• 고려인삼학회:학술대회논문집
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• 고려인삼학회 1998년도 Advances in Ginseng Research - Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Ginseng -
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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 Ginseng Research
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.76-86
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• 1988

쥐에게 물대신 12% 에탄올(대조군) 또는 인삼사포닌 분획을 포함한 12% 에탄올(시험군)을 6일간 투여한 후 간과 혈청에서의 acetaldehyde 농도와 간의 [$NAD^+$]/ [NADH] 및 [$NADP^+$]/[NADPH] 비율을 조사하였다. 대조군의 간과 혈청의 acetaldehyde 농도는 물로 사육한 정상군에 비해 훨씬 높았으나 물대신 인삼사포닌을 포함한 에탄올을 투여한 시험군의 경우는 정상군에 비해 약간 높았을 뿐이었으며 [$NAD^+$]/ [NADH] 비의 감소율도 대조군보다는 시험군이 훨씬 작았다. l-$^{l4}C$]-ethanol을 함유한 10% ethanol을 1ml 복강으로 투여하고 30분 후의 간의 지방질의 방사능을 분석한 결과 시험군의 간 지방질의 전체 방사능은 대조군보다 훨씬 낮았고 인산지방질, 콜레스테롤, 지방산, 중성지방과 같은 지방질의 분석결과는 에탄올 투여로 인한 인산지방질 생합성 저하와 지방산 및 중성지방의 생합성 증가현상이 인삼사포닌의 투여로 개선되는 것으로 관찰되었다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.222-227
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• 1992

Unlike carbohydrats and fats, alcohol is essentially foreign to the body and it is known that the body get rid of it by oxidizing alcohol maily in the liver. Acetaldehyde is produced during ethanol metabolism and is known to be oxidized mainly by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). ALDH activity was found mainly in the mitochondrial fraction but a significant ALDH activity was also present in microsomal and cytosol fraction. Wistar rats (150~200 g, male) were given freely with 12% ethanol (Control) and/or 12% ethanol containing 0.1% ginseng saponins (Test) instead of water for 6 days and the liver was analyzed. ALDH activities of both control and test group were lower than that of normal group but test AkDH was less inhibited than control. ADH activies of both control and test were slightly higher than that of normal group but our previous data showed that it became gradually steady after prolonged ethanol feeding. MEOS activities of both control and test group were much higher than that of normal group. MEOS enzymes are inducible but the activity of test group was greatly higher than that of control. Ethanol containing [1-i4C] ethanol (5 $\mu$Ci) was injected to the above three groups and 30 min later, the distribution of radioactivity of hepatic lipids was investigated. Radioactivities of hepatic lipids of both control and test group were higher than that of normal group, however, that of test group was much lower than that of control. Analysis of individual lipids showed that phospholipid biosynthesis was significantly impaired and fatty acid and triglycerides biosynthesis were greatly stimulated. However, it was realized that the saponin prevented phospholipid biosynthesis depression and the increase of triglyceride biosynthesis considerably. It seemed that the saponin might stimulate ADH, ALDH and MEOS and the acetaldehyde formed would be removed faster. The excess hydrogen can be shunt more quickly into lipid biosynthesis. Electron microscopic observation showed that the hepatic cell of control group was si gnificantly damaged. Mitochondria were swollen and rough endoplasmic reticulum were dilated, however, hepatocytes of test group were not damaged.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제36권3호
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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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.62-66
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• 2008

Non-saponin gingseng fraction components (NSRG) have been known to have a variety of biological activity. However, the effects of these components on the function of brain cell have not been characterized in detail. In this study, we investigated the preventive effect of non-saponin red ginseng components on acrylamide (ACR)-induced suppression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), which is highly expressed in neuronal cells. The data showed that NSRG blocked the suppression of NCAM expression by ACR in neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH). In addition, NSRG significantly increased NCAM expression in ACR-nontreated neuroblastoma cells. NSRG treatment resulted in the increase of cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. We also examined whether NSRG could modulate the NO production of astrocytes. When glioma cells (C6) were treated with various concentrations of NSRG (100-300 ug/ml) in the presence or absence of $IFN-{\gamma}$ for 24 hours, NO production was suppressed in $IFN-{\gamma}-$stimulated C6 cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that treatment of brain cells with NSRG results in the enhancement of proliferation, the suppression of NO production and the protective effect on NCAM expression impaired by ACR. Thus, the present data suggest that NSRG has proliferative and neuroprotective effects and these effects could be useful in neuronal diseases.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.456-463
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• 2021

Background: Keratinocytes form a physical barrier and act as an innate immune cell in skin. Keratinocytes secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, resulting from inflammasome activation when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Korean Red Ginseng extracts (RGE) have been well-studied as modulators of inflammasome activation in immune cells, such as macrophages. In the study, we elucidated the role of RGE on the UV-mediated inflammasome activation in keratinocytes compared with that in macrophages. Methods: Human skin keratinocyte cells (HaCaT), human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK), human monocyte-like cells (THP-1), and mouse macrophages were treated with RGE or a saponin fraction (SF) or non-saponin fraction (NS) of RGE before and after UV irradiation. The secretion levels of IL-1β, as an indicator of inflammasome activation, were analyzed. Results: The treatment of RGE or SF in macrophages after UV irradiation inhibited IL-1β secretion, but similar treatment in HaCaT cells did not. However, the treatment of RGE or SF in HaCaT cells in the presence of poly I:C, a toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 ligand, before UV exposure elicited the inhibition of the IL-1β secretion. The inhibition was caused by the disruption by RGE or SF of the TLR mediating up-regulation of the pro-IL-1β and NLRP3 genes during the priming step. Conclusion: RGE and its saponins inhibit IL-1β secretion in response to UV exposure in both keratinocytes and macrophages. In particular, RGE treatment interrupted only the priming step in keratinocytes, although it did attenuate both the priming and activation steps in macrophages.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.302-310
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• 2023

Background: The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), is marked by the formation of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. The impairments of axons and synapses appear in the process of Aβ plaques formation, and this damage could cause neurodegeneration. We previously reported that non-saponin fraction with rich polysaccharide (NFP) from Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) showed neuroprotective effects in AD. However, precise molecular mechanism of the therapeutic effects of NFP from KRG in AD still remains elusive. Methods: To investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of NFP from KRG on AD, we conducted proteomic analysis for frontal cortex from vehicle-treated wild-type, vehicle-treated 5XFAD mice, and NFP-treated 5XFAD mice by using nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS. Metabolic network analysis was additionally performed as the effects of NFP appeared to be associated with metabolism according to the proteome analysis. Results: Starting from 5,470 proteins, 2,636 proteins were selected for hierarchical clustering analysis, and finally 111 proteins were further selected for protein-protein interaction network analysis. A series of these analyses revealed that proteins associated with synapse and mitochondria might be linked to the therapeutic mechanism of NFP. Subsequent metabolic network analysis via genome-scale metabolic models that represent the three mouse groups showed that there were significant changes in metabolic fluxes of mitochondrial carnitine shuttle pathway and mitochondrial beta-oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the therapeutic effects of NFP on AD were associated with synaptic- and mitochondrial-related pathways, and they provided targets for further rigorous studies on precise understanding of the molecular mechanism of NFP.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.132-138
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• 2002

본 연구에서는 혈류량의 변화를 실시간으로 측정할 수 있는 레이져 도플러 혈류량측정장치를 이용하여 피부혈류 및 뇌혈류량에 미치는 고려홍삼의 사포닌과 비사포닌의 효능을 연구하고자 고려홍삼의 정맥내 복강내 및 구강내로 주입하고 혈류의 변화를 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 고려 홍삼의 사포닌 성분은 피부혈류량에는 영향을 주지 않으나 뇌혈류량을 증가시키는 효능이 있다. 고려 홍삼의 비사포닌 성분은 피부혈류량 및 뇌혈류량에 거의 영향을 주지 않았다. 고려홍삼사포닌에 의한 뇌혈류량의 증가는 복강내 및 경구로 투여할 경우는 관찰할 수 있으나 정맥내로 직접 투여할 경우는 관찰되지 않았다. 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때 고려홍삼의 사포닌 성분은 뇌혈류량을 증가시키는 혈류개선작용이 있는 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.61-68
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• 2015

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a representative traditional herbal medicine with many different pharmacological properties including anticancer, anti-atherosclerosis, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory activities. Only a few studies have explored the molecular mechanism of KRG-mediated anti-inflammatory activity. Methods: We investigated the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the protopanaxadiol saponin fraction (PPD-SF) of KRG using in vitro and in vivo inflammatory models. Results: PPD-SF dose-dependently diminished the release of inflammatory mediators [nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, and prostaglandin $E_2$], and downregulated the mRNA expression of their corresponding genes (inducible NO synthase, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, and cyclooxygenase-2), without altering cell viability. The PPD-SF-mediated suppression of these events appeared to be regulated by a blockade of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and TANK (TRAF family member-associated NF-kappa-B activator)-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), which are linked to the activation of activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) and interferon regulatory transcription factor 3 (IRF3). Moreover, this fraction also ameliorated HCl/ethanol/-induced gastritis via suppression of phospho-JNK2 levels. Conclusion: These results strongly suggest that the anti-inflammatory action of PPD-SF could be mediated by a reduction in the activation of p38-, JNK2-, and TANK-binding-kinase-1-linked pathways and their corresponding transcription factors (ATF2 and IRF3).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.437-444
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• 2016

Background: Although Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been traditionally used for a long time, its anti-inflammatory role and underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms have been poorly understood. In this study, the anti-inflammatory roles of KRG-derived components, namely, water extract (KRG-WE), saponin fraction (KRG-SF), and nonsaponin fraction (KRG-NSF), were investigated. Methods: To check saponin levels in the test fractions, KRG-WE, KRG-NSF, and KRG-SF were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The anti-inflammatory roles and underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of these components were investigated using a macrophage-like cell line (RAW264.7 cells) and an acute gastritis model in mice. Results: Of the tested fractions, KGR-SF (but not KRG-NSF and KRG-WE) markedly inhibited the viability of RAW264.7 cells, and splenocytes at more than 500 mg/mL significantly suppressed NO production at $100{\mu}g/mL$, diminished mRNA expression of inflammatory genes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, and interferon-${\beta}$ at $200{\mu}g/mL$, and completely blocked phagocytic uptake by RAW264.7 cells. All three fractions suppressed luciferase activity triggered by interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), but not that triggered by activator protein-1 and nuclear factor-kappa B. Phospho-IRF3 and phospho-TBK1 were simultaneously decreased in KRG-SF. Interestingly, all these fractions, when orally administered, clearly ameliorated the symptoms of gastric ulcer in HCl/ethanol-induced gastritis mice. Conclusion: These results suggest that KRG-WE, KRG-NSF, and KRG-SF might have anti-inflammatory properties, mostly because of the suppression of the IRF3 pathway.