• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.1 s.53
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• pp.21-37
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• 1999

For the purpose of wide application of Korea Ginseng Radix (KGR) as a tonic and medicinal drug, bibliographical study on Ginseng Radix (GR) was done about its herbal and pharmacological effects known so far. Herbal effect of GR was studied in 28 classical books including Shennongbencaojing(신농본초경), the oldest herbal book in oriental medicine and also its pharmacological effects was compared with its herbal effect. In bibliographical study 38 kinds of efficacies of GR were referred in those books, for example, in fields of gastrointestinal tract, heart, psychology, body fluid, hormone and respiratory tract in order from statistical analysis. GR was chiefly used for supplementing Qi, vital energy in oriental medicine. However, experimental study on respiratory diseases was not reported except lung cancer yet, while GR was used for the treatment of asthma mostly mixed with other herb in oriental medicine. So far research with GR was performed chiefly for isolation of constituents as saponins and evaluation of its efficacy experimentally by KGTR (Korea Ginseng Tobacco Research Institute). From the above studies, to make KGR used widely than before, I suggest study with KGR should be done according to oriental principles such as Qi and tasters and combination theory between herbs excepting typical analytical research with saponins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.582-589
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• 2011

Bioconversion of timosaponin A-III (TA-III), one of the major steroidal saponins isolated from the rhizomes of Anemarrhenae asphodeloides Bunge (Liliaceae), was investigated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Five bioconversion products, denoted compounds 2-6, were obtained. Biotransformation metabolite 2 was a stereoisomer of TAIII with a specific isotype F-ring and ${\beta}$-ranged $CH_3$-21, which rarely occurs in nature. The structure of 2 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis (H-H COSY, HSQC, HMBC), as well as by high-resolution mass spectral analysis. The growth inhibitory activity of compounds 1-6 was assayed against four human cancer cell lines, HepG2, H-1299, HT-29, and HCT-116. Compounds 1 and 2 obviously inhibited the growth of the four types of cancer cells with $IC_{50}$ values being less than 19${\mu}M$. A structure-activity relationship is discussed, and the spirostane-ring F in compounds 1 and 2 appears to be the critical bioactive moiety for the cell growth inhibitory property.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.277-287
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• 2002

Purpose and Methods: We investigated the effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on nicotine-induced dopamine (DA) release in the striatum and nucleus accumbens of freely moving rats using in vivo microdialysis technique. Results: Systemic pretreatment with GTS decreased striatal DA release induced by local infusion of nicotine into the striatum. However, GTS had no effect on the resting levels of extracellular DA in the striatum. GTS also blocked nicotine-induced DA release in the nucleus accumbens. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that GTS acts on the DA terminals to prevent DA release induced by nicotine. This may reflect the blocking effect of GTS on behavioral hyperactivity induced by psychostimulants.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.404-408
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• 1998

Using a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography, the separation of 20(S)-, 20(R)-prosapogenin stereo-isomers of ginsenoside-$Rg_2$ and of ginsenoside-$Rg_3$ in ginseng saponins has been carried out with binary solvent system. The optimum conditions for the isomer separation are as following: Nova-$Pak^{(R)}C_{18}$ (Waters, $3.9{\times}150mm$) column, $CH_3CN/CH_3CN$ (100:8, v/v) binary solvent system and the flow rate was 1.7 mL/min. The stereoisomers were separated with change of the mixture ratio of the solvent system, the solvent elution by gradient program, and then detected at 203 nm of UV detector. The simultaneous separation of mixture that were the $Rg_2$, $Rg_3$ isomers was easily performed in nonpolar solvent for $Rg_2$, polar solvent for $Rg_3$ at the same optimum conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.706-709
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• 2003

Ginsenosides and polysaccharides were isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Family Araliaceae) by treating at low ($60^{\circ}C$, LT), mild ($100^{\circ}C$, MT), and high ($120^{\circ}C$, HT) temperatures, and their inhibitory effects on growth, infection, and VacA vacuolation of Helicobacter pylori (HP) were investigated. The molecular weights of polysaccharides decreased as the processing temperature increased. Ginseng polysaccharides inhibited the HP infection into KATO III cells, but did not inhibit growth of HP and VacA vacuolation of HeLa cells. HT polysaccharides showed the most potent inhibition with $IC_50$ value of 6.8 mg/ml. Ginseng saponins did not inhibit the infection of HP into KATO cells. However, 20(s)-protopanaxadiol showed the most potent inhibition of HP growth and vacuolation of HeLa by VacA toxin with $IC_50$ values of 0.05 and 0.067 mg/ml, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2005

In the previous study, we reported that the in viかo inhibitory effect of ginsenosides, active ingredient of Panax ginseng, on $5-HT_{3A}$ receptor channel activity is coupled to in vivo anti-vomiting and anti-nausea effect. In the present study, we further investigated that the inhibitory effect of ginsenosides, active ingredient of Panax ginseng, on 5-HT3A receptor channel activity is also coupled to attenuation of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is induced by colorectal distention (CRD) and $0.6\%$ acetic acid treatment. The CRD-induced visceral pains induced by CRD and acetic acid treatment are measured by frequency of contractions of the external oblique muscle in conscious rats. Treatment of GTS significantly inhibited CRD-induced visceral pain with dose-dependent manner. The $EC_{50}$ was $5.5{\pm}4.7$ mg/kg ($95\%$ confidence intervals: 1.2-15.7) and the antinociceptive effect of GTS on visceral pain was persistent for 4 h. We also compared the effects of protopanaxadiol (PD) ginsenosides and protopanaxatriol (PT) ginsenosides with saline on acetic acid-and CRD-induced visceral pain, and found that protopanaxatriol (PT) ginsenosides was much more potent than PD ginsenosides in attenuating CRD-induced visceral pain. These results indicate that U ginsenosides of Panax ginseng are components far attenuation of experimentally CRD-induced visceral pains.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.808-814
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• 2020

Background: Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) has been reported to act as an inflammasome modulator. Ginsenosides, saponin molecules of RGE, selectively inhibit activation of NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes, while non-saponin molecules of RGE upregulate inflammasome components associated with the initiation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In this study, we investigated the effect of non-saponin components of RGE on AIM2 inflammasome activation. Methods: The role of non-saponins of RGE on AIM2 inflammasomes was tested in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages, a human monocyte-like cell line, and a mouse animal model. Cells or mice were transfected with dsDNA or inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes to activate AIM2 inflammasomes. Several indices of inflammasome activation were examined via immunoblot or ELISA analysis. Results: The non-saponin fraction and saponin-eliminating fraction (SEF) of RGE selectively attenuated the activation of AIM2 inflammasomes, but not that of NLRP3 or NLRC4 inflammasomes. Fructose-arginine, an amino-sugar, was shown to be effective against AIM2 inflammasome activation. Conclusion: Non-saponins of RGE, such as fructose-arginine, might be effective in regulating infectious and autoimmune diseases resulting from AIM2 inflammasome activation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.469-474
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• 2016

Liriopogons (Liriope and Opiopogon) species are used as a main medicinal ingredient in several Asian countries. The Liriopes Radix (tuber, root of Liriope platyphylla) has to be a promising candidate due to their source of phytochemicals. Steroidal saponins and their glycosides, phenolic compounds, secondary metabolites are considered of active constituents in Liriopes Radix. Spicatoside A, a steroidal saponin, could be more efficacious drug candidate in future. In this review, we summarized the available knowledge on phytochemical and pharmacological activities for spicatoside A. It significantly suppressed the level of NF-${\kappa}B$, NO, iNOS, Cox-2, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and MAPKs in LPS-stimulated inflammation. The production of MUC5AC mucin was increased. MMP-13 expression was down-regulated in IL-$1{\beta}$-treated cells and reduced glycosaminoglycan release from IL-$1{\alpha}$-treated cells. The neurite outgrowth activity, PI3K, Akt, ERK1/2, TrkA and CREB phosphorylation and neurotropic factors such as NGF and BDNF were upregulated with increased latency time. It also showed cell growth inhibitory activity on various carcinoma cells. From this, spicatoside A exerts anti-inflammation, anti-asthma, anti-osteoclastogenesis, neurite outgrowth, memory consolidation and anticancer activities. Further studies are needed on spicatoside A in order to understand mechanisms of action to treat various human diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 2014

In this study, 23 oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins were isolated from a methanol extract of the roots of Pulsatilla koreana. The NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitory activity of the isolated compounds was measured in $TNF{\alpha}$-treated HepG2 cells using a luciferase reporter system. Compounds 19-23 inhibited $TNF{\alpha}$-stimulated NF-${\kappa}B$ activation in a dose-dependent manner, with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from $0.75-8.30{\mu}M$. Compounds 19 and 20 also inhibited the $TNF{\alpha}$-induced expression of iNOS and ICAM-1 mRNA. Moreover, effect of the isolated compounds on PPARs transcriptional activity was assessed. Compounds 7-11 and 19-23 activated PPARs the transcriptional activity significantly in a dose-dependent manner, with $EC_{50}$ values ranging from $0.9-10.8{\mu}M$. These results suggest the presence of potent anti-inflammatory components in P. koreana, and will facilitate the development of novel anti-inflammatory agents.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.360-367
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• 1995

The metabolism of ginseng saponins by human intestinal bacteria was studied using human feces under anaerobic culture conditions. $Ginsenoside-Rb_1$, $-Rb_2$ and -Rc(protopanaxadiol type) were mainly metabolized to compound-K(C-K), $20-O-[{\alpha}-L-arabinopyranosyl(1{\rightarrow}6)-{\beta}-{_D}-glucopyranosyl]-20(S)-protopanaxadiol(compound-Y,\;C-Y)$, $20-O-[{\alpha}-L-arabinopyranosyl(1{\rightarrow}6)-{\beta}-{_D}-glucopyranosyll-20(S)-protopanaxadiol(ginsenosied-MC,{\;}MC)$, respectively, and $ginsenoside-Rg_1$ and -Re(protopanaxatriol type) to their aglycon, 20(S)-protopanaxatriol, though the pathway and rate of the metabolism were affected by fermentation medium. C-K was not decomposed any more, while C-Y and Mc were both gradually hydrolyzed to C-K.