• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.234-238
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• 2009

Effects of ginseng on in vivo antioxidant capacities with age were studied in rats. All rats were reared in the conventional system. Ginseng-treated rats were supplied with ginseng water extracts (25 mg/kg/day) continuously from 6 weeks of age to spontaneous death. None of the rats showed any discernible adverse effects of treatment with ginseng-containing water. There was no significant difference in body weight (BW) gains with age between treated and control groups. However, ginseng extracts did cause a decrease in the level of serum low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, glucose, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the treated rats. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in liver cytosol decreased with age in the control group. However, these enzyme activities were well maintained in the ginseng-treated rats and, especially, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were consistently higher than in control rats. The levels of total sulfhydryl group (T-SH) and glutathione reductase (GR) were unchanged, and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activity gradually decreased with age in both groups. There were no differences in T-SH, GR, or GST between the control and treatment groups. These results indicate that long-term administration of ginseng retards age-related deterioration in some biochemical parameters such as cholesterol, glucose, and lactate dehydrogenase in serum and it has an enhancing effect on antioxidant capacity in the liver.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2012

Panax ginseng exhibits pleiotropic beneficial effects on cardiovascular system, central nervous system, and immune system. In the last decade, numerous preclinical findings suggest ginseng as a promising therapeutic agent for diabetes prevention and treatment. The mechanism of ginseng and its active components is complex and is demonstrated to either modulate insulin production/secretion, glucose metabolism and uptake, or inflammatory pathway in both insulin-dependent and insulin-independent manners. However, human studies are remained obscure because of contradictory results. While more studies are warranted to further understand these contradictions, ginseng holds promise as a therapeutic agent for diabetes prevention and treatment. This review summarizes the evidences for the therapeutic potential of ginseng and ginsenosides from in vitro studies, animal studies and human clinical trials with a focus on diverse molecular targets including an AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.139-148
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• 1996

This study was designed to examine the effects of red ginseng total saponin and extract on spatial working memory in mice using Morris water maze. Two kinds of red ginseng saponin (No. 1 and No. 2) and three kinds of red ginseng extract (No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3) to have different PD/ PT ratio (No. 1=1.24, No.2=1.47 No.3=2.41) were prepared by mixing the different parts of red ginseng In different ratio. In acute administration of total saponin No. 1 or No. 2, escape time to reach to a hidden platform In a fixed location for training trials was significantly decreased as compared with control group and swimming time in the quadrant that had contained the platform was also significantly increased as compared with control group. In acute treatment of extract No. 1 or 1 No. 2, swimming time in the platformless quadrant was increased dose dependently as compared with control group, especially at dose of 200 mg/kg,bw swimming time was significantly Increased. Oral treatment of extract No. 1 (100 mg/kg, bw) for 7 days produced an increase of swimming time In the platformless quadrant but a decrease of swimming time in No.3-treated group (100 mg/kg, bw). These results show that red ginseng may improve spatial discrimination learning and spatial working memory of mice

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.229-233
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• 1989

The effect of some phytohormones and light on the growth, ADC activity and polyamine content in ginseng was studies. In seedlings, the growth, ADC activity and putrescine content were in creased by Ghs treatment. ADC activity ann putrescine content were slightly slightly derreased by ABA, but not changed by kinetin. Light treatment increased ADC activity and putrescine content greatly. In two year ginseng leaves treated by GA3, the ADC actin$.$its reached maximum and the spermidine content reached maximum 2 days faster than in the control. Thtse results suggest the possibility that these regulators are closely related to growth and polyamine cotent. UeVo'ordsEPanaxgineng C.A. Meyer, Polyamine, Putrescine spermidine, arginine decarboxylose, GA3 kiiletin , ABA.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.277-284
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• 2005

Press ham were manufactured to investigate the effects of ginseng powder on quality characteristics of press ham. Each treatments added pork loin basis with ginseng powder(0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and $2.0\%$) were stored until 28 days at $4^{\circ}C$. The changes in physico-chemical properties, texture and chemical composition of each treatments were measured during 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days at $4^{\circ}C$. There was a not significantly difference in chemical composition between control and ginseng treatment groups. pH value of ginseng treatment groups were decreased significantly than those of control(p<0.05). pH of control and ginseng treatments were increased significantly as the storage period passed(p<0.05). Meat color(CIE $L^{\ast},\;b^{\ast}$) of ginseng treatment groups were increased significantly than that of control(p<0.05). Meat color(CIE $a^{\ast}$) of ginseng treatment groups were decreased significantly than those of control(p<0.05). It was not clearly changed by the passage of storage time. There was a not significantly difference in texture between control and ginseng treatment groups. It was not clearly changed by the passage of storage time. Summing up the a forementioned result, press ham manufacturing with ginseng powder was not affected in physico-chemical properties and texture characteristics. Also, it may be assumed that the high quality press ham can be manufactured with saponin accumulation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.270-277
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• 2014

Background: The effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) on ginsenoside production in different organs of ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) was evaluated after the whole plant was dipped in an MJ-containing solution. MJ can induce the production of antioxidant defense genes and secondary metabolites in plants. In ginseng, MJ treatment in adventitious root resulted in the increase of dammarenediol synthase expression but a decrease of cycloartenol synthase expression, thereby enhancing ginsenoside biosynthesis. Although a previous study focused on the application of MJ to affect ginsenoside production in adventitious roots, we conducted our research on entire plants by evaluating the effect of exogenous MJ on ginsenoside production with the aim of obtaining new approaches to study ginsenoside biosynthesis response to MJ in vivo. Methods: Different parts of MJ-treated ginseng plants were analyzed for ginsenoside contents (fine root, root body, epidermis, rhizome, stem, and leaf) by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The total ginsenoside content of the ginseng root significantly increased after 2 d of MJ treatment compared with the control not subjected to MJ. Our results revealed that MJ treatment enhances ginsenoside production not in the epidermis but in the stele of the ginseng root, implying transportation of ginsenosides from the root vasculature to the epidermis. Application of MJ enhanced protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides, whereas chilling treatment induced protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type ginsenosides. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the production of PPD-type and PPT-type ginsenosides is differently affected by abiotic and biotic stresses in the ginseng plant, and they might play different defense mechanism roles.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.47-51
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• 2003

Synergistic anticancer activities of red ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAS) showing immunomodulatory activity were evaluated by combined treatment with anticancer agents such as Cyclophosphamide (CY) or 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in experimental tumor models. The combined treatment of RGAP (100 mg/kg) and CY (3 mg/kg) exhibited 71% of survival rate in lift span of sarcoma 180-bearing mice, while single treatment of RGAP (100 mg/kg) and CY (3 or 10 mg/kg) exhibited 43, 14 and 43% of survival rates, respectively. In addition, when RGAP (100 mg/kg) was administered in combination with 5-FU (2.5 mg/kg) to sarcoma 180 tumor-bearing mice, higher survival rate was found when compared with RGAP or 5-FU treatment alone. Moreover, tumor weights in LL/2 lung carcinoma-bearing mice treated combined with RGAP (100 mg/kg) and 5-FU (5 or 10 mg/kg) was obviously decreased when compared with 5-FU alone. These results suggest that clinical trials of RGAP as an adjuvant in cancer chemotheraphy can be higly feasible.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2003

In this study, we investgated the effect of Red Ginseng (KRG) on liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CTC) and galactosamine (GalN) in rats using indicator enzymes such as serum alanine/aspartate aminotransferases, sorbital dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase. Treatment of KRG restored these enzyme activities to near normal level compared to CTC or GalN treatment alone. Treatment of KRG also enhanced hepatic microsomal enzyme system, malondialdehyde formation, and depletion of reduced glutathione content, which were reduced by CTC or GalN. We also found that the decreased activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathine reductase but not ${\gamma}$-glutamycysteine synthetase after KRG treatment restored to normal level. These results indicate that KRG has potent therapeutic activity against CTC- and GalN-induced hepatotoxicity in rat.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2001

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that the consumption of food treated with EO might cause harmful effects in human. Since, in Korea the use of EO gas for food treatment was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of irradiated ginseng on fertility, and reproductive and developmental toxicity. Either EO gas fumigated or gamma-irradiated ginseng was administered to male rats by oral gavage for 63 days during the premating period. Female rats were administered from 14 days before mating to day 20 of gestation or to day 21 of lactation. The exposure amount of irradiation used was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of darns in clinical signs, and parturition. No treatment related changes in food consumption, body/organ weights, male/female reproductive and fertility performances were observed. F1 fetuses showed no external abnormality. Reflex/sensory junctions, physical/behavioral development, and reproductive performance of F1 rats were not adversary affected. The results of this study show that gamma-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on the fertility, reproduction and development in Wistar rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2001

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that consumption of EO treated foods might cause harmful effects in human. In Korea, the use EO gas for food treatment was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to evaluate the safety of irradiated ginseng on embryo and fetal developmental toxicity effects in rats. Either EO gas fumigated or $\gamma$-irradiated ginseng was administered to pregnant Wistar rats by oral gavage from gestational day 7 to 17. The amount of irradiation used in this study was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of dams in deaths, clinical signs, food consumption and body/organ weight. No treatment related changes in implantation ratio, litter size, sex ratio and body/organ weight of fetuses were observed. Also, no F1fetuses with external, visceral, head and skeletal mal-formation were observed. The results of this study showed that $\gamma$-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on fetal development of rats.