• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.360-369
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• 2016

Background: Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins) Scholten is an important pathogenic fungus that causes ginseng root rot in many ginseng growing areas in China. Although C. destructans have been studied worldwide, research on its chemotaxis towards ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) root exudates in the rhizosphere remains limited. Methods and Results: In this study, we collected ginseng root exudates with three different polarities from three-year-old ginseng roots, and performed chemotaxis and spore germination assays to investigate the ability of these exudates to induce the response in C. destructans. The results showed that, compared with other conditions, when C. destructans cultivated at $20^{\circ}C$ and a pH of 6 exhibited a strong positive chemotactic response toward $2mg/{\ell}$ aqueous phase, $20mg/{\ell}$ butanol phase, and $0.2mg/{\ell}$ petroleum ether from ginseng root exudates, the chemotactic moving indexes were 0.1581, 0.1638 and 0.1441, respectively. In addition, the spore germination rate with optimal chemotactic parameters were 48%, 53%, and 41% in the aqueous phase, butanol phase and petroleum ether groups, respectiviely, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (23%) (p < 0.05). The mycelial growth rate with optimal chemotactic parameters increased with culture time, and the maximum growth rates in the aqueous phase, butanol phase and petroleum ether groups were 0.425, 0.406 and 0.364 respectively, on the 4th day. The optimal chemotactic parameters were $39.73mg/50mg/{\ell}$, $48.93mg/50mg/{\ell}$, and $31.43mg/50mg/{\ell}$, in aqueous phase, butanol phase and petroleum ether respectively, from ginseng root exudates, compared with $5.5mg/50mg/{\ell}$, in the control group. Conclusions: The present study revealed that certain ginseng root exudates containing chemical attractants act as nutritional sources or signals for C. destructans and support its colonization of ginseng roots.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.290-297
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• 2017

Background: The use of X-ray phase-contrast microtomography for the investigation of Chinese medicinal materials is advantageous for its nondestructive, in situ, and three-dimensional quantitative imaging properties. Methods: The X-ray phase-contrast microtomography quantitative imaging method was used to investigate the microstructure of ginseng, and the phase-retrieval method is also employed to process the experimental data. Four different ginseng samples were collected and investigated; these were classified according to their species, production area, and sample growth pattern. Results: The quantitative internal characteristic microstructures of ginseng were extracted successfully. The size and position distributions of the calcium oxalate cluster crystals (COCCs), important secondary metabolites that accumulate in ginseng, are revealed by the three-dimensional quantitative imaging method. The volume and amount of the COCCs in different species of the ginseng are obtained by a quantitative analysis of the three-dimensional microstructures, which shows obvious difference among the four species of ginseng. Conclusion: This study is the first to provide evidence of the distribution characteristics of COCCs to identify four types of ginseng, with regard to species authentication and age identification, by X-ray phase-contrast microtomography quantitative imaging. This method is also expected to reveal important relationships between COCCs and the occurrence of the effective medicinal components of ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2008

Red ginseng is a medicinal herb widely used in East-Asia for a long time. Recently there have been a lot of studies about the effect of red ginseng on the immune responses. We investigated the differences between Korean red ginseng and Chinese red ginseng in the lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production. The rats were divided into 3 groups, KRG(Korean Red Ginseng) group, CRG(Chinese Red Ginseng) group, and the Control group. Experimental groups were administered with Korean and Chinese red ginsengs for three months respectively. Then we obtained the lymphatic cells from spleen and compared the ability of KRG on the lymphocyte proliferation and the cytokine production after mitogen-stimulated culture to CRG. The proliferation of lymphocyte and level of $IL-1{\alpha}$ were significantly increased only in KRG group. There were significant increases in the level of $INF-{\gamma}$ in both KRG and CRG groups. There were no significant differences in the level of IL-2 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. These results indicate that KRG can induce infection-relevant immune responses much faster and higher than CRG. Furthermore, functional activation of CD8+ T-cell may be activated by red ginsengs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2016

Background: Ginsenosides are the major effective ingredients responsible for the pharmacological effects of ginseng. Malonyl ginsenosides are natural ginsenosides that contain a malonyl group attached to a glucose unit of the corresponding neutral ginsenosides. Methods: Medium-pressure liquid chromatography and semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography were used to isolate purified compounds and their structures determined by extensive one-dimensional- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Results: A new saponin, namely malonyl-ginsenoside Re, was isolated from the fresh flower buds of Panax ginseng, along with malonyl-ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd. Some assignments for previously published $^1H$- and $^{13}C$-NMR spectra were found to be inaccurate. Conclusion: This study reports the complete NMR assignment of malonyl-ginsenoside Re, $Rb_1$, $Rb_2$, Rc, and Rd for the first time.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2022

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is defined as damage to the spinal cord that temporarily or permanently changes its function. There is no definite treatment established for neurological complete injury patients. This study investigated the effect of ginseng extract and ginsenosides on neurological recovery and antioxidant efficacies in rat models following SCI and explore the appropriate dosage. Searches were done on PubMed, Embase, and Chinese databases, and animal studies matches the inclusion criteria were selected. Pair-wise meta-analysis and subgroup analysis were performed. Ten studies were included, and the overall methodological qualities were low quality. The result showed ginseng extract and ginsenosides significantly improve neurological function, through the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale (pooled MD = 4.40; 95% CI = 3.92 to 4.88; p < 0.00001), significantly decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) (n = 290; pooled MD = -2.19; 95% CI = -3.16 to 1.22; p < 0.0001) and increase superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels (n = 290; pooled MD = 2.14; 95% CI = 1.45 to 2.83; p < 0.00001). Both low (<25 mg/kg) and high dosage (25 mg/kg) showed significant improvement in the motor function recovery in SCI rats. Collectively, this review suggests ginseng extract and ginsenosides has a protective effect on SCI, with good safety and a clear mechanism of action and may be suitable for future clinical trials and applications.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.196-202
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• 1993

A study was performed to compare the anticancer effects of Korean and Chinese red ginseng roots. The whole crude extracts or chloroform, methanol and acetone fractions of the crude extracts were added in the culture medium of three cancer cell lines, a mouse leukemia cell line ($P_{388}$), a human colon carcinoma cell line (HT-29) and a human rectal carcinoma cell line (HRT-18), to screen the growth inhibition effects. The results are summarized as follows : 1. Crude extracts of both Korean and Chinese red ginseng roots inhibited the proliferation of all the three cancer cell lines tested in a dose dependent manner. However, the growth inhibition effects of Korean red ginseng extracts were significantly greater than that of Chinese red ginseng. 2. An acetone fraction showed the greatest antiproliferative effects among the 11'hole crude extracts, chloroform, methanol and acetone fractions of the crude extracts. 3. These results suggest that the active antiproliferative components of the crude extracts are present mostly in the acetone fraction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.371-379
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• 2021

Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis and prognosis of many common disorders, including neurodegeneration, stroke, myocardial infarction, tumor, and metabolic diseases. Ginsenosides, the major bioactive constituents of Panax ginseng (P. ginseng), have been reported to play beneficial roles in the molecular pathophysiology of these diseases by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction. In this review, we first introduce the types of ginsenosides and basic mitochondrial functions. Then, recent findings are summarized on different ginsenosides targeting mitochondria and their key signaling pathways for the treatment of multiple diseases, including neurological disorders, cancer, heart disease, hyperglycemia, and inflammation are summarized. This review may explain the common targets of ginsenosides against multiple diseases and provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms, facilitating research on the clinical application of P. ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2005

In East-South Asia it has been said that ginseng(Panax ginseng) induces flushing and epistaxis, whereas American ginseng(Panax quinquefolius) dosen't. This study was designed to find out if ginseng really could increase flushing and epistaxis, compared with American ginseng. Double-blind randomized controlled trials on general symptom, such as flushing and epistaxis, of ginseng and American ginseng in Koreans and Chinese were performed by questionnaire. There was no significant accident or improvement in Koreans. But in Chinese dried mouth was significantly observed in placebo group and chest discomfort was significant in placebo group and American ginseng(4 years) group. In addition in Chinese chest discomfort was significantly observed in American ginseng(4 years) group and American ginseng(6 years) group. It was revealed that ginseng might not increase flushing and epistaxis.토양환경학회 홈페이지 ( http://www.kossge.or.kr ) 을 참조하십시오.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1990.06a
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• pp.196-200
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• 1990

the ginseng polypeptide (GPP) isolated from the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer was demonstrated to decrease the levels of blood sugar and hepatic glycogen when injected intravenously to rats at a doses of 50-200mg/kg without affecting blood total lipid. When mice were injected subcutaneously daily at a dose of 50 and 100mg/kg for 7 successive days, GPP was also found to decreased blood sugar and hepatic glycoge. In addition, GPP was found to decrease various experimenta hyperglycemias induced by injection of adrenaline, glucose and alloxan. GPP exhibited inhibiting effect on the glycogen enhancement induced by glucose, but strengthening effect on the glycogen decrease induced by adrenaline. When the levels of blood total lipid and liver glycogen were increased by alloxan, GPP was shown to inhibit these changes except its lowering blood sugar. the toxicity of GPP is very low, its LD50 was found to be 1.62$\pm$0.130 g/kg for iv.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.338-342
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• 1990

The ginseng Polypeptide (GPP) Isolated from the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer was domonstrated to decrease the levels of blood sugar and hepatic glycogen when injected intravenoilsly to rats at a doses of 50-200 mg/kg without affecting blood total lipid. When mice were injected slibclitaneollsly daily at a dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg for 7 successive days. GPP was also found to decrease blood sligar and hepatic glycogen. In addition, GPP was found to decrease variolls experimental hypergly cemias induced by injection of adrenaline, glilcose and alloxan. GPP exhibited inhibiting effect on the glut rogen enhancement indllced by glucose, but strenthening effect on the glycogen decrease indliced by adrenaline. When the levels of blood total lipid and lilrer glycogen were increased by T alloxan. GPP was shown to inhibit these changes except its lowering blood sugar. The toxicity of GPP is very low, LD50 was found to be 1.62 $\pm$ 0.130 g/kg for iv.