• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effect of Panax ginseng water extract (PG-WE) on the toxicity induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), one of the most notorious toxic environmental pollutants belonging to the group of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. Normal control (NC) group guinea pigs (180~200 g) received vehicle and saline, and TCDD-treated (TT) group was given TCDD and saline. P100 and P200 group animals received PG-WE for 28 days since 1 week before TCDD exposure at daily doses of 100 mg/kg b.w. and/or 200 mg/kg b.w., respectively. C100 and C200 group received PG-WE for 14 days starting 1 week after TCDD-exposure. Toxicity was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of TCDD (1 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg b.w.). Abnormal increase in AST and ALT activities in TT group was significantly improved by the administration of PC-WE. Microscopically, there were mild to moderate swelling of hepatocytes, hyperchromatism of individual cells, acidophilic cytoplasm and cytoplasm vacuolation of some hepatocytes, slight to moderate variations of staining density, occasional single cell necrosis, variable size and shape of some hepatocytes, small groups of degenerating hepatocytes surrounded by mononuclear cells, dilated sinusoids of centrilobular zone and some loss of lobular architecture in TT group liver. From these results, we could find the protective and therapeutic role of PG-WE in TCDD-induced liver toxicity by examining the blood chemical parameters and histopathological observation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.49-66
• /
• 2005

Panax ginseng has been useful for the treatment of diverse disease in oriental countries for thousands of years. In addition, a folk medicine prescribed by seven herbal drugs including Panax ginseng has been antinarcotics in the treatment of morphine-dependent patients. Many articles have been reported on these works. Therefore, we review the protective effects of Panax ginseng on the neurotoxicity induced by abuse drugs. Ginseng total saponins (GTS) extracted and isolated by Panax ginseng antagonized Morphine-induced analgesia, and inhibited the development of analgesic tolerance to and physical dependence on morphine. GTS inhibited morphine-6 dehydrogenase, which catalyzes production of mophinone from morphine, and increased hepatic glutathione level responsible to toxicity. Therefore, we hypothesized that these dual actions of ginseng can be associated with the detoxication of morphine. In addition, the inhibitory or facilitated effects of GTS on electrically evoked contraction in guinea pig ileum ($\mu$-receptors) and mouse vas deferens($\delta$-receptors) were not mediated through opioid receptors, suggesting non-opioid mechanisms. On the hand, antagonism of U-50,488H ($\kappa$-agonist)-induced antinociception is mediated by serotonergic mechanisms. GTS also inhibited hyperactivity, reverse tolerance (sensitization) and conditioned place preference-induced by psychostimulants such as methamphetamine, cocaine and morphine. On the other hand, GTS reduced the dopamine levels induced by methamphetamine. Moreover, GTS blocked the development of dopamine receptor activation, showing antidopaminergic effect. We suggest that GTS Prevent the methamphetamine-induced striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity. In addition, Ginsenoside also attenuates morphine-induced cAMP signaling pathway. These results suggested that GTS might be useful for the therapy of the adverse actions of drugs with abuse liability.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.227-231
• /
• 2017

Background: Ginsenosides are active components of Panax ginseng that exert various health benefits including kidney protection effect. The medicinal activity of ginsenosides can be enhanced by modulating their stereospecificity by heat processing. Ginsenosides Rk2 and Rh3 represent positional isomers of the double bond at C-20(21) or C-20(22). Methods: The present study investigated the kidney-protective effects of ginsenosides Rk2 and Rh3 against cisplatin, a platinum based anticancer drug, induced apoptotic damage in renal proximal LLC-PK1 cells. Results: As a result, ginsenoside Rh3 shows a stronger protective effect than that shown by Rk2. Cisplatin-induced elevated protein levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and cleaved caspase-3 decreased after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rh3. The increase in the percentage of apoptotic LLC-PK1 cells induced by cisplatin treatment also significantly reduced after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rh3. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that inhibition of the JNK and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade plays a critical role in mediating the renoprotective effect of ginsenoside Rh3.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.270-276
• /
• 2012

The effect of orally administered sun ginseng (SG), which is a ginseng processed by steaming, was examined in adenine-induced chronic renal failure rat. SG significantly decreased both blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels, indicating an improvement of renal function. Also, SG significantly increased the urinary excretion of both urea and creatinine. Furthermore it lowered the blood pressure, and inhibited adenine-induced kidney hypertrophy and edema. Based on these findings, SG may ameliorate chronic renal failures.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.287-299
• /
• 2011

Pharmacological effects of Panax ginseng have been demonstrated in cardiovascular system, endocrine secretion and immune system, together with antitumor, anti-stress and anti-oxidant activities. Modern scientific data show protective effect of ginseng against bone marrow cell death, increased survival rate of experimental animals, recovery of hematopoietic injury, immunopotentiation, reduction of damaged intestinal epithelial cells, inhibition of mutagenesis and effective protection against testicular damages, caused by radiation exposure. And also, ginseng acts in indirect fashion to protect radical processes by inhibition of initiation of free radical processes and thus reduces the radiation damages. The research has made much progress, but still insufficient to fully uncover the action mechanism of ginseng components on the molecule level. This review provides the usefulness of natural product, showing no toxic effects, as an radioprotective agent. Furthermore, the further clinical trials on radioprotection of ginseng need to be highly done to clarify its scientific application. The effective components of ginseng has been known as ginsenosides. Considering that each of these ginsenosides has pharmacological effect, it seems likely that non-saponin components might have radioprotective effects superior to those of ginsenosides, suggesting its active ingredients to be non-saponin series. These results also show that the combined effects of saponin and non-saponin components play an important role in the radioprotective effects of ginseng.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 1990.06a
• /
• pp.49-57
• /
• 1990

It has been well known that extended exposure to reactive oxygens causes severe damage to susceptible biomolecules. In this study, the effects of flavonoids including trifling and kaempferol from Ginseng leaves on single oxygen induced photohemolysis of erythrocytes and free radical scavenging activities were investigated . Each flavonoid aglycone (5-50UM) such as kaempferol, quercetin or baicalein exhibited a high protective effect against the photohemolysis. They protected the cells by scavenging 102 and free radicals. Although the free radical scavenging activities of the flavonoid glycosides were not much lower than those of their corresponding aglycones, their insolubility into lipid bilayers of membrane made them less effective in preventing the photohemolysis induced by 1O2. The 102 and free radical scavenging activities of flavonoids were estimated by the decomposition of the flavonoid by 1O2 and the bleaching of free radicals by the flavonoid, respectively. The solubilization of the flavonoid into micelle or erythrocytes was deduced from spectrophotometric and microscopic observations. The cooperation of L-ascorbic acid and a flavonoid, and a possible involvement of lipoxygenase or cyclooxygenase in the photohemolysis mechanism were discussed. Keywords Panax ginseng C.A Meyer, ginseng leaves, flavonoids, singe1 oxygen, Photohemolysis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2013

Korean red ginseng is known to regulate the immune system and help the body struggle infection and disease. Cadmium is widely distributed in the environment due to its use in industry. Exposure to cadmium is problematic causing organ dysfunction. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) against cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. In experiments, animals were orally administrated with RGE (25, 50 mg/kg) for 7 d and then intravenously injected with cadmium ($CdCl_2$, 4 mg/kg) to induce acute hepatotoxicity. Cadmium caused the elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase in serum. In contrast, pretreatment with RGE significantly reduced those serum indexes related with liver damage. In histopathological analysis, RGE decreased the centrilobular necrosis around central veins and the peripheral hemorrhage around portal triads. Moreover, RGE restored the deficit in hepatic glutathione level resulting from cadmium treatment. RGE also inhibited the increase in the expression of Bad, a representative apoptosis marker protein, induced by cadmium treatment. Collectively, these results demonstrate that RGE can reduce the cadmium-induced hepatic toxicity, partly via anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic process.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2000

Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, Araliaceae) has been used for traditional medicine in China, Korea, Japan and other Asian countries. It is most often used as a general tonic, and it involves a wide range of pharmacological actions, such as antiaging, adaptogen-like effect to foreign deleterious infringement, immunoenhancement, antistress, antitumor, and antioxidant actions. Red ginseng showed anticarcinogenic activity against various chemical carcinogens in mouse and cancer-preventive effect of human being as on mice in experimental and epidemiological studies. In the present study, we have found the protective properties of red ginseng against vinyl carbamate (VC) which is the proximate carcinogen of ethyl carbamate and its ultimate carcinogenic epoxides. Red ginseng exhibited dose-dependent inhibition on the mutagenci activities of boty VC in the presence of S9 mix and vinyl carbamate epoxide (VCO) without metabolic activation in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535. Formation of DNA adducts from VCO was also attenuated in the presence of red ginseng. Oral administration of red ginseng prior to the topical application of each of the above carcinogens and TPA treatment resulted in significant reduction in both incidence and multiplicity of skin tumors in mice. These results indicate that red ginseng possesses a strong chemopreventive effect against mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by VC or VCO.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.218-224
• /
• 2018

Background: Compound K (CK) is a ginsenoside, a metabolite of Panax ginseng. There is interest both in increasing skin health and antiaging using natural skin care products. In this study, we explored the possibility of using CK as a cosmetic ingredient. Methods: To assess the antiaging effect of CK, RT-PCR was performed, and expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, and type I collagen were measured under UVB irradiation conditions. The skin hydrating effect of CK was tested by RT-PCR, and its regulation was explored through immunoblotting. Melanin content, melanin secretion, and tyrosinase activity assays were performed. Results: CK treatment reduced the production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in UVB irradiated NIH3T3 cells and recovered type I collagen expression level. Expression of skin hydrating factors-filaggrin, transglutaminase, and hyaluronic acid synthases-1 and -2-were augmented by CK and were modulated through the inhibitor of ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or extracellular signal-regulated kinases pathway. In the melanogenic response, CK did not regulate tyrosinase activity and melanin secretion, but increased melanin content in B16F10 cells was observed. Conclusion: Our data showed that CK has antiaging and hydrating effects. We suggest that CK could be used in cosmetic products to protect the skin from UVB rays and increase skin moisture level.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.10
• /
• pp.1543-1551
• /
• 2020

Panax ginseng has a wide range of activities including a neuroprotective effect, skin protective effects, enhanced DNA repairing, anti-diabetic activity, and protective effects against vascular inflammation. In the present study, we sought to discover the inhibitory effects of a mixture of natural products containing Panax ginseng, Ziziphus jujube, Rubi fructus, Artemisiae asiaticae and Scutellaria baicalensis (PZRAS) on osteoclastogenesis and bone remodeling, as neither the effects of a mixture containing Panax ginseng extract, nor its molecular mechanism on bone inflammation, have been clarified yet. PZRAS upregulated the levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH-R) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, treatment with PZRAS decreased the production of IL-1β and TNF-α. PZRAS also inhibited osteoclast differentiation through inhibiting osteoclastspecific genes like MMP-2, 9, cathepsin K, and TRAP in RANKL-treated RAW264.7 cells. Additionally, PZRAS has inhibitory functions on the RANKL-stimulated activation of ERK and JNK, which lead to a decrease in the expression of NFATc1 and c-Fos. In an in vivo study, bone resorption induced by LPS was recovered by treatment with PZRAS in bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV) compared to control. Furthermore, the ratio of eroded bone surface of femurs was significantly increased in LPS-treated mice compared to vehicle group, but this ratio was significantly reversed in PZRAS-treated mice. These results suggest that PZRAS could prevent or treat disorders with abnormal bone loss.