• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2009

Objectives: This study was on the pharmaceutical components in purified ginseng total saponin (GTS), coisis semen (CS), the combination of these drugs, and the major component of coicis coixol for the prevention and treatment of obesity. Methods: In this study, to evaluate the effect on the suppression of obesity, high fat diet-induced obese rats were treating with the drugs, the effects on the balance of energy and diet activity were examined, and the change of weight, the change of the intake of diet, body fat rate, etc. were assessed. Results: The results demonstrate that in high fat diet-induced obese white rats, the combination treatment of ginseng total saponin and coicis was effective in suppression of weight gain, reduction of intake of food, and reduction of body fat. Conclusions: The results suggest that a combination treatment with major components of red ginseng total saponin and coicis may be used therapeutically for the suppression and treatment of obesity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 1996

In order to investigate the Immunomodulatory effects of ginseng, we have studied the effects of ginseng saponin on the proliferation and cytosine gene expression of human pheripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). In the PBMC proliferation assay, total saponin exhibited proliferation inhibition on the PBMC or phytohemagglutinin(PHA)-stimulated PBMC in a dose-dependent fashion. Immunomodulatory effects of ginseng were further investigated using the cytokine gene expression as the indicators. In the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), migration inhibitory factor and transforming growth factor genes were expressed in the PHA-stimulated PBMC 48 hrs after cell culture. Among expressed cytokines, total saponin could increase the expression of IL-1 and TNF of PBMC without stimulation of PHA. All of ginsenosides, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, $Rg_1$, Rc, Re, incresed TNF gene expression. Especially, Rb2 (20 g/ml) showed most prominent effect on TNF gene expression and it also slightly increased IL-1 gene expression of PBMC.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.316-323
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• 1998

To study e(feces of Korean Binseng (Parfax ginseff C. A. hfeyer) total saponin fraction on spermidine and spermine metabolism in rat reproductive systems, we administrated the saponin fractation to rats for 2 years. Then, we determined the activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), the quantitation of the enzyme protein and the amounts of spermidine and spermine contents In prostate and testis. In young sexually immature stage, administration of Korean ginseng saponin fraction showed no effect on SAMDC activities. The stimulatory effect on the activities of SAMDC gradually increased and reached maximal activities in test groups of prostate and testis at sexually mature stage. The amounts of SAMDC protein in test groups were paralleled by the changes of SAMDC activities in test groups, indicating that all of the increased activity occurring in administration of ginseng saponin fraction was not due to the activation of SAMDC activity but to the Increase in enzyme protein. However, the spermidine and spermine contents of test groups showed small increase in compared to that of control groups. From these results, we suggest that administration of ginseng saponin fraction alter the spermidine and spermine metabolism in sexually mature and aged reproductive systems in rats.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 1985

In order to investigate the biological activity of ginseng saponins, the effects of ginseng saponins on the reaction catalyzed by bacterial a-amylase were studied and the results obtained were summerized as follows. Bacterial ${\alpha}$-amylase activity was increased by the addition of protopanaxadiol (diol), protopanaxatriol (triol) and total saponin. Preincubation of ${\alpha}$-amylase with diol saponin at $40^{\circ}C$ for 3 min increased ${\alpha}$-amylase activity to the degree of 120%. In the protective effect on the heat denaturation of the enzyme, triol saponin protected the heat denaturation for 5 min at $60^{\circ}C$, but diol saponin accelerated the heat denaturation. The hydrolyzates of diol and triol saponin increased the enzyme activity more than the intact diol and triol saponin. In the catalysis system of bacterial ${\alpha}$-amylase, the addition of diol and triol saponin reduced the substrate inhibition in the presence of high concentration of the substrate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.147-147
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• 1998

The present study was designed to examine the effect of total ginseng saponin on CA secretion evoked by activation of nicotinic receptors from the isolated perfused rat adrenal glands. Total ginseng saponin given (100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/20 min) into an adrenal vein did fail to produce alteration of spontaneous CA release from the rat adrenal medulla. Acetylcholine (5.32 mM)- and DMPP (100 uM, a selective ncotinic receptor agonist)-evoked CA secretory responses were reduced markedly by the pretreatment with the total ginseng saponin at a rate of 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/6.2 $m\ell$/20 min, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 1991

This experiment was performed to investigate the effects of ginseng saponin fraction and cyclophosphamide (CY) on the tumor development, the antitumor effect and the tumoricidal activity of mouse macrophage. When mice were treated with saponin or CY following inoculation with Sarcoma 180, tumor development was inhibited and survival ratio increased, and a combination of both treatments further inhibited the tumor development. Tumoricidal activity of macrophage was effectively increased at 10-7% concentration of CY and it was further increased when macrophage was cotreated with saponin and CY. Tumoricidal activity of macrophage was greatest at the third day after inoculating tumor cell. Both saponin and CY increased the chemiluminescence of macrophage, but CY had no effect on releasing TNF, unlike saponin.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 1973

It is said that the chinese medicine, Ginseng root has some effects on the central nervous system . Ginseng saponin was prepared from Ginseng methanol extract and its effect on general behavioral activity was studied in rats. Each experimental group was composed of 8 rats. The behavioral activity of rats was observed in terms of 7 components i.e. sleeping, lying, grooming, rearing, walking, eating and drinking. In each group, total duration of behavior-observation was 2 hours, which were devided into four 30 min-intervals. The behavior-observation was done 10 times for each interval, so total number of observation was 40 times throughout 2 hours. Ginseng sapoain showed central nervous system stimulant action in reduced sleeping component and in increased activity components. From the results of this study, it is suggested that Ginseng saponin inhibits the extrapyramidal action of chlorpromazine.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.274-283
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• 1998

It has generally been accepted that quality of ginseng should be determined not by the content of a single component but by composition and balance of total active principles. However, there still can be an exception with a product in which a given ginsenoside is used for the treatment of a specific disease. Although ginsenosides have been regarded to be major active components of ginseng and employed as index components for the quality control, it does not consistent with the traditional concept on ginseng quality creterion; main root has been more highly appreciated than the lateral or fine root. Content of ginsenosides in the lateral or fine root is much higher than that in main root. However, the ratio of protopanaxadiol (PD) and protopanaxatriol (PT) saponins existing in various part of ginseng root is greatly different. The ratio of PD/PT saponins in main root is well balanced but the thinner the root is the higher the ratio. Thus far, a total of 34 different kinds of ginsenosides have been isolated from Korean (red) ginseng, and their pharmacological activities were elucidated partly. Interestingly, different ginsenoside shows similar or contrary effects to each other in biological systems, thus indicating the significance of absolute content of single ginsenoside as well as compositional patterns of each ginsenoside. Therefore, pharmacological activities of ginseng should be determined as a wholly concept. In these regards, standardization of ginseng material (fresh ginseng root) should be preceded to the standardization of ginseng products because ginsenoside content and non-saponin active principles such as polysaccharides and nitrogen (N)-containing compound including proteins are significantly different from part to part of the root. In other words, the main root contains less ginsenosides than other lateral or fine roots. Contents of polysaccharides and N-containing compound in main root is higher. However, the quality control of ginseng products focused on non-saponin compounds has limitation in applying to the analytical method, because of the difficult chemical analysis of these compounds. Content of ginsenosides, and ratios of PD/PT and ginsenoside Rb,/Rg, are inversely proportional to the diameter of ginseng root. Therefore, these can be served as the chemical parameters for the indirect method of evaluating from what part of the root does the material originate. Furthermore, contents of polysaccharides and N-containing compounds show inverse relationship to saponin content. Therefore, it seems that index for analytical chemistry of saponin can be applied to the indirect method of evaluating not only saponin but also non-saponin compounds of ginseng. From these viewpoints, it is strongly recommended that quality of ginseng or ginseng products be judged not only by the absolute content of given ginsenoside but also by varieties and compositional balance of ginsenosides, including contents of non-saponin active principles.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

The ginsenoside content was compared with wild simulated ginseng (Panax ginseng) collected every season at 11 wild simulated ginseng plantations in Korea. As a result, the total saponin of 7 years old wild simulated ginseng showed the highest content of 4.5% in spring sampling wild simulated ginseng, 2.0% in summer sampling wild simulated ginseng, 1.2% in winter sampling wild simulated ginseng and 1.0% in autumn sampling wild simulated ginseng. And also, the total saponin of 10 years old wild simulated ginseng showed the highest content of 3.9% in spring sampling wild simulated ginseng, summer sampling wild simulated ginseng (1.8%), winter sampling wild simulated ginseng (1.6%) and autumn sampling wild simulated ginseng (0.6%). Therefore, the total saponin of spring sampling wild simulated ginseng was about 4.5 - 6.5 times higher than that of autumn sampling wild simulated ginseng regardless of cultivation period.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 1992

After rats were exposed to 5,000 ppm carbon monoxide for 30 minutes, the amounts of catecholamine neurotransmitters in stratum were measured using high performance liquid chromatograph equipped with electrochemical detector. The concentration of dopamine in stratum was significantly decreased after carbon monoxide intoxification, but those of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, norepinephrine, and epinephrine was not changed. However the pretreatments of Ginseng total saponin and panaxatriol saponin increased the concentrations of dopamine and its acidic metabolites (DOPAC and HVA). Ginseng total saponin also increased the concentrations of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Similar results were obtained from aged rats.