increased ${\alpha}-wave$ (8.0-13.0 Hz) in the NREM and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. KRG also decreased ${\delta}-wave$ power density in wake time. However, KRG (100 mg/kg) increased ${\delta}-wave$ and decreased ${\theta}-wave$ (5.0-9.0 Hz) power density in wake time, while showed little effect on the power density in NREM and REM sleep. In conclusion, low and high doses of KRG increase spontaneous sleep and NREM sleep and differently regulate the EEG spectra in REM and NREM sleep.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.217-221
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• 1999

We have isolated an antithrombin active polysaccharide in red ginseng by procedures comprising three major steps involving alkaline extraction, anion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. Active polysaccharide behaved as a single band on cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis. The average molecular mass was estimated to be about 177 kDa by gel filtration. This polysaccharide was found to be an acidic heteropolysaccharide that contains uronic acid moiety $(40.2\%)$, sulfate group $(9.2\%)$ and protein $(1.5\%)$ in addition to neutral sugar consisted of rhamnose, mannose, galactose, arabinose, glucose, fucose and xylose in a molar ratio of 1.00 : 0.88 : 0.86 : 0.78: 0.70 : 0.33 : 0.22. This polysaccharide inhibited blood coagulation via the intrinsic pathway like heparin in a dose-dependent manner. The clotting of fibrinogen by thrombin was also mitigated by the presence of this polysaccharide.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2013

The effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on diabetic renal damage was investigated using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The diabetic rats showed loss of body weight gain, and increases in kidney weight and urine volume, whereas the oral administration of KRG at a dose of 100 or 250 mg/kg of body weight per day for 28 d prevented these diabetes-induced physiological abnormalities. Among the kidney function parameters, elevated plasma levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine in diabetic control rats tended to be lowered in KRG-treated rats. In addition, administration of KRG at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight in the diabetic rats showed significant decreases in serum glucose and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), implying that KRG might prevent the pathogenesis of diabetic complications caused by impaired glucose metabolism and oxidative stress. KRG also significantly reduced advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation and secretion from kidney of diabetic rats. Furthermore, KRG decreased the levels of N-(carboxymethyl) lysine and expression of AGE receptor. KRG also reduced the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the kidney via deactivation of nuclear factor-kappa B. We also found that KRG prevented STZ-induced destruction of glomerular structure and significantly suppressed high glucose-induced fibronectin production. Taken together, KRG ameliorates abnormalities associated with diabetic nephropathy through suppression of inflammatory pathways activated by TNF-${\alpha}$ and AGEs. These findings indicate that KRG has a beneficial effect on pathological conditions associated with diabetic nephropathy.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.456-462
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• 2017

Background: Abnormal activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) plays an important role in UV-induced wrinkle formation, which is a major dermatological problem. This formation occurs due to the degeneration of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, we investigated the cutaneous photoprotective effects of Ultraflo L treated ginseng leaf (UTGL) in hairless mice. Methods: SKH-1 hairless mice (6 weeks of age) were randomly divided into four groups (8 mice/group). UTGL formulation was applied topically to the skin of the mice for 10 weeks. The normal control group received nonvehicle and was not irradiated with UVB. The UV control (UVB) group received nonvehicle and was exposed to gradient-UVB irradiation. The groups (GA) receiving topical application of UTGL formulation were subjected to gradient-UVB irradiation on $0.5mg/cm^2$ [GA-low (GA-L)] and $1.0mg/cm^2$ [(GA-high (GA-H)] of dorsal skin area, respectively. Results: We found that topical treatment with UTGL attenuated UVB-induced epidermal thickness and impairment of skin barrier function. Additionally, UTGL suppressed the expression of MMP-2, -3, and -13 induced by UVB irradiation. Our results show that topical application of UTGL protects the skin against UVB-induced damage in hairless mice and suggest that UTGL can act as a potential agent for preventing and/or treating UVB-induced photoaging. Conclusion: UTGL possesses sunscreen properties and may exhibit photochemoprotective activities inside the skin of mice. Therefore, UTGL could be used as a potential therapeutic agent to protect the skin against UVB-induced photoaging.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.436-446
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• 2018

Background: The potential therapeutic values of Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRGE) in autoimmune disorders of nervous system have not been fully investigated. Methods: We used an acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis animal model of multiple sclerosis and determined the effects and mechanism of KRGE on spinal myelination. Results: Pretreatment with KRGE (100 mg/kg, orally) for 10 days before immunization with myelin basic protein $(MBP)_{68-82}$ peptide exerted a protective effect against demyelination in the spinal cord, with inhibited recruitment and activation of immune cells including microglia, decreased mRNA expression of detrimental inflammatory mediators (interleukin-6, interferon-${\gamma}$, and cyclooxygenase-2), but increased mRNA expression of protective inflammatory mediators (insulin-like growth factor ${\beta}1$, transforming growth factor ${\beta}$, and vascular endothelial growth factor-1). These results were associated with significant downregulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathways in microglia/macrophages, T cells, and astrocytes. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KRGE alleviates spinal demyelination in acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through inhibiting the activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathway. Therefore, KRGE might be used as a new therapeutic for autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, although further investigation is needed.