• 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.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 1989

A macromolecular fraction from fresh ginseng root containing mainly polysaccharide showed mild mitogenic activity in human cord blood lymphocytes. 2) When lymphocytes were transformed by Con A or PHA, this fraction could greatly enhance the activity of these lectin mitogens, thus showing a potentiation effect. 3) Although this macromolerular fraction contains saponin and is susceptible to trypsin digestion, it is probably a peptido-glycan in nature on account of its important carbohydrate content and thermal stability. 4) This fraction could not support cancer cell (EAT, K562) growth : its inhibitory effect on these cells remains to be explored.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.132-135
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• 2004

This study was performed to investigate the anxiolytic effects of total sponin fraction from Ginseng Radix Rubra (KRG) in mice using the elevated plus-maze model. The water extract of KRG and ginseng total saponins (GTS) purified from the water extract of KRG were administered orally to mice. One hour after administration of KRG water extract and GTS, mice were tested on the elevated plus-maze. The water extract of KRG 100 mg/kg, and GTS 25 and 50 mg/kg did not increase open arm entries and time spent on open arm. However, GTS 100 mg/kg increased the number of open arm entries and time spent on open arm. On the other hand, as the plus-maze test was affected by changes in locomotor activity, an additional test was carried out with the specific aim of monitoring locomotor activity. The water extract of KRG 100 mg/kg, and GTS 25 and 50 mg/kg did not affect the locomotor activity. However, GTS 100 mg/kg significantly decreased locomotor activity. From this study, we suggest that GTS may play an imponant role on the anxiolytic effects in the plus-maze model.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.108-113
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• 1986

Ginseng saponin absorbed in rat blood and liver were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The amount of saponin was estimated from peak area of the corresponding fraction and the specific radioactivity was then calculated, The radioactivity of the methanol-water extract of blood serum and livers of ginseng saponin administered rats decreased rapidly during the first four hours after the saponin administration. However, the radioactivity disappearance rate was relatively slow when the radioactivity was below a certain level. It seemed that the glycosides of panax ginseng were absorbed partly in the undissociated form and the saponin level of the liver might be maintained at 10-6% - 10-5% for a considerable period of time in ginseng administered rats.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.352-356
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• 1986

A study was carried out to determine the effect of ginseng saponin an its related materials on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL2999 in glucose-salts(GS) medium. Maximal growth of the mold and AF froduction in the medium occurred after 5 and 9 days at $28^{\circ}C$, respectively. When various concentrations of saponin added to the medium aflatoxin synthesis were significantly reduced (p<0.05) compared to the control after 9 days at $28^{\circ}C$. 0.05% of saponin inhibited aflatoxin production most effectively in the low concerntrations of saponin (0.01-0.2%) and the toxin synthesis reduced with an increasing concentrations of saponin in the high concentrations (0.03-5.0%). Various concentrations (0.01-1.0%) of saponin diol and triol in the media also caused to reduce aflatoxin synthesis by the mold (p<0.05). All saponin fractions were found to decrease aflatoxin production significantly. Saponin fraction numbers of 1,2,4 and 6 were shown to reduce aflatoxin production effectively, and the number 1 was the most effective. Addition of 0.05% of nucleic acid related materials to the medium reduced aflatoxin production (p<0.05). Aflatoxins could not be found in broth at all, but in mycelia when 0.05% of caffeine was added to the medium. Aflatoxin synthesis was well correlated with total lipid synthesis, growth and glucose uptake. When aflatoxin synthesis inhibited (5.0% of saponin) both total lipid synthesis and growth were stimulated and the efficiency of glucose utilization was reduced.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1990.06a
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• pp.15-19
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• 1990

We have been isolating various physiologically active substances from non-saponin fraction of Korean Red Ginseng These are adenosine, gyro-glutamic acid, dencichine and acidic polysaccharide. Adenosine and gyro-glutamic acid are loom to inhibit epinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells and stimulate the insulin-mediated lipogenesis. In addition to these actions, adenosine was found to inhibit both norepinephrine- and histamine-induced aorta constriction, and pyre·glutamic acid inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme. Dencichine stimulated histamine-induced aorta constriction. Finally, acidic polysaccharide was found to inhibit both lipolytic and anorexigenic actions of Toxohormone-L. Based on these experimental results, I presented a brief review on these compounds isolated from non- saponin fraction of Korea Red Ginseng. Keywords Panax ginseng, Korean red ginseng, adenosine, pyroglutamic acid, dencichine, acidic polysac- charide, lipolysis, lipogenesis, angiotensin-converting enzyme, toxohormone-L.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 1998

This experiment has conducted to evaluate whether single injection of red ginseng extract including 50% ethanol extract, crude saponin, and lipid soluble fraction can induce oxidative burst of mouse peritoneal macrophages with use of fluorescence spectrophotometer. To optimize conditions of fluorescent spectrophotometry, concentrations of DCFH-DA(2', 7' -dichlorofluorescin diacetate) was 1.6 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and control oxidative burst by Zymosan A and PMA(phorbol myristate acetate) were 100$\mu\textrm{g}$, 250ng, respectively. Though in vitro macrophages failed to induce increment of H2O2 production, but 50% ethanol extract group induced significant enhancement of H2O2 production when zymosan A triggered oxidative burst. On the other hand, lipid soluble fraction enhanced significantly H2O2 production than that of control group. These findings consisted with the other reports which showed ginsenosides inhibited nitric oxide production and lipid soluble fraction activated colony stimulating factor(granulocyte - monocyte) activity in bone marrow stem cells. As is well known, lipid soluble fraction contains phenol compound, polyacetylene compound and alkaloids. Further study would unravel which component of it can induce H2O2 production of macrophages. Key words : Red ginseng(Panax ginseng), H2O2 production, macrophages.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.310-315
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• 1998

The effect of red ginseng saponins (total saponins, Rbl- and Rgl- fraction of saponins) on the induction of $\beta$-galactosidase in yeast, hccharomyces cereuisiae, was investigated to see that ginseng saponins would penetrate the cell membrane and have a function in a nucleus as steroid hormones do. To attain such a kind of purpose, a DNA fragment (685bp) containing GALI promoter was inserted into the sites of EcoRl and BamHl of polylinker region, upstream of lace gene of the plasmid YEp356 (7.966 Kb), and thus the resulting plasmid pGALl-lacZ is supposed to express $\beta$- galactosidase only in the presence of galactose. The plasmid pGALl -lacZ was introduced into yeast, Ky106 (a leu2 ura3 his3 trp 1 Iys2), and the growth of the transformed cells was much slower in the presence of galactose than glucose. The effects of saponins on the specific activity of P-galactosidase from transformed yeast cells were detected. No significant increase was observed in case of total saponins, but the Rbl- or Rgl- fraction of saponins gave much higher increase in the activity. Maximum increase was observed as 35% in 10-3% of Rbl and as 75% in 10-1% of Rgl. These data suggest that ginseng saponins might be able to enter the nucleus and stimulate transcription. However, further studies to find out the putative saponin receptor are needed to confirm this possibility. Key words : Red ginseng saponin, $\beta$-galactosidase induction, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2020

This study was carried out to investigate the protective effect of crude saponin from Platycodon grandiflorum on Clinical chemical parameters in male rats acutely exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-ρ-dioxin (TCDD). Crude saponin was prepared from Korean Platycodon grandiflorum with Diaion HP-20 adsorption chromatography after extraction of 80% ethanol at 75℃. The crude saponin was confirmed by thin layer chrmatography. When compared with ginseng saponins, the crude saponin had both a few number of saponins and a broad distribution. Forty male rats (200±20 g) were divided into 4 groups. Normal control (NC) group received vehicle and saline; TCDD-treated (TT) group received TCDD (40 ㎍/kg, single dose) intraperitoneally; Platycodon grandiflorum saponin (PG5 and PG10) groups received crude saponin 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg (p.o), respectively, for 2 weeks before 1 week of TCDD-exposure. Increase of body weight was retarded greatly by TCDD-exposure. Body weight of animals in TT group was significantly decrease after 2 days of TCDD-exposure. However, body weights of animals in PG groups increased through the experimental perimental period, although the increasing rate was slower than that of NC group. Increases in contents of blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) and activities of amylase, lipase, AST, ALT and LDH by toxic action of TCDD were significantly attenuated by crude saponin from Platycodon grandiflorum (P<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that crude saponin prepared from Korean Platycodon grandiflorum might be a member of useful protective agents against TCDD, which is one of the environmental hormones.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 1997

The changes in aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH, E.C. 1.2.1.3.) activity in neurons and astrocytes isolated from rat brains were investigated after administration of ethanol and Korean red ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) saponln. The cerebral ALDH activity with acetaldehyde and Propionaldehyde was higher in the white matter than in the gray matter. However, using indole-3-a-cetaldehyde and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde as substrates, there was no significant difference in activity between two regions in cerebrum. In ethanol treated group, ALDH activity with all the substrates in the gray and white matter was lower than in normal group. In ethanol-saponin treated group, the enzyme activity in the white matter remarkably Increased. The ALDH activity in neurons isolated from cerebral cortex in ethanol-treated group was lower than in normal group. In ethanol-saponin treated group, neuronal ALDH activity with propionaldehyde was significantly recovered but not with Indole-3-acetaldehyde. In astrocytes, although the ALDH activity with propionaldehyde in the ethanol-treated group was not changed as compared with normal group, considerable increase in activity was found in ethanol-saponin treated group. These results suggest that Korean red ginseng saponin may protect the neuronal functions from the toxic effects of acetaldehyde derived from ethanol by stimulation of ALDH activity in astrocytes surrounding nerve cells.