• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.580-592
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• 2020

Background: Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng (thereafter called ginseng) has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years to maintain people's physical vitality and is also a non-organ-specific cancer preventive and therapeutic traditional medicine in several epidemiologic and preclinical studies. Owing to few toxic side effects and strong enhancement on body immunity, ginseng has admirable application potential and value in cancer chemoprevention. The study aims at investigating the chemopreventive effects of ginseng on cutaneous carcinoma and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The mouse skin cancer model was induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry was used for identifying various ginsenosides, the main active ingredients of ginseng. Comprehensive approaches (including network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental verification) were used to explore the potential targets of ginseng. Results: Ginseng treatment inhibited cutaneous carcinoma in terms of initiation and promotion. The content of Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd ginsenosides was the highest in both mouse blood and skin tissues. Ginseng and its active components well maintained the redox homeostasis and modulated the immune response in the model. Specifically, ginseng treatment inhibited the initiation of skin cancer by enhancing T-cell-mediated immune response through upregulating HSP27 expression and inhibited the promotion of skin cancer by maintaining cellular redox homeostasis through promoting nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Conclusion: According to the study results, ginseng can be potentially used for cutaneous carcinoma as a chemopreventive agent by enhancing cell-mediated immunity and maintaining redox homeostasis with multiple components, targets, and links.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.446-454
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• 2008

An advanced extraction method by ultrasonic extraction with applied solid phase extraction (SPE) has been developed for the determination of simultaneous eight major ginsenosides, namely ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rf, Rb1, Rg2, Rc, Rb2, and Rd in the root of Panax ginseng. Four extraction methods including n-BuOH reflux extraction (Method A), 70% EtOH reflux extraction (Method B), 50% MeOH reflux extraction with SPE (Method C), and 50% MeOH ultrasonication with SPE clean-up process (Method D) were investigated for the determination of eight major ginsenosides. Total contents of ginsenosides were highest by extraction of Method C as $2.408{\pm}0.011%$. However, Method D was evaluated as relatively simpler and more efficient method due to short extraction time, small solvent consumption and less expensive, compared to conservative reflux method. Ginsenosides were also satisfactorily separated with good resolution and the accuracy range was between 1.05 and 4.06% as relative standard deviation (RSD) by Method D. SPE condition and HPLC condition were further optimized for determination of eight major ginsenosides by the ultrasonic extraction method. Conclusively, ultrasonic extraction of 2 g sample of ginseng using ultrasonic bath and 1 loading for SPE was evaluated as proper condition for extraction of ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.157-161
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• 2011

Growth characteristics, root yield and ginsenoside contents of 3-year-old ginseng in greenhouse shaded by $30^{\circ}$ sloped-curtain made of aluminum were compared to traditional shade facility in order to develop cultural practice for organic ginseng. Light transmittance ratio in greenhouse with $30^{\circ}$ sloped-curtain shade was distinctly lower than that of traditional shade from sunrise to 9 a.m., while its ratio in greenhouse was higher than traditional shade since 9 a.m. due to the reflection of light. Air temperature of greenhouse was $1.3^{\circ}C$ higher than that of traditional shade on the first ten days of August due to more reflected light. Root yield of greenhouse was 44% higher than that of traditional cultivation because of the inflow of reflected light and the decrease of disease of Alternaria and Anthracnose by blocking rainfall. Dry matter partitioning ratio of rhizome and lateral root were increased in ginseng cultivated at greenhouse due to longer survival time in leaf than traditional cultivation. Total ginsenoside contents cultivated at greenhouse was decreased in the part of taproot, while it was increased in the part of lateral and fine root compare to traditional cultivation. Individual ginsenoside contents between greenhouse and traditional cultivation showed significant difference more frequent in fine root than taproot and lateral root. Total ginsenoside contents including $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, $Rg_1$, and $Rg_2$ in whole root of 3-year-old ginseng did not showed significant difference by greenhouse and traditional cultivation.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.46-57
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• 1999

Ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is important medicinal plant but requires 4-year cultivation for root harvest because of slow growth. In contrast, ginseng callus and hairy roots grow vigorously and may Produce the same or more biologically active compounds for human health than natural ginseng roots. Therefore, ginseng callus and hairy roots can be used for commercial purposes. Polyacetylene, one of anti-cancer compounds in ginseng, was not detected in the callus cultured on the medium containing 2, 4-B, but cells derived from the callus growth was excellent, The ginseng calli cultured on the medium containing 2mg11 CPA and 0.05mg/1 BA was grown vigorously and produced panaxydol, one of ginseng polyacetylene. The biosynthesis of polyacetylene in callus was not affected by addition of NAA and sucrose in media. The SH medium was better than the MS medium for ginseng callus growth and biosynthesis of panaxydol. Another ginseng anti-cancer compounds, ginsenoside-Rg$_3$, Rh$_1$and Rh$_2$ were detected in ginseng hairy roots by heat treatment. Those of Panax ginseng were obtained after root disks of three-year old roots were infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes Rl000 $A_4$T in dark condition after one month of culture. The optimum growth of hairy roots was achieved in the culture of 1/2 MS liquid medium in dark(22$^{\circ}C$) under 60 rpm gyratory shaking. Hairy roots grew well in 5 ι Erlenmeyer flasks, 1ι roller drums, 10ι jar-fermenters, and especially in 20ι air-lift .culture vessels. All heat treatments had remarkably different ginsenoside contents. Eleven ginsenosides were determined in heat treatment, eight in freeze dried hairy roots. Contents of ginsenoside-Rbl , Rb2, Rc, Rd. Re, Rf, and Rg$_1$tested in all heat treatments were less than those of freeze dried hairy roots. Contents of glnsenoside-Rg$_2$ in heat treatment for 1 hour at 105$^{\circ}C$ was 4.92mg/g dry wt, 3.9 times higher than 1.27 mg/g dry wt of freeze dried hairy roots. The optimum condition of heat treatment for the production of ginsenoside-Rg$_3$and Rhl was 2 hours at 105$^{\circ}C$, and ginsenoside content was 2.58mg/g dry wt and 3.62mg/g dry wt, respectively. The production of ginsenoside-Rh2 was the highest in heat treatment for 2 hours at 105$^{\circ}C$ among treatments examined, and ginsenoside-Rh$_2$content was 1.08mg/g dry wt.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.196-201
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• 2002

This study was carried out to compare the contents of saponins and minerals component in Korean Red Ginseng (Heaven, Earth, Good grade), North Korean Red Ginseng (Heaven, Earth, Good grade), Japanese Red Ginseng (Oonju, Sinju 1, 2, 3 grade, respectively) and Chinese Red Ginseng (Seokju, Gilim, 1, 2, 3 grade, respectively). Crude saponin contents were different on according to the grade and cultivation area, and was 3.05-3.76% in Korean Red Ginseng, 2.09-3.21% in North Korean Red Ginseng, 2.82-3.71% in Chinese Seokju Red Ginseng, 2.72-3.62% in Chinese Gilim Red Ginseng, 2.11-2.44% in Japanese Oonju Red Ginseng, 2.18-2.87% in Japanese Sinju Red Ginseng, and the amount of ginsenoside-Rb1, -Re, -Rg$\_$1/ in Korean Red Ginseng were higher than those of North Korean, Chinese and Japanese Red Gingsen. The contents of mineral components were similar, but La, Na and Sn component in Korean Red Ginseng showed the higher amount than those of other Red Ginsengs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2011

In order to distinguish the cultivation area of Panax ginseng, principal component analysis (PCA) using quantitative and qualitative data acquired from HPLC was carried out. A new HPLC method coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) was developed for the simultaneous quantification of ten major ginsenosides, namely $Rh_1$, $Rg_2$, $Rg_3$, $Rg_1$, Rf, Re, Rd, $Rb_2$, Rc, and $Rb_1$ in the root of P. ginseng C. A. Meyer. Simultaneous separations of these ten ginsenosides were achieved on a carbohydrate analytical column. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water-isopropanol, and acetonitrile-water-isopropanol using a gradient elution. Distinct differences in qualitative and quantitative characteristics for ginsenosides were found between the ginseng roots produced in two different Korean cultivation areas, Ganghwa and Punggi. The ginsenoside profiles obtained via HPLC analysis were subjected to PCA. PCA score plots using two principal components (PCs) showed good separation for the ginseng roots cultivated in Ganghwa and Punggi. PC1 influenced the separation, capturing 43.6% of the variance, while PC2 affected differentiation, explaining 18.0% of the variance. The highest contribution components were ginsenoside $Rg_3$ for PC1 and ginsenoside Rf for PC2. Particularly, the PCA score plot for the small ginseng roots of six-year old, each of which was light than 147 g fresh weight, showed more distinct discrimination. PC1 influenced the separation between different sample sets, capturing 51.8% of the variance, while PC2 affected differentiation, also explaining 28.0% of the variance. The highest contribution component was ginsenoside Rf for PC1 and ginsenoside $Rg_2$ for PC2. In conclusion, the HPLC-ELSD method using a carbohydrate column allowed for the simultaneous quantification of ten major ginsenosides, and PCA analysis of the ginsenoside peaks shown on the HPLC chromatogram would be a very acceptable strategy for discrimination of the cultivation area of ginseng roots.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.562-570
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• 2018

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In this study, we used a bioactivity-guided isolation technique to identify constituents of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) with antiproliferative activity against human lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods: Bioactivity-guided fractionation and preparative/semipreparative HPLC purification were used with LC/MS analysis to separate the bioactive constituents. Cell viability and apoptosis in human lung cancer cell lines (A549, H1264, H1299, and Calu-6) after treatment with KRG extract fractions and constituents thereof were assessed using the water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. Caspase activation was assessed by detecting its surrogate marker, cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP-ribose) polymerase, using an immunoblot assay. The expression and subcellular localization of apoptosis-inducing factor were assessed using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, respectively. Results and conclusion: Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the KRG extract revealed that its ethyl acetate-soluble fraction exerts significant cytotoxic activity against all human lung cancer cell lines tested by inducing apoptosis. Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetatesoluble fraction led to the isolation of six ginsenosides, including ginsenoside Rb1 (1), ginsenoside Rb2 (2), ginsenoside Rc (3), ginsenoside Rd (4), ginsenoside Rg1 (5), and ginsenoside Rg3 (6). Among the isolated ginsenosides, ginsenoside Rg3 exhibited the most cytotoxic activity against all human lung cancer cell lines examined, with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from $161.1{\mu}M$ to $264.6{\mu}M$. The cytotoxicity of ginsenoside Rg3 was found to be mediated by induction of apoptosis in a caspase-independent manner. These findings provide experimental evidence for a novel biological activity of ginsenoside Rg3 against human lung cancer cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.183-187
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• 2003

This study was carried out to ascertain the basic information on characteristics of Korean Ginseng(Panax ginseng) and American ginseng(Panax quinquefolius), F$_1$ hybrids. Interspecies hybrids between Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius were examined morphological characteristics, rusty root incidence, and contents of effective ingredients such as ginsenosides. The summarized results are as follows. In Panax ginseng, rusty root incidence tended to increase with age of ginseng, but there was no difference in the incidence among ginseng ages and cultivation years in Panax quinquefolius and F$_1$ hybrid. The interspecies hybrid of panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius flowered later than the Panax ginseng, but earlier than the Panax quinquefolius. As for the characteristics of ginseng root, Panax quinquefolius seedling was better than cv. Panax ginseng, as the former had longer and heavier seedling root than the latter. Ginsenosides of the hybrid F$_1$ showed intermediate value in amounts of Rb$_1$, Rb$_2$, Rc and Rd which were detected as in Panax gineng and Panax quinquefolius. The amount of Re of the hybrid was higher, but that of Rg$_1$ and Rg$_2$ in main and branch roots was lower compared with its parents. Rf was 0.14% and 0.20% in main and branch roots of Panax ginseng, respectively; however, no Rf was detected in Panax quinquefolius and in the hybrid F$_1$. This suggests there may be remarkable difference in Rf content among the ginseng species.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.291-299
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• 2020

Background: Ginseng (G) and Ligustrum lucidum Ait (LLA) are core traditional Chinese medicines in treating myelosuppression formula. The present study was designed to profile effect of G and LLA herb pair (G-LLA) on myelosuppressed mice. Methods: The mice myelosuppression model was established by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cyclophosphamide (Cy). Hematopoietic function of bone marrow was measured by hemopoietic progenitor cell culture and peripheral blood count, and serum hemopoietic factors were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bone marrow cell cycle was performed by flow cytometry. HPLC was used to measure 20 potential chemical components related to myelosuppression, including ginsenoside Rg₁, Re, Rb₁, Rc, Rb₂, Rb₃, Rd, Rk₃, Rh₄, 20 (S)-Rg₃, 20 (R)-Rg₃, Rk₁, Rg₅, salidroside, and so on. Results: G, LLA, and G-LLA improved the amount of peripheral blood cells and bone marrow cells of myelosuppressed mice (P < 0.01). They significantly increased the colony quantity of colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage, burst-forming unit-erythroid, colony-forming unit-erythroid, and colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte and amount of G₂/M and S phase cells (P < 0.01). They also significantly decreased the amount of hematopoiesis-related cytokines (P < 0.01). The content of chemical components in G-LLA changed, and the change of rare saponin was the most obvious. Conclusion: These results show that G-LLA herb pair might produce synergistic or complementary compatibility effects on bone marrow suppression after chemotherapy. It suggests that the substance basis of G-LLA for treating bone marrow suppression may be effective chemical components.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.98-107
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• 2006

Magnetization Transfer (MT) imaging generates contrast dependent on the phenomenon of magnetization exchange between free water proton and restricted proton in macromolecules. In biological materials in knee, MT or cross-relaxation is commonly modeled using two spin pools identified by their different T2 relaxation times. Two models for cross-relaxation emphasize the role of proton chemical exchange between protons of water and exchangeable protons on macromolecules, as well as through dipole-dipole interaction between the water and macromolecule protons. The most essential tool in medical image manipulation is the ability to adjust the contrast and intensity. Thus, it is desirable to adjust the contrast and intensity of an image interactively in the real time. The proton density (PD) and T2-weighted SE MR images allow the depiction of knee structures and can demonstrate defects and gross morphologic changes. The PD- and T2-weighted images also show the cartilage internal pathology due to the more intermediate signal of the knee joint in these sequences. Suppression of fat extends the dynamic range of tissue contrast, removes chemical shift artifacts, and decreases motion-related ghost artifacts. Like fat saturation, phase sensitive methods are also based on the difference in precession frequencies of water and fat. In this study, phase sensitive methods look at the phase difference that is accumulated in time as a result of Larmor frequency differences rather than using this difference directly. Although how MT work was given with clinical evidence that leads to quantitative model for MT in tissues, the mathematical formalism used to describe the MT effect applies to explaining to evaluate knee disorder, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and meniscal tear. Calculation of the effect of the effect of the MT saturation is given in the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) which is a quantitative measure of the relative decrease in signal intensity due to the MT pulse.