• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 1995

We studied the effects of ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ (G-$Rg_1$) extracted from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer on $p56^{kk}$ kinase and cell proliferation in Jurkat T cells. $p56^{kk}$ was maximally activated within 5 min after the treatment of 16.7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of G-$Rg_1$ increasing the activity by 1.2-2 times relative to untreated control, thereafter its activity was gradually decreased to the level of untreated control. The action of EGTA on the kinase was altered by the addition of G-$Rg_1$, accompanying the band shift of $p56^{kk}$ to $p60^{kk}$. In addition, G-$Rg_1$promoted cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that G-$Rg_1$ may be involved in T cell receptor-CD3 (TCR) signaling via the activation of $p56^{kk}$ and the chance of cellular calcium concentration.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.35-46
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• 2002

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been one of the most highly recognized medicinal herbs in the Orient. Previous experiments have demonstrated that $Rg_3,\;and\;Rg_5$ statistically significantly decreased the incidence of benzo(a)pyrene-induced mouse lung tumor, $Rh_2$ showed tendency of decrease and $Rh_1$ showed no effect. It was, therefore, concluded that $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;and\;Rh_2$ are active cancer chemopreventive components in red ginseng and they either singularly or synergistically act in the prevention of cancer. This study was undertaken to compare the cancer chemopreventive effects of $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;and\;Rh_2$(purity: more than $60\%$) isolated from fermented ginseng extract and BST fermented ginseng with fortified ginsenoside $Rg_3\;and\;Rh_2$. The cancer chemopreventive effects were investigated in experimental groups treated with benzo(a)pyrene(BP) with ginsenoside $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;Rh_2\;or\;BST$ at three doses of $50^{\circ}C/ml,\;100^{\circ}C/ml\;and\;200^{\circ}C/ml$ When mice given with $50^{\circ}C/ml$ concentration of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ combined with BP for 6 weeks after BP administration, $Rg_3\;showed\;60\%$ of lung tumor incidence, where as $100^{\circ}C/ml\;and\;200^{\circ}C/ml\;of\;Rg_3$ combined with BP groups had significant decrease of incidence $(40.0\%)$ respectively, with the inhibition rate being $35.5\%.$ While the tumor incidence was not decreased in the group treated with BP and 50 of $Rg_5,$ the incidence was $34.0\%\;and\;32.0\%$ in the group treated with BP and 100 and 200 of $Rg_5$, respectively. These incidences were significantly less than the group treated with BP alone, with the inhibition rate being $45.2\%\;and\;48.4\%,$ respectively. On the other hand, in the group treated with BP and 50 of ginsenoside $Rh_2,$ the tumor incidence was not decreased. However, the incidence was $40.0\%\;and\;38.8\%$ in the experimental treated with BP and 100 and 200 of $Rh_2,$ respectively, with the inhibition rate being $45.2\%\;and\;48.4\%,$ respectively. In addition, the incidence showed the tendency to decrease in the experimental group treated with BP and 50 of BST which contained $16.2\%\;of\;Rh_2,\;15.4\%\;of\;Rg_3\;and\;2.5%\;of\;Rg_5.$ The tumor incidence was $54.0\%$ in this group. In the group treated with 100 and 200 of EST, the incidence was $34.0\%\;and\;30.0\%,$ respectively, the incidences significantly being lower than the group treated with BP alone, with the inhibiting rate being $45.2\%\;and\;51.6\%,$ respectively. The results of this study strongly suggested that ginsenoside $Rg_3,\;Rg_5\;and\;Rh_2$ are the active components of red ginseng having a cancer chemopreventive activity and $Rg_5$ is the strongest cancer chempopreventive among them. On the other hand, the results demonstrating that the incidence of lung tumor was more markedly reduced by BST fermented ginseng with fortified ginsenoside $Rh_2\;or\;Rg_3$ compared to the single component alone, suggest that the combination of these components may remarkablely improve the cancer preventive effect

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to develop a new preparation process of ginseng (Panax ginseng) flower buds extracts featuring high concentration of ginsenosides Rg2, Rg3, Rg5, F4 and Rh1, red ginseng special components. Chemical transformation from ginseng saponin glycosides to prosapogenin was analyzed by the HPLC. Extracts of ginseng flower buds were processed under several treatment conditions of ultrasonication (at $100^{\circ}C$). The results showed that the quantity of ginsenoside Rg6 increased by over 8.8% at the 16 hours of ultrasonication. Ginseng flower buds ethanol extract compared with other process times. The result of UGF-16 indicates that the ultrasonication processed ginseng flower buds extracts (at $100^{\circ}C$) treated for 16 hours produced the highest amount of ginsenoside F4 (8.833%), Rg3 (2.230%), Rg5 (2.339%) and Rg2 (1.002%).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.111-112
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• 1996

The chemical shifts of C-21 and C-23 in the $^{13}C$-NMR for (20R)-protopanaxatriol, (20R)-ginsenoside $Rh_1$ and (20R)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ were revised by employing some extensive 2D-NMR techniques.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.589-599
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• 2019

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is known as a conventional herbal medicine, and ginsenoside Rg1, a steroid glycoside, is one of its components. Although Rg1 has been proved to have an antiobesity effect, the mechanism of this effect and whether it involves adipose browning have not been elucidated. Methods: 3T3-L1 and subcutaneous white adipocytes from mice were used to access the thermogenic effect of Rg1. Adipose mitochondria and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression were analyzed by immunofluorescence. Protein level and mRNA of UCP1 were also evaluated by Western blotting and realtime polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Results: Rg1 dramatically enhanced expression of brown adipocyte-especific markers, such as UCP1 and fatty acid oxidation genes, including carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1. In addition, it modulated lipid metabolism, activated 5' adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase, and promoted lipid droplet dispersion. Conclusions: Rg1 increases UCP1 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis in 3T3-L1 and subcutaneous white adipose cells isolated from C57BL/6 mice. We suggest that Rg1 exerts its antiobesity effects by promoting adipocyte browning through activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway.

• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2016

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive brain disease, for which there is no effective drug therapy at present. Ginsenoside Rg1 (G-Rg1) and G-Rg2 have been reported to alleviate memory deterioration. However, the mechanism of their anti-AD effect has not yet been clearly elucidated. Methods: Ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem MS (UPLC/MS)-based metabolomics was used to identify metabolites that are differentially expressed in the brains of AD mice with or without ginsenoside treatment. The cognitive function of mice and pathological changes in the brain were also assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results: The impaired cognitive function and increased hippocampal $A{\beta}$ deposition in AD mice were ameliorated by G-Rg1 and G-Rg2. In addition, a total of 11 potential biomarkers that are associated with the metabolism of lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs), hypoxanthine, and sphingolipids were identified in the brains of AD mice and their levels were partly restored after treatment with G-Rg1 and G-Rg2. G-Rg1 and G-Rg2 treatment influenced the levels of hypoxanthine, dihydrosphingosine, hexadecasphinganine, LPC C 16:0, and LPC C 18:0 in AD mice. Additionally, G-Rg1 treatment also influenced the levels of phytosphingosine, LPC C 13:0, LPC C 15:0, LPC C 18:1, and LPC C 18:3 in AD mice. Conclusion: These results indicate that the improvements in cognitive function and morphological changes produced by G-Rg1 and G-Rg2 treatment are caused by regulation of related brain metabolic pathways. This will extend our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the effects of G-Rg1 and G-Rg2 on AD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.222-228
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• 2020

Background: 20(S)-ginsenoside-Rg3 (C₄₂H₇₂O₁₃), a natural triterpenoid saponin, is extracted from red ginseng. The increasing use of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 has raised product safety concerns. Methods: In acute toxicity, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 was singly and orally administrated to Kunming mice and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at the maximum doses of 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively. In the 26-week toxicity study, we used repeated oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 in SD rats over 26 weeks at doses of 0, 20, 60, or 180 mg/kg. Moreover, a 4-week recovery period was scheduled to observe the persistence, delayed occurrence, and reversibility of toxic effects. Results: The result of acute toxicity shows that oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 to mice and rats did not induce mortality or toxicity up to 1600 and 800 mg/kg, respectively. During a 26-week administration period and a 4-week withdrawal period (recovery period), there were no significant differences in clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, urinalysis parameters, biochemical and hematological values, or histopathological findings. Conclusion: The mean oral lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, in acute toxicity, is above 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg in mice and rats, respectively. In a repeated-dose 26-week oral toxicity study, the no-observed-adverse-effect level for female and male SD rats was 180 mg/kg.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2014

This study was performed to enhance contents of low molecular ginsenoside using steaming and fermentation process in low quality fresh ginseng. For increase in contents of Rg2, Rg3, Rh2 and CK in low quality fresh ginseng, a steaming process was applied at $90^{\circ}C$ for 12 hr which was followed by fermentation process at Lactobacillus rhamnosus HK-9 incubated at $36^{\circ}C$ for 72 h. The contents of ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Rc, Re and Rd were decreased with the steaming associated with fermentation process but ginsenoside Rg2, Rg3, Rh2 and CK increased after process. It was found that under the steaming associated with fermentation process, low molecule ginsenosides such as Rg2, Rg3, Rh2 and CK were increased as 3.231 mg/g, 2.585 mg/g and 1.955 m/g and 2.478 mg/g, respectively. In addition, concentration of benzo[${\alpha}$]pyrene in extracts of the low quality fresh ginseng treated by the complex process was 0.11 ppm but it was 0.22 ppm when it was treated with the steaming process. This result could be caused by that the most efficiently breakdown of 1,2-glucoside and 1,4-glucoside linkage to backbone of ginsenosides by steaming associated with fermentation process. This results indicate that steaming process and fermenration process can increase in contents of Rg2, Rg3, Rh2 and CK in low quality fresh ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2015

Background: Black ginseng (Ginseng Radix nigra, BG) refers to the ginseng steamed for nine times and fine roots (hairy roots) of that is called fine black ginseng (FBG). It is known that the content of saponin of FBG is higher than that of BG. Therefore, in this study, we examined antitumor effects against MCF-7 breast cancer cells to target the FBG extract and its main component, ginsenoside Rg5 (Rg5). Methods: Action mechanism was determined by MTT assay, cell cycle assay and western blot analysis. Results: The results from MTT assay showed that MCF-7 cell proliferation was inhibited by Rg5 treatment for 24, 48 and 72 h in a dose-dependent manner. Rg5 at different concentrations (0, 25, 50 and $100{\mu}M$), induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase through regulation of cell cycle-related proteins in MCF-7 cells. As shown in the results from western blot analysis, Rg5 increased expression of p53, $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ and $p15^{INK4B}$ and decreased expression of Cyclin D1, Cyclin E2 and CDK4. Expression of apoptosiserelated proteins including Bax, PARP and Cytochrome c was also regulated by Rg5. These results indicate that Rg5 stimulated cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase via regulation of cell cycle-associated proteins in MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: Rg5 promotes breast cancer cell apoptosis in a multi-path manner with higher potency compared to 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) in MCF-7 (HER2/ER+) and MDA-MB-453 (HER2+/ER) human breast cancer cell lines, and this suggests that Rg5 might be an effective natural new material in improving breast cancer.