• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.98-106
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• 2018

Panax ginseng has been used since ancient times based on the traditional Asian medicine theory and clinical experiences, and currently, is one of the most popular herbs in the world. To date, most of the studies concerning P. ginseng have focused on specific mechanisms of action of individual constituents. However, in spite of many studies on the molecular mechanisms of P. ginseng, it still remains unclear how multiple active ingredients of P. ginseng interact with multiple targets simultaneously, giving the multidimensional effects on various conditions and diseases. In order to decipher the systems-level mechanism of multiple ingredients of P. ginseng, a novel approach is needed beyond conventional reductive analysis. We aim to review the systems-level mechanism of P. ginseng by adopting novel analytical framework-network pharmacology. Here, we constructed a compound-target network of P. ginseng using experimentally validated and machine learning-based prediction results. The targets of the network were analyzed in terms of related biological process, pathways, and diseases. The majority of targets were found to be related with primary metabolic process, signal transduction, nitrogen compound metabolic process, blood circulation, immune system process, cell-cell signaling, biosynthetic process, and neurological system process. In pathway enrichment analysis of targets, mainly the terms related with neural activity showed significant enrichment and formed a cluster. Finally, relative degrees analysis for the target-disease association of P. ginseng revealed several categories of related diseases, including respiratory, psychiatric, and cardiovascular diseases.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.5 no.7
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• pp.333-338
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• 2016

This study is to estimate proximity without direct measurement of the weight of fresh ginseng. For this work, we developed a ginseng image acquiring instrument and obtained 126 ginseng images using the instrument. Image analysis and parameter extraction process was used C language based Labwindows/CVI development tools and open source library OpenCV. Estimation formula is made by weighing the sample with image analysis of fresh ginseng. We analyzed the correlation between the pixel number and the weight of ginseng using a linear regression approach. It was obtained a strong positive correlation coefficient of 0.9162 with a linearity value.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.243-254
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• 2020

Objectives : Network pharmacology analysis is commonly used to investigate the synergies and potential mechanisms of multiple compounds by analyzing complex, multi-layered networks. We used TCMSP and BATMAN-TCM databases to compare results of network pharmacological analysis between White Ginseng(WG) and Red Ginseng(RG). Methods : WG and RG were compared with components and their target molecules using TCMSP database, and compound-target-pathway/disease networks were compared using BATMAN-TCM database. Results : Through TCMSP, 104 kinds of target molecules were derived from WG and 38 kinds were derived from RG. Using the BATMAN-TCM database, target pathways and diseases were screened, and more target pathways and diseases were screened compared to RG due to the high composition of WG ingredients. Analysis of component-target-pathway/disease network using network analysis tools provided by BATMAN-TCM showed that WG formed more networks than RG. Conclusions : Network pharmacology analysis can be effectively performed using various databases used in system biology research, and although the materials that have been reported in the past can be used efficiently for research on diseases related to targets, the results are unreliable if prior studies are focused on limited or narrow research areas.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.342-347
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• 2010

Ginseng is one of the most-widely used herbal remedies. This systematic review evaluates the current evidence for its use in the reducing blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension. Systematic searches of 12 electronic databases were conducted without language restrictions. All randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of ginseng as a treatment for hypertension were candidates for inclusion. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias. Five RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was low in most of the trials. Four of the included RCTs compared the effectiveness of ginseng to placebo. The meta-analysis of these data failed to show a statistically significant acute effect on systolic BP (SBP) or diastolic BP (DBP). However, subgroup analyses showed beneficial effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on both SBP (n=54, mean difference [MD], -6.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], -9.99 to -3.04; p=0.0002) and DBP (n=54, MD, -5.21; 95% CI, -7.90 to -2.51; p=0.0001). Two RCTs tested the long-term effects of ginseng for BP for 24hours. One of these trials failed to show any benefits of KRG compared to no treatment, and the other failed to show superior effects of North American ginseng compared to placebo. Adverse events with ginseng were none in one trial or not assessed. Collectively, these RCTs provide limited evidence for the acute effectiveness of KRG in the treatment of high BP. The total number of RCTs included in the analysis and the total sample size were insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. More rigorous studies are warranted.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.643-650
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• 2020

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a dicotyledonous, medicinal, perennial plant belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae. We investigated the occurrence and incidence of plant viruses in Panax ginseng in Korea. A total of 656 leaf samples were combined into one and total RNA was extracted from the polled sample, using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), a metatranscriptome analysis of the plant virome was conducted. The virus present in Panax ginseng was confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay using virus-specific primers. In RNA-Seq data analysis, the multiplication protein of four viral contigs including Aristotelia chilensis virus 1 (AcV1), Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), and Tobamovirus multiplication protein were discovered. From our metatranscriptome analysis and RT-PCR assay, TuMV and WMV were detected, whereas the three viruses reported in China such as tomato yellow leaf curl China virus; panax notoginseng virus A; and panax virus Y were not found in this study. The distribution of domestic ginseng viruses seems different from that recorded in China. Overall, this is the first plant virome analysis of Panax ginseng in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1990.06a
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• pp.132-136
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• 1990

The metabolic disturbance and nephrotoxicity induced by sodium dichromate (20 mg/kg, SC) have been diminished by the administration of Korean red ginseng extract (100 mg/kg, PO). Red ginseng has a powerful potency on the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increment shown in the early 2h after dichromate intoxication. It normalized the dichromate induced hepatic glycogenolysis. The effect of red ginseng on dichromate induced nephrotoxicity was investigated by hematological analysis, and urinalysis. Ginseng treatment significantly reduced the increases in the urinary excretion of protein and glucose. These effects were dose dependent. Ginseng protected the accumulation of BUN and cretonne in the blood, caused by dichromate intoxication. Unlike CaEDTA, ginseng did not change the urinary excretion chromium. And it could not convert htxavalent chromium to trivalent chromium. These results suggest that ginseng treatment is effective in decreasing the metabolic disturbance, one of the earliest signs of dichromate toxicity, resulting in the protective effect of dichromate induced renal damage.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.274-278
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• 1990

The metabolic disturbance and nephrotoxicity induced by sodium dichromate (20 mg/kg, SC) have been diminished by the administration of Korean red ginseng extract (100 mg/kg, PO). Red ginseng has a powerful potency on the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increment shown in the early 2h after dichromate intoxication. It normalized the dichromate induced hepatic glycogenolysis. The effect of red ginseng on dichroamte induced nephrotoxicity was investigated by hematological analysis, and urinalysis. Ginseng treatment significantly reduced the increases in the urinary excretion of protein and glucose. These effects were dose dependent. Ginseng protected the accumulation of BUN and creatinine in the blood, caused by dichromate intoxication. Unlike CaEDTA, ginseng did not change the urinary excretion of chromiilm and it could not convert hexavalent chronlium to trialvalent chromium. These results suggest that ginseng treatment is effective in decreasing the metabolic disturbance, one of the earliest signs of dichromate toxicity, resulting in the protective effect of dichromate induced renal damage.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 1996

To Identify phenolic components known to exist in Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) by GC/MS, three derivatization methods were employed for their analyses. First, phenolic components in ether soluble acidic fraction prepared from Korean red ginseng powder were taimethylsilylated. Secondly, phenolic acids in the same fraction were esterified with diazomethane followed by trlmethylsilylation. Thirdly, acidic components in ginseng powder were extracted and esterified concurrently by methanolic sulfuric acid, followed by fractionation of phenolic components with Silica Sep-Paka and trimethylsilylatlon. All phenolic components found in ginseng except gen tisic acid were identified by retention times and mass spectrums of standards. Besides, 5 phenolic components including salicyl alcohol and 1-H-indole-2-carboxylic acid were first identified from Korea an red ginseng by GC/MS.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2018

Background: Ginseng contains many small metabolites such as amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, and ginsenosides. However, little is known about the relationships between microorganisms and metabolites during the entire ginseng fermentation process. We investigated metabolic changes during ginseng fermentation according to the inoculation of food-compatible microorganisms. Methods: Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) datasets coupled with the multivariate statistical method for the purpose of latent-information extraction and sample classification were used for the evaluation of ginseng fermentation. Four different starter cultures (Saccharomyces bayanus, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Leuconostoc mesenteroide) were used for the ginseng extract fermentation. Results: The principal component analysis score plot and heat map showed a clear separation between ginseng extracts fermented with S. bayanus and other strains. The highest levels of fructose, maltose, and galactose in the ginseng extracts were found in ginseng extracts fermented with B. subtilis. The levels of succinic acid and malic acid in the ginseng extract fermented with S. bayanus as well as the levels of lactic acid, malonic acid, and hydroxypruvic acid in the ginseng extract fermented with lactic acid bacteria (L. plantarum and L. mesenteroide) were the highest. In the results of taste features analysis using an electronic tongue, the ginseng extracts fermented with lactic acid bacteria were significantly distinguished from other groups by a high index of sour taste probably due to high lactic acid contents. Conclusion: These results suggest that a metabolomics approach based on GC-MS can be a useful tool to understand ginseng fermentation and evaluate the fermentative characteristics of starter cultures.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated the effects of Ginseng Radix (G), Rehmanniae Radix (R), and Fermented red-ginseng extracts (FRG) on cognitive function in scopolamine-induced memory-impaired mice. We measured the effects of G, R, and FRG on the improvement of memory and cognition via behavior analysis. In addition, we measured the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the hippocampus of each group of mice. The expression of β-amyloid, Tau, and BDNF in the brain tissues were observed through immunohistochemical staining. Ginseng Radix (G) and Fermented red-ginseng (FRG) have effectively improved cognitive function in the water maze test. Ginseng Radix (G), Rehmanniae Radix (R), and Fermented red-ginseng (FRG) have improved the willingness of mice to explore the new environment, as confirmed by Y maze test. In addition, immunohistochemical staining revealed that Ginseng Radix (G) decreased the expression of β-amyloid and Tau in the hippocampus. In addition, fermented red-ginseng (FRG) increased the expression of BDNF. Ginseng Radix (G), Rehmanniae Radix (R), and Fermented red-ginseng (FRG) have decreased the concentration of acetylcholinesterase in the hippocampus as compared with the control group of mice. In conclusion, Ginseng Radix (G), Rehmanniae Radix (R), and Fermented red-ginseng (FRG) are considered to have the potential for development as candidate drugs to control the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD).