• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2009

Diabetic nephropathy is associated with the dysfunction of proximal tubule cells. Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-I) has also been considered to play an important role in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Ginsenosides have been used as a remedy for diabetes in Asian countries. Therefore, we examined the preventive effect of ginsenosides against high glucose-induced alteration of IGF-I secretion in the primary cultured proximal tubule cells. In present study, Ginseng saponin (GS) completely blocked high glucose-induced stimulation of IGF-I secretion in proximal tubule cells, whereas panaxatriol (PI) and panaxadiol (PD) partially suppressed. In addition, high glucose stimulated cAMP formation and protein kinase C(PKC) activity from cytosolic to membrane fraction. GS completely prevented high glucose-induced stimulation of cAMP and PKC activity while PT and PD partially did. Furthermore, high glucose-induced stimulation of IGF-I was blocked by the treatment of PKI (protein kinase A inhibitor) and bisindolylmaleimide I (protein kinase C inhibitor). In conclusion, GS prevented high glucose-induced dysfunction of proximal tubule cells.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1974.09a
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• pp.101-113
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• 1974

The radioactive compound sodium $acetate-U-C^{14}$ (C-14 acetate) was administered to two- and four-year-old July and September American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) plants and cuttings. The C-14 acetate uptake was approximately $99\%.$ The autoradiochromatograms suggest that the saponins(panaquilins) isolated by preparative thin-layer chromatography contained impurities, especially those isolated from the leaf and stem extracts. The root and fruit methanol extracts yielded relatively pure saponins. The large amounts of panaquilin B and its proximity to panaquilin C on preparative thin-layer plates resulted in some admixing. The average concentration $(\%$ plant dry weight) of semipurified saponins were high in the leaves $(13.8\%),$ compared to fruits $(9.8\%),\;stems\;(7.9\%)\;and\;roots\;(6.3\%).$ The average percentage of C-14 acetate incorporation into panaquilins was $4.8\%.$ The average percentage of C-14 acetate incorporation into panaquilins B and C was higher $(1.40\%\;and\;1.13\%,$ respectively) than that into panaquilin C, (d), G-1 and G-2 $(0.75\%,\;0.65\%,\;0.13\%\;and\;0.53\%,$ respectively). Panaquilin synthesis may be depending upon the part collection period and age of the plant. The average percentage of C-14 acetate incorporation into panaquilin B is high in roots $(0.58\%)\;and\;stems\;(0.48\%);$ that into panaquilins C and (d) high in leaves $(0.40\%\;and\;0.45\%,$ respectively); and that into panaquilin E high in roots and leaves $(0.55\%\and\;0.50\%,$ respectively). Panaquilin G-2 was synthesized in all parts of plants. The panaquilins appear to be biosynthesized more actively in July than September (exception-panaquilin G-l). Panaquilins B, C and G-1 may be biosynthesized more actively in four-year-old plants and panaquilins (d) and E more actively in two-year-old plants. The results from expectance with cuttings suggest that the panaquilins are synthesized de novo in the above-ground parts of ginseng plants, and that panaquilin G-l may be synthesized de novo in the leaf. It is known from the tissue culture studies that panaquilins are produced by leaf, stem and root callus tissues and callus-root cultures of American and Korean ginseng plants. Panaquilins may actively be synthesized de novo in most any cell or organ of the ginseng plants. It was verified that C-14 acetate was incorporated into the panaxadiol portions of the panaquilins of two-year-old plants (sp. act., 0.56 $m{\mu}Ci/mg$) and four-year-old plants (sp. act., 0.54 $m{\mu}Ci/mg$).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2007

Compound K (CK) is a final metabolite of panaxadiol ginsenosides. Although panax ginseng is known to have anti-diabetic activity, the active ingredient is not yet fully identified. Therefore, it would be interesting to know whether and how CK has an anti-diabetic activity. First, insulin secretion-stimulating activity of CK was examined using RIN-m5F cell line and primary cultured islets. CK enhanced the insulin secretion in a concentration dependent manner. This effect, however, was almost completely abolished in the presence of diazoxide, $K^+$ channel opener, indicating that the insulin secretion-stimulating activity of CK is presumably due to blockade of ATP sensitive $K^+$ channel. In addition, effects of CK on gene expressions of hepatic enzymes (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase[PEPCK], glucose-6-phos-phatase[G6Pase]) and on adipocyte differentiation in H4IIE and 3T3-Ll cells, respectively, were examined. CK suppressed the induction of PEPCK and G6Pase mRNA expressions under the dexamethasone/cAMP stimulation condition. CK also reduced the $PPAR-{\gamma}$ mRNA expression and triglyceride accumulation in a dose dependent manner as compared to the control. The present study suggests that CK deserves to examine whether it shows an anti-diabetic activity in animal and human studies.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.497-503
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• 1983

This study was conducted to define the effects of light intensity on the amount of saponin and free sugar and the ratio of triol group saponin and diol group saponin (PT/PD) in the leaf of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. 4-Year-old ginseng plants were grown under the shadings of different light transmittance rate(LTR) of 5%, 10%, 20% and 30% for 5 months and the leafiets were sampled from 2nd low at late August to determine the amount of saponin and free sugar.-Rd was main ginseuoside in the diol group saponin but in triol group saponin, ginsenoside-Re showed highest value and next was ginsenoside-$Rg_1$ and $Rg_2$ respectively. Up to 20% of light transmittance rate (LTR), the ginseng leaves grown under high light intensity showed an increase in the amount of total saponin and the ratio of PT/PD but the amount of total saponin and the ratio of PT/PD but the amount of total saponin and the ratio of PT/PD was decreased at the ginseng leaves grown under the shading of 30% LTR. The ginseng leaves grown under the shading of 20% LTR showed a significant increase in the amount of glucose and fructose but a significant decrease of sucrose content. A significant positive correlation ($r=0.992$^{**}$) was recognized between the of amount of total saponin and glucose.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1422-1430
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate the modulatory effects of two prototypes of Panax ginseng saponin fractions, 20(S)-protopanaxadiol saponins (PDS) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol saponins (PTS), on the induction of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells. For this purpose, RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS ($10{\mu}g/ml$) before, after, or simultaneously with PDS or PTS ($150{\mu}g/ml$), and the released level of nitric oxide (NO) and expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were evaluated. When RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS and ginseng saponin fractions simultaneously for 24 hr, PTS, compared to PDS, more strongly attenuated the NO production induced by LPS treatment. When the cells were pretreated with LPS for 2 hr followed by PDS or PTS treatment for 24 hr, both ginseng saponins strongly reduced NO release. The pretreatment of RAW264.7 cells with PDS or PTS for 2 hr followed by LPS treatment for 24 hr significantly attenuated the LPS-induced production of NO. PTS showed stronger inhibitory potency to NO generation than PDS. Our western blot experiment showed that both PDS and PTS ($150{\mu}g/ml$) also significantly down-regulated the expressions of iNOS and COX-2 induced by LPS treatment. Our results suggest that both PDS and PTS possess strong protective effects against LPS-stimulated inflammation and that their protective effects are mediated by the suppression of NO synthesis via down-regulation of pro-inflammatory enzymes, iNOS, and COX-2 in the RAW264.7 cells.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.111-124
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• 1974

The radioactive compound sodium $acetate-U-C^{14}\;(C^{14}-acetate)$ was administered to two- and four-year-old July and September American ginseng (Araliaceae, Panax quinquefolium L.) plants and cuttings. The $C^{14}-acetate$ uptake was approximately 99%. The autoradiochromatograms suggest that the saponins isolated by preparative thin-layer chromatography contained impurities, especially those isolated from the leaf and stem extracts. The root and fruit methanol extracts yielded relatively pure saponins. The large amounts of panaquilin B and its proximity to panaquilin C on preparative thin-layer plates resulted in some admixing. The average concentration (% plant dry weight) of semi-purified saponins were high in the leaves (13.8%), as compared to fruits (9.8%), stems (7.9%) and roots (6.3%). The average percentage of $C^{14}-acetate$ incorporation into panaquilins was 4.8%. The average percentage of $C^{14}-acetate$ incorporation into panaquilins B and C was higher (1.40% and 1.13%, respectively) than that into panaquilins C, (d), G-1 and G-2 (0.75%, 0.65%, 0.13% and 0.53%, respectively). Panaquilin synthesis may be depending upon the part, collection period and age of the plant. The average percentage of $C^{14}-acetate$ incorporation into panaquilin B is high in roots (0.58%) and stems (0.48%); that into panaquilins C and (d) high in leaves (0.40% and 0.45%, respectively); and that into panaquilin E high in roots and leaves (0.55% and 0.50%, respectively). Panaquilin G-2 was synthesized in all parts of plants. The panaquilins appear to be biosynthesized more actively in July than September (exception-panaquilin G-1). Panaquilins B, C and G-1 may be biosynthesized more actively in four-year-old plants and panaquilins (d) and E more actively in two-year-old plants. The results from expectance with cuttings suggest that the panaquilins are synthesized de novo in the above-ground parts of ginseng plants, and that panaquilin G-1 may be synthesized de novo in the leaf. It is known from the tissue culture studies that panaquilins are produced by leaf, stem and root callus tissues and cailus-root cultures of American and Korean ginseng plants. Panaquilins may actively be synthesized de novo in most any cell or organ of the ginseng plants. It was verified that $C^{14}-acetate$ was incorporated into the panaxadiol portions of the panaquilins of two-year-old plants (sp. act. 0.56 mmcCi/mg) and four-year-old plants $(sp.\;act.\;0.54\;m{\mu}Ci/mg)$.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1988.08a
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• pp.47-54
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• 1988

Cholesterol a component of all eucaryotic plasma membranes. is essential for the growth and viability of cells in higher organisms. However. too much cholesterol can be lethal because of atherosclerosis resulting from the deposition of cholesterol ester plaques. It was attempted in this study to understand the preventive effect of ginseng saponin. one of the major components of the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. against hypercholesterolemia induced by high cholesterol diet. $^{125}I-LDL$ was injected intravenously to rabbits and rats. which were fed a high cholesterol diet with and/or without ginseng saponin for 12 days. The disappearance of the radioactivity occurred faster in the test group than the control. The effect of saponin fraction from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and the purified ginsenosilks. $Rb_1,\;Rb_2,\;Re\;and\;Rg_1,$ on LDL receptor biosynthesis in high cholesterol fed rat has been investigated. Analysis of LDL receptors from various organs such as liver. kidney. adrenal cortex and testis showed that the population of LDL receptors of test group significantly higher than that of the control. It was also found that liver homogenate containing ginsenosides $(10^{-3}-10^{-4}\%)$ stimulated the biosynthesis of bile acid form cholesterol. From the above results. it seemed that ginsenosides lower the cholesterol level by stimulating cholesterol metabolism. which result in the suppression of the inhibitory action of cholesterol on LDL receptor biosynthesis.