• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.89-97
• /
• 2024

Background: Ginsenoside F2 (GF2), the protopanaxadiol-type constituent in Panax ginseng, has been reported to attenuate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the mechanism of action is not fully understood. Here, this study investigates the molecular mechanism by which GF2 regulates MASLD progression through liver X receptor (LXR). Methods: To demonstrate the effect of GF2 on LXR activity, computational modeling of protein-ligand binding, Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay for LXR cofactor recruitment, and luciferase reporter assay were performed. LXR agonist T0901317 was used for LXR activation in hepatocytes and macrophages. MASLD was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding with or without GF2 administration in WT and LXRα^-/- mice. Results: Computational modeling showed that GF2 had a high affinity with LXRα. LXRE-luciferase reporter assay with amino acid substitution at the predicted ligand binding site revealed that the S264 residue of LXRα was the crucial interaction site of GF2. TR-FRET assay demonstrated that GF2 suppressed LXRα activity by favoring the binding of corepressors to LXRα while inhibiting the accessibility of coactivators. In vitro, GF2 treatments reduced T0901317-induced fat accumulation and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in hepatocytes and macrophages, respectively. Consistently, GF2 administration ameliorated hepatic steatohepatitis and improved glucose or insulin tolerance in WT but not in LXRα^-/- mice. Conclusion: GF2 alters the binding affinities of LXRα coregulators, thereby interrupting hepatic steatosis and inflammation in macrophages. Therefore, we propose that GF2 might be a potential therapeutic agent for the intervention in patients with MASLD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.47 no.5
• /
• pp.645-653
• /
• 2023

Background: Changes to work-life balance has increased the incidence of cervical cancer among younger people. A minor ginseng saponin known as ginsenoside Rk1 can inhibit the growth and survival of human cancer cells; however, whether ginsenoside Rk1 inhibits HeLa cell proliferation is unknown. Methods and results: Ginsenoside Rk1 blocked HeLa cells in the G0/G1 phase in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited cell division and proliferation. Ginsenoside Rk1 markedly also activated the apoptotic signaling pathway via caspase 3, PARP, and caspase 6. In addition, ginsenoside Rk1 increased LC3B protein expression, indicating the promotion of the autophagy signaling pathway. Protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum signaling pathway was downregulated in Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, consistent with teal-time quantitative PCR and western blotting that showed YOD1, HSPA4L, DNAJC3, and HSP90AA1 expression levels were dramatically decreased in HeLa cells treated with ginsenoside Rk1, with YOD1 was the most significantly inhibited by ginsenoside Rk1 treatment. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the toxicity of ginsenoside Rk1 in HeLa cells can be explained by the inhibition of protein synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum and enhanced apoptosis, with YOD1 acting as a potential target for cervical cancer treatment.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 2006.05a
• /
• pp.77-77
• /
• 2006

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.9 no.3 s.21
• /
• pp.79-88
• /
• 2006

Objectives : This systematic review summarizes the existing evidence on anti-tumor herbal acupuncture in South Korea. Methods : Literature searches were conducted in four databases. All studies of anti-tumor herbal acupuncture which has been published in South Korea until May, 2006 were included. Data were extracted according to pre-defined criteria by two independent reviewers. Results : We found 73 papers related to anti-tumor herbal acupuncture in South Korea. Seventy of seventy-three papers are trial research and only three papers are clinical research. Herb materials which were used in those papers are Bee-venom, Wild-ginseng, Ginseng, Houttuynia cordata Thunb, Lonicerae Flos, Carthami Tinctorii Juglans sinensis, Euphorbiae Radix, Ecliptae Herba, Crotonis Semen, Juglans sinensis, Armeniaceae Amarum, so on. From those papers, Anti-tumor herbal acupunctures are effective to tumor cell line and tumor in vivo. Clinical research papers reported that Anti-tumor herbal acupunctures are useful to improve cancer related symptoms and quality of life(QOL) of cancer patients. Conclusions : From the above results, we make sure of that anti-tumor herbal acupuncture is useful therapeutics for cancer patients. If we conceive complex-herb materials and carry out more advanced research, Anti-tumor Herbal Acupuncture is one of those major therapeutics to improve clinical symptoms and quality of life(QOL) of cancer patients.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.135-141
• /
• 2011

Inhibition of intestinal glucose uptake is beneficial in reducing the blood glucose level for diabetes. To search for an effective intestinal glucose uptake inhibitor from natural sources, 70 native edible plants, fruits and vegetables were screened using Caco-2 cells and fluorescent D-glucose analog 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG). A compound that was able to inhibit glucose uptake was isolated from methanol extract of Punica granatum L. and called PG-1a. PG-1a appears to be a phthalic acid-diisononyl ester- like compound (PDE) with molecular weight of 418. The inhibitory effect of PG-1a on intestinal glucose uptake was dose-dependent with 89% inhibition at $100\;{\mu}g$/mL. Furthermore, the intestinal glucose uptake inhibitory effect of PG-1a was 1.2-fold higher than phlorizin, a well known glucose uptake inhibitor. This study suggests that PG-1a could play a role in controlling the dietary glucose absorption, and that PG-1a can effectively improve the diabetic condition, and may be used as an optional therapeutic and preventive agent.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.17-25
• /
• 2012

Objective : This report is aimed to investigate the effectiveness of traditional korean therapy including intravenous Cultivated Wild Ginseng Pharmacopuncture (CWGP) and Soram immunopharmacopuncture with XELOX chemotherapy in treating metastatic colorectal cancer patient. Methods : A 47-year-old woman who was diagnosed as metastatic colorectal cancer on Oct 2011 was concurrently treated with traditional Korean therapy (TKT) and XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) for 7 months. TKT includes intravenous CWGP, Soram immuno-pharmacopuncture, acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine. The effectiveness of therapies was evaluated with computed tomography and tumor marker levels such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). And pain on the lateral abdomen was recorded with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results : The tumor mass size of metastatic liver was decreased from 10 cm to 4.3 cm. The tumor marker levels such as CEA and CA19-9 are also decreased. From these results, this case report suggests that the TKT with palliative chemotherapy may be a useful method to treat unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.181-185
• /
• 1999

To compare the composition of volatile flavor components of three different cultivars of rice, Hyangnambyeo (aromatic cultivar), Heugjinjubyeo (pigmented cultivar) and Dongjinbyeo (normal cultivar), the volatile flavor components of brown rice were isolated by Likens-Nickerson simultaneous steam distillation and extraction apparatus. The flavor concentrates obtained were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 65 components, including 14 aliphatic aldehydes and ketones, 7 aliphatic alcohols, 8 aromatic alcohols, 13 hydrocarbons, 9 esters, 7 aliphatic acids, and 7 miscellaneous components were identified. The aliphatic aldehydes, which are known as contributors to the overall flavor of cooked rice, were present in larger amounts in Hyangnambyeo than in Heugjinjubyeo and Dongjinbyeo, while the difference in quantity of these components between Heugjinjubyeo and Dongjinbyeo was not remarkable. Hyangnambyeo and Heugjinjubeyo contained 562 ng and 259 ng of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline per gram of brown rice based on dry weight, respectively, which is a key compound contributing to the popcorn-like aroma in aromatic rice. Dongjinbeyo contained about 6 ng.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.399-410
• /
• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the perception and the preference of Korean traditional foods such as traditional holiday foods, rice cakes and beverages. The subjects were 598 elementary school students(male 310, female 288) in fifth or sixth grades. The most favorite traditional holiday food was rice cake soup(57.4%) and 92.4% of subjects wanted to keep the traditional holiday foods because of the traditional custom. The traditional beverages mainly drinking at home were sikhye(35.6%), misugalou(30.2%), green tea(18.5%), etc. Children's most favorite beverage was misugalou(90.5%) and they had no taste for ginseng tea(39.6%). Children did not know well about booggumi(64.1%), dootubdduk(63.3%), whajun(39.6%), etc. and liked gguldduk(94.2%) better than the others. They liked the rice cake because of its good taste(69.0%) and disliked it because of chocking(30.9%), not eating frequently(29.5%), hard and tough(18.2%), and so on. And they wanted to make the rice cake softer and sweeter like the cake and mostly ate it on the traditional holidays.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.12
• /
• pp.1606-1608
• /
• 2014

During an investigation of the fungal diversity of Korean soils, four Penicillium strains could not be assigned to any described species. The strains formed monoverticillate conidiophores with occasionally a divaricate branch. The conidia were smooth or finely rough-walled, globose to broadly ellipsoidal and $2.5-3.5{\times}2.0-3.0{\mu}m$ size. Their taxonomic novelty was determined using partial ${\beta}$-tubulin gene sequences and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates belonged to section Lanata-Divaricata and were most closely related to Penicillium raperi. Phenotypically, the strains differed from P. raperi in having longer and thicker stipes and thicker phialides. Strain KACC $47721^T$ from bamboo field soil was designated as the type strain of the new species, and the species was named Penicillium koreense sp. nov., as it was isolated from various regions in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.153-167
• /
• 1997

Conventionally, identification and classification methods of natural products include the morphological survey and assay of chemical disposition, sing these methods, however, is not satisfying for the precise identification of natural products because they are often valiable in the compositions and morphology To standardize the natural products identification and classification, genomic DNA analysis such as RAPD, RFLP and Amp-FLP can be adopted for this purpose. In this study, various ginsengs and bear gall bladder were tested for the development of genetic identification and classification method. Varieties of ginsengs such as, P. ginseng, P. quinquefolium, P. japonicus and P. notoginseng, were genetically analyzed by RAPD. Also, DNA isolated from Bear blood and gall bladder, Ursus thibetanus, Ursus americanus and Ursus arctos, were analyzed by the same method. The results demonstrated that the identification and classification of bear gall bladder and various ginsengs were possible by RAPD analysis. Therefore, this method was thought to be used as a additional method for the identification and classification of other natural products.