• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.464-473
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• 2024

Background: The effects of individual panaxadiol saponin and panaxatriol saponin on rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been recognized. However, it is not clear whether purified total ginsenosides as an entirety has effect against PD in rat model. This study compared the protective effects of a purified panaxadiol saponin fraction (PDSF), a purified panaxatriol saponin fraction (PTSF), and their mixtures against the rotenone (ROT)-induced PD in rats. Methods: Potential effects of PDSF, PTSF, and their mixtures against motor dysfunction and impairments of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons (DN), blood-brain barrier (BBB), cerebrovascular endothelial cells (CEC), and glial cells were measured in the models of ROT-induced PD rats and cell damage. Pro-inflammatory NF-kB p65 (p65) activation was localized in DN and other cells in the striatum. Results: PDSF and PTSF had a dose-dependent effect against motor dysfunction with a larger effective dose range for PDSF. PDSF protected CEC, glial cells, and DN in models of PD rats and cell damage, while PTSF had no such protections. Chronic ROT exposure potently activated p65 in CEC with enhanced pro-inflammatory and decreased anti-inflammatory factors and impaired BBB in the striatum, PDSF almost completely blocked the ROT-induced p65 activation and maintained both anti- and pro-inflammatory factors at normal levels and BBB integrity, but PTSF aggravated the p65 activation with impaired BBB. Furthermore, PTSF nullified all the effects of PDSF when they were co-administrated. Conclusion: PDSF had significant protective effect against the ROT-induced PD in rats by protecting CEC, glial cells, and DN, likely through inhibiting NF-κB p65 in CEC from triggering neuroinflammation, and also directly protecting glial cells and neurons against ROT-induced toxicity. PDSF has great potential for preventing and treating PD.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.188-204
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• 1977

The studies on the saponins of Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, were performed according to the cultivating locations, sampling seasons, plant parts, and growing stages. The changes in saponin content in the course of manufacturing Red ginseng and Ginseng extract were observed. In this paper, a new method for the determination of the total and the individual saponin glucosides was proposed and applied to the samples under study. The method employing Digital Densitorol DMU-33C (Toyo electric Co., Japan) followed the separation of the saponins by means of a preparative thin layer chromatography. The saponin contents and their fractional distribution were summarized as follows: 1. The average concentrations(% plant dry weight) of semi-purified saponins in the roots of Korean ginseng planted in the various locations were 5.0%(Keumsan), 6.0% (Kimpo), and 5.4% (Pocheon), respectively. 2. There were 3.3% saponins in White ginseng(Rhizome) and 12.7% saponins in Ginseng tail (Fibrous root). 3. Regarding the year of growth, the contents of saponins were 90.3mg (2-year-old ginseng), 254.4mg (3-year-old ginseng), 404.2mg (4-year-old ginseng). 999.6mg (5-year-old ginseng), and 1377.1mg (6-year-old ginseng) respectively, and the saponin factions containing panaxatriol as an aglycone increased. 4. Thin layer chromatography revealed that Red ginseng yielded many saponins which Shibata et al. designated as $ginsenoside-Rb_1$ (22.1%), $-Rb_2(15.4%)$, -Rc(12.6%), -Re (15.7%), and $-Rg_1$, (9.3%). 5. 29.9% of crude saponins were isolated from ethanolic extract of Panax ginseng fibrous root and their extraction yield was 94.2% of fibrous root saponin.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.638-644
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• 2023

Background: The anti-platelet activity of the saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng has been widely studied. The saponin fraction consists of the panaxadiol fraction (PDF) and panaxatriol fraction (PTF); however, their anti-platelet activity is yet to be compared. Our study aimed to investigate the potency of anti-platelet activity of PDF and PTF and to elucidate how well they retain their anti-platelet activity via different administration routes. Methods: For ex vivo studies, Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered 250 mg/kg PDF and PTF for 7 consecutive days before blood collection via cardiac puncture. Platelet aggregation was conducted after isolation of the washed platelets. For in vitro studies, washed platelets were obtained from Sprague-Dawley rats. Collagen and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were used to induce platelet aggregation. Collagen was used as an agonist for assaying adenosine triphosphate release, thromboxane B2, serotonin, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) release. Results: When treated ex vivo, PDF not only inhibited ADP and collagen-induced platelet aggregation, but also upregulated cGMP levels and reduced platelet adhesion to fibronectin. Furthermore, it also inhibited Akt phosphorylation induced by collagen treatment. Panaxadiol fraction did not exert any antiplatelet activity in vitro, whereas PTF exhibited potent anti-platelet activity, inhibiting ADP, collagen, and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, but significantly elevated levels of cGMP. Conclusion: Our study showed that in vitro and ex vivo PDF and PTF treatments exhibited different potency levels, indicating possible metabolic conversions of ginsenosides, which altered the content of ginsenosides capable of preventing platelet aggregation.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.63-70
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• 1998

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase constitute the first coordinated unit of defense against reactive oxygen species. Here, we examined the effect of ginseng saponins on the induction of SOD and catalase gene expression. To explore this possibility, the upstream regulatory promoter region of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SODI) and catalase genes were linked to the chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase (CATI structural gene and introduced into human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Total saponin and panaxatriol did not activate the transcription of SODI and catalase genes but panaxadiol increased the transcription of these genes about 2-3 fold. Among the Panaxadiol ginsenosides, the Rb2 subtraction appeared to is a major induce of SODI and catalase genes. Using the deletion analyses and mobility shift assays, we showed that the 5051 gene was greatly activated by ginsenoside Rba through transcription factor AP2 binding sites and its induction. We also examined the effect of the content ratio of panaxadiol extracted from various compartment of ginseng on the transcription of 5031 gene. Saponin extract that contains 2.6-fold more PD than PT from the fine root Increased the SODI induction about 3-fold. These results suggest that the panaxadiol fraction and its ginsenosides could induce the antioxidant enzymes, which are important for maintaining cell viability by lowering level of oxygen radical generated from intracellular metabolism.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.40-46
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• 1998

We investigated the influence of the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer on the secretion of catecholamines from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells, which are used as a model of nervous systems. In two major parts extracted from the ginseng root, the crude saponin fraction, but not the non-saponin fraction, reduced the secretion from the cells, stimulated by acetylcholine (ACh). Ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) are classified into three groups, the panaxadiol, the panaxatriol and the oleanolic acid groups, on the basis of the chemical structures of their saponins. Both the panaxadiol and the panaxatriol saponins, excluding only one oleanolic acid saponin ginsenoside-Ro, generally reduced the ACh-evoked secretion. The inhibitory effects of the panaxatriol were much stronger than those of the panaxadiol. However, ginsenoside-Rg, and -Rh3 in the panaxadiol saponins were the potent inhibitors comparable to the panaxatriol saponins. Ginsenoside-Rg2 in the panaxatriol was the most effective. It is probable that the ginsenoside inhibition of the catecholamine secretion is due to the suppression of the function of the nicotinic ACh receptor-cation channels. On the other hand, ginsenoside-Rg2 did not affect the angiotensin II-, the bradykinin-, the histamine- and the neurotensin- induced catecholamine secretions from the chromaffin cells and the muscarine- and the histamine- induced contraction of the ileum in guinea-pigs. Ginsenoside-Rbl, a panaxadiol saponin, and ginsenoside-Ro had no or only a slight effect on them. On the contrary, ginsenoside-Rg3 not only competitively inhibited the muscarine-induced ileum contraction but also reduced the angiotensin R -, the bradykinin-, the histamine- and the neurotensin-induced catecholamine secretions. Thus, the ginseng root contains active ingredients, namely some ginsensides, which suppress the responses induced by receptor stimulation. The inhibitory effects of ginseng saponins may be one of the action mechanisms for the pharmacological effects of the Panax ginseng root.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2001

This study was carried out to isolate saponin compounds from red-ginseng efflux, which was produced during the industrial processing of red-ginseng from fresh ginseng. We isolated crude saponin from the efflux extract (moisture content 35.0%) by using Diaion HP-20 adsorption method. Non-saponin fraction, which was adsorbed on Diaion HP-20 resin, was removed by eluating with $H_{2}O$ and 25% spirit. Then crude saponin was eluated with 95% spirit, continuously. Saponin in the eluated fractions was confirmed by TLC analysis. Crude saponin isolated from red ginseng efflux extract contained 12.10% of saponin. whereas those of white ginseng and red-ginseng were 3.30 and 3.39%, respectively. Ginsenoside contents showed the highest contents kin crude saponin from red ginseng efflux extract. Expacilly, the ginsenoside-$Rb_{1}$ and Re showed the highest contents in red-ginseng efflux extract when compared with those of white ginseng and red ginseng crude saponins. And the other ginsenosides except ginsenoside-$Rb_{1}$ and -Re also showed the highest contents in red ginseng efflux extract. However, the ratio of PD saponin (Panaxadiol saponin: $Rb_{1}+Rb_{2}$+Rc+Rd) to PT saponin (panaxatriol: $Re+Rg_{1}$) showed almost the same level when compared with those of ginseng saponin fractions. Ratio of PD/PT from red ginseng efflux extract was 1.99. Ratios of PD/PT from white ginseng and red ginseng were 1.85 and 1.84, respectively. Saponin purity, which was calculated by ratio percent of total ginsenoside to curde saponin content, was 45.90%. In case of white ginseng and red ginseng, the purities were 35.50 and 36.00%, respectively. However, by PHLC analysis, we confirmed that crude saponin isolated from red ginsengs. It suggested that crude saponin isolated from red ginseng ellux also would be useful component as ginseng saponins.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.489-495
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• 2022

Background: Although ginsenosides and saponins in Korea red ginseng (KRG) shows various pharmacological roles, their roles in the inflammatory response are little known. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory role of ginsenosides identified from KRG saponin fraction (RGSF) and the potential mechanism in macrophages. Methods: The ginsenoside composition of RGSF was identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. An anti-inflammatory effect of RGSF and its mechanisms were studied using nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production assays, mRNA expression analyses of inflammatory genes and cytokines, luciferase reporter gene assays of transcription factors, and Western blot analyses of inflammatory signaling pathways using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW264.7 cells. Results: HPLC analysis identified the types and amounts of various panaxadiol ginsenosides in RGSF. RGSF reduced the generation of inflammatory molecules and mRNA levels of inflammatory enzymes and cytokines in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Additionally, RGSF inhibited the signaling pathways of NF-κB and AP-1 by suppressing both transcriptional factors and signaling molecules in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Conclusion: RGSF contains ginsenosides that have anti-inflammatory action via restraining the NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways in macrophages during inflammatory responses.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.325-330
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• 2011

Red ginseng saponin fraction-A (RGSF-A) contains a high percentage of panaxadiol saponins that were isolated from Korean red ginseng by ultrafiltration. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of RGSF-A on the porcine distal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. The relaxant responses to RGSF-A were examined during contractions induced by 100 nM U46619 (9,11-dideoxy-9a,11a-methanoepoxy-prostaglandin F2a), a stable analogue of thromboxane A2. RGSF-A dose-dependently induced biphasic (fast- and slow-) relaxation in the distal LAD coronary artery in the presence of an intact endothelium. The fast-relaxation was quickly achieved in a minute, and then the slow-relaxation was slowly developed and sustained for more than thirty minutes after the administration of RGSF-A. The slow-relaxation had a tendency to be bigger than the fast-relaxation. Fast relaxation induced by RGSF-A was almost blocked by $N_{\omega}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase synthase inhibitor and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. However slow relaxation induced by RGSF-A was only partially inhibited by L-NAME and ODQ. In the endothelium-removed ring, RGSF-A evoked only slowrelaxation to a certain extent. These data suggest that RGSF-A induced both endothelium dependent fast- and slow-relaxation and endothelium independent slow-relaxation in the porcine distal LAD coronary artery. The endothelium dependent fast-relaxation is mediated by the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway, and the endothelium dependent slow-relaxation is at least partially mediated by the NO-cGMP pathway. However, the endothelium-independent slow-relaxation remains to be elucidated.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.263-268
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• 1978

To find out the possible variation in chemical composition among ginseng products, the amount of saponin, extract and other basic components in different age and portion of ginseng roots(Panax ginseng Meyer) were investigated and compared with. (1) Great difference in the amount of ash, crude protein, fiber, fat, total sugar and reducing sugar was observed among different portion of the root comparing with those of different age of the root. That of ash, crude fiber, saponin and extract produced was higher in epidermis, fiber roots and subterranean stems, while that of crude protein, total sugar, panaxadiol/panaxatriol was higher in central portion and branch of the root. (2) The amount of extract produced was affected by the solvent used. Higher amount was obtained when water was employed. It was decreased as the increase of the concentration of alcohol solvent. Futhermore, the composition and physical properties were greatly varied by the concentration of alcohol solvent. (3) The amount of total-N, $P_2O_5,\;K_2O$, and ash was higher in two to three years old roots, while those of crude $SiO_2,\;CaO,$ crude fiber, and total sugar was higher in order roots. No difference was found in amount of MgO, Fe, Zn, and Na among age of the root.

• 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.