• 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 Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2013

Red ginseng is a widely used dietary supplement and medicinal herb, and there are so many forms of ginseng products including tea, extract, capsule and jelly. The purpose of the present study was to propose some amendments on ginsenoside content of red ginseng products in Korea. For this purpose, we analyzed red ginseng products for simultaneous determination of 26 ginsenosides by ultra performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector. Some developmental aspects of Korea's ginsenoside content standard regulations for red ginseng products are needed to be examined as follows : Firstly, we proposed that four ginsenosides ($Rb_1$, $Rg_1$, Rf and $Rg_3$) would be detected in red ginseng products. Secondly, in case of red ginseng extracts, the sum of $Rb_1$, $Rg_1$ and $Rg_3$ would be 4.0 mg/g. The two proposals are helpful to comprehensive evaluation of quality of red ginseng products. In conclusion, the scientific studies on amendment scheme of ginsenoside content standard regulation of red ginseng product are very important to fortify quality control.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2007

Background: Previous research has suggested that single doses of a standardised Panax ginseng extract can decrease fasted blood-glucose levels and modulate cognitive performance in healthy young volunteers. The latter has generally been seen in terms of improved secondary memory performance. However, both the cognitive effects of chronic administration of ginseng and the potential modulation of working memory have received comparatively little research attention. Aims: The current double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced cross-over study investigated the effects of 8-weeks administration of Korean ginseng extract (200 mg) on cognitive performance, gluco-regulatory parameters and ratings of subjective mood and 'quality of life'. Methods: 'Eighteen healthy young participants were assessed pre-dose and 3 hours post-dose on the mornings of Day 1, Day 29 and Day 57 of 8 week treatment regimens of both placebo and ginseng. A four-week placebo wash-out separated the treatment phases. Each assessment included the Cognitive Drug Research battery, computerised working memory tasks, and Bond-Lader mood scales. The WHO Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) was completed once per visit. Gluco-regulatory parameters were assessed with assays of blood glucose, insulin and HbA1c. Results: Data from the 16 participants that completed the study showed that there were no significant, acute treatment related differences on Day 1 of treatment, or in gluco-regulatory parameters throughout the study. However, time related performance improvements were evident following chronic administration of ginseng on the '3-Back' and 'Corsi-block' computerised working memory tasks. Ginseng was also associated with an improved score on the 'social relations' subscale of the WHOQOL-100, and a significant shift on the 'calm' factor of the Bond-Lader mood scales (from calm/relaxed towards excited/tense). Conclusion: The results of the current study suggest that Korean ginseng extract can modulate working memory performance and subjective ratings of 'quality of life' and mood. Replication with a larger sample size may further elucidate the actions of this product.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2000

This study was performed to develop a prototype continuous flow ginseng dryer with which better product quality and lower drying energy consumption could be achieved compared with conventional ginseng dryers. A dryer having both far infrared ray (IR) and heated-air as the drying energy sources was designed and fabricated . Dryer performance was studied by examining energy efficiencies and dryer performance evaluation indices (DPEI) during the drying tests of medium-sized four year ginseng roots with IR radiating plate temperature and drying air temperature in the range of 80-12$0^{\circ}C$ and 22-5$0^{\circ}C$, respectively. The DPEI of IR /heated -air combined drying was 1/3 of that of the conventional heated-air drying when ginseng were dried to the same final moisture ratio. When ginsengs were dried for 12 hours in the prototype IR/heated-air combination dryer, a linear relationship was found to exist between final moisture ratio and ginseng temperature. As the drying progressed, drying air temperature inside the dryer was nearly constant but ginseng temperature was drastically increased during the first two hours and gradually increased thereafter until the end of drying. With the prototype Ir/heated-air combination dryer, the drying rate changed little but the energy efficiency increased proportionally when the amount of ginseng to be dried increased. Drying capacity, energy efficiency, and DPEI of the prototype IR/heated-air combination ginseng dryer were estimated to 1.500 roots, 65% and 3.800kJ/kg-water , respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.595-601
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• 2017

Background: Red ginseng oil (RGO) is produced by supercritical $CO_2$ extraction of secondary products derived from Korean Red Ginseng extract. As the use of RGO has increased, product safety concerns have become more important. Methods: In the present study, the subacute oral toxicity and bacterial reverse mutagenicity of RGO were evaluated. Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered with RGO for 28 d by gavage. Daily RGO dose concentrations were 0 mg/kg body weight (bw), 500 mg/kg bw, 1,000 mg/kg bw, or 2,000 mg/kg bw per day. Bacterial reverse mutation tests included five bacterial strains (Escherichia coli WP2 and Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537), which were used in the presence or absence of metabolic activation. The plated incorporation method for mutation test was used with RGO concentrations ranging from $312.5{\mu}g$ to $5,000{\mu}g$ per plate. Results: The subacute oral toxicity test results did not reveal any marked changes in clinical characteristics. There were no toxicological changes related to RGO administration in hematological and serum biochemical characteristics in either control or treatment animals. Furthermore, no gross or histopathological changes related to RGO treatment were observed. The bacterial reverse mutation test results did not reveal, at any RGO concentration level and in all bacterial strains, any increase in the number of revertant colonies in the RGO treatment group compared to that in the negative control group. Conclusion: The no-observed-adverse-effect level of RGO is greater than 2,000 mg/kg bw and RGO did not induce genotoxicity related to bacterial reverse mutations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 1998

Studies were performed to determine the effect of Korean red ginseng (extract powder, spray-dried), it is made of choice 6-year-old raw ginseng roots, and processed by steaming and drying, on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells of irradiated mice. Jejunal crypts were protected by pretreatment of red ginseng (1 mg/head, single I.P. at 24hours before irradiation, p<0.05). Red ginseng administration before irradiation (1 mg/head, single I.P at 24hours before irradiation) resulted in an increase of the formation of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.05). The frequency of radiation-Induced apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells was also reduced by treatment of red ginseng both pretreatment (P.O.: 2 mg/ml of drinking water for 7 days, p<0.005, I.P.: 1 mg/head, single I.P. at 24 hours before irradiation, p<0.005) and post-treatment (1 mg/head, single I.P at 30 minutes after irradiation, p<0.05). These results indicated that Korean red ginseng might be a useful radio-protector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product. Further studies are needed to characterize better the promotion nature of red ginseng and its fractions.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 1995

Two cucurbitane-compounds were isolated from the roots of Bryonia alba L. and the chemical structures were established as 19-norlanost-5-ene-3,1l,22-trione-$2{\beta}$, $16{\alpha}$,$20{\beta}$,25-tetrahydroxy-9-methyl (23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D) and 2-O-${\alpha}$-D-glucopyranosyl 19-norlanost-5-ene-3,11,22-trione-$2{\beta}$,$16{\alpha}$,$20{\beta}$,25-tetrahydroxy-9-methyl (arvenin IV), respectively, on the basis of chemical and spectral methods. Both of the compounds showed cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines, A549, SK-MEL-2, COLO 205 and L1210.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.171-176
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• 2008

Column chromatographic separation of 70% EtOH extract of the roots of Korean cultivated-wild ginseng led to the isolation of ten ginsenosides (1 - 10). The isolated compounds were identified as ginsenoside $Rg_1$ (1), ginsenoside Re (2), ginsenoside Rc (3), ginsenoside $Rb_1$ (4), ginsenoside $Rb_2$ (5), ginsenoside Rd (6), ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (7), ginsenoside $F_2$ (8), ginsenoside $Rb_3$ (9), and ginsenoside $Rd_2$ (10) by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. The compounds (1 - 10) were for the first time isolated from the roots of Korean cultivated-wild ginseng.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.158-160
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• 2003

Polyacetylenes were isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Family Araliaceae), and their inhibitory effects on growth, infection and VacA vacuolation of Helicobacter pylori (HP) were investigated. Ginseng polyacetylenes did not inhibit the infection of HP into KATO cells. However, polyacetylenes inhibited HP growth and vacuolation of Hela by VacA toxin. Panaxytriol showed the most potent inhibition with $IC_{50}$ values of 0.05 and 0.046 mg/ml, respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.104-107
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• 2011

In order to facilitate the quality control of betaine from the fruits of Lycium chinense, we have developed a rapid and simple method for quantitative determination. Determination was achieved on a Discovery C18 column with an isocratic solvent system of 0.32% perfluoropentanoic acid aqueous-acetonitrile at a flow-rate of 0.5 mL/min and detected an ELSD. The method was reproducible with intra- and inter-day variations of less than 6% (R.S.D). The recoveries were in the range of 90.01~100.05%. The method turned out to be fast and simple, furthermore, to have a good selectivity and sensitivity for the quantity determination of betaine in the fruits of L.chinense.