• 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.38 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 2014

Background: In previous work, we reported that Korean Red Ginseng saponin fraction (RGSF) showed anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The present study investigated the radioprotective properties of RGSF by examining its effects on ionizing radiation (IR)-enhanced and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammatory responses in murine macrophage cells. Results: RGSF induced strong downregulation of IR-enhanced and LPS-induced proinflammatory responses such as nitric oxide (NO) production (Inhibitory Concentration $50(IC_{50})=5.1{\pm}0.8{\mu}M$) and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ levels. RGSF was found to exert its radioprotective effects by inhibition of a signaling cascade that activated checkpoint kinase 2enuclear factor-${\kappa}B$. In addition, RGSF strongly inhibited IR-enhanced LPS-induced expression of hemoxyganase-1, implying that the latter may be a potential target of RGSF. Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that RGSF can be considered and developed for use as an effective radioprotective agent with minimal adverse effects.

• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 2012

Korean red ginseng has shown therapeutic effects for a number of disease conditions. However, little is known about the anti-inflammatory effect of Korean red ginseng saponin fraction (RGSF) in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, in this study, we showed that RGSF containing 20(S)-protopanaxadiol type saponins inhibited nitric oxide production and attenuated the release of tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, granulocyte monocyte colony stimulating factor (GMCSF), and macrophage chemo-attractant protein-1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, RGSF down-regulated the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxyginase-2, IL-$1{\beta}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, GMCSF, and IL-6. Furthermore, RGSF reduced the level of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the serum and protected mice against LPS mediated endotoxic shock. In conclusion, these results indicated that ginsenosides from RGSF and their metabolites could be potential sources of therapeutic agents against inflammation.