• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.194-198
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• 2009

The changes that would occur in a content of five phenolic ingredients and eight ginsenosides in acid-treatedred ginseng extracts were measured in this study. Acid-treated-red ginseng was prepared by treating with 1 M ascorbic acid or citric acid for 20 min. As a result, the contents of esculetin and quercetin in citric acid-treated-red ginseng increased by 3.5 times and 2.0 times, respectively, compared with control red ginseng. However, all phenolic ingredients decreased after treatment with ascorbic acid. In addition, the contents of ginsenoside Rg$_3$, Rh$_2$, Rd increased but those of Rb$_1$, Rc, Re, Rf, Rg$_1$ decreased after acid treatment. Although these tendency of results are similar, the rate of change of ginsenosides in citric acid-treated-red ginseng was higher than in ascorbic acid-treated-red ginseng. These results indicated that citric acid is more effective in the conversion of ginseng ingredients than ascorbic acid.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.595-601
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• 2017

Background: Red ginseng oil (RGO) is produced by supercritical $CO_2$ extraction of secondary products derived from Korean Red Ginseng extract. As the use of RGO has increased, product safety concerns have become more important. Methods: In the present study, the subacute oral toxicity and bacterial reverse mutagenicity of RGO were evaluated. Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered with RGO for 28 d by gavage. Daily RGO dose concentrations were 0 mg/kg body weight (bw), 500 mg/kg bw, 1,000 mg/kg bw, or 2,000 mg/kg bw per day. Bacterial reverse mutation tests included five bacterial strains (Escherichia coli WP2 and Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537), which were used in the presence or absence of metabolic activation. The plated incorporation method for mutation test was used with RGO concentrations ranging from $312.5{\mu}g$ to $5,000{\mu}g$ per plate. Results: The subacute oral toxicity test results did not reveal any marked changes in clinical characteristics. There were no toxicological changes related to RGO administration in hematological and serum biochemical characteristics in either control or treatment animals. Furthermore, no gross or histopathological changes related to RGO treatment were observed. The bacterial reverse mutation test results did not reveal, at any RGO concentration level and in all bacterial strains, any increase in the number of revertant colonies in the RGO treatment group compared to that in the negative control group. Conclusion: The no-observed-adverse-effect level of RGO is greater than 2,000 mg/kg bw and RGO did not induce genotoxicity related to bacterial reverse mutations.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.219-222
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• 2009

Various somatic symptoms are known to be related to stress in a general population. Korean red ginseng has been used as a therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of many diseases in Oriental medicine. There exist no data, however, on the effect of Korean red ginseng on somatic symptoms in a general population. In this study, 21 normal subjects were randomly assigned to the Korean-red-ginseng group, and 18 subjects to the placebo group. The subjects took 3 g Korean red ginseng or placebo every day for three weeks. After the three-week treatment, there was a interaction effect of a greater reduction in the Symptom checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) somatization score (p=0.04) in the Korean-red-ginseng group. This study suggests that Korean red ginseng is effective for the management of somatic symptoms in a general population.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 1996

This study was performed to investigate the inhibition mechanism of cancer cell proof iferation caused by the petroleum-ether extract of ginseng against human rectum (HRT-18), colon (HT-29), llepatoma (Hep G2) and prostate (LNCaP) cancer cells and monkey kidney cells (Vero 76). Cells were treated with the petroleum-ether extract of ginseng (50 to 200 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) in G1 or S phase of the cell cycle, and proliferation and protein kinase C activity were measured. The petroleum-eth or extract of ginseng inhibited proliferation of HRT-18, HT-29, Hep G2 and LNCaP when treated in Gl phase, but not in S phase. This result shows that the ginseng extract arrests the cell cycle in G1 phase, resulting in the inhibition of cell proliferation. At the same concentrations, treatment of the ginseng extract in G1 phase decreased protein kinase C activity, while the treatment in S phase had no effect. This reault suggests that protein kinase C might be involved in the inhibition of the cell cycle and proliferation of cancer cells caused by the petroleum-ether extract of ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.266-272
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• 2009

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD, EC 1.1.1.95), catalyzes the reduction of hydroxycinnamaldehydes to give hydroxycinnamyl alcohols, or "monolignols," the monomeric precursors of lignin. Lignins are important components of cell walls and lignified secondary cell walls play crucial roles in long distance transport of water and nutrients during plant growth and development and in plant defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. Here a cDNA clone containing a CAD gene, named as PgCAD, was isolated from a commercial medicinal plant Panax ginseng. PgCAD is predicted to encode a precursor protein of 177 amino acid residues, and its sequence shares high homology with a number of other plant CADS. The expression of PgCAD in adventitious roots and hairy roots of P. ginseng was analyzed using reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR under various abiotic stresses such as salt, salicylic acid, wounding and chilling treatment that triggered a significant induction of PgCAD at different time points within 2-48 h post-treatment. This study revealed that PgCAD may help the plants to survive against various abiotic stresses.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.333-339
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• 2008

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) has been used as an important medicinal plant in the Orient for a long time. It has been claimed that ginseng has many beneficial bioactive effects on human health, such as antitumor, antistress, antiaging and enhancing immune functions. Red ginseng possibly have new ingredients converted during steaming and dry process from fresh ginseng. Kujeungkupo method which means 9 repetitive steaming and drying process was used for the processes of green tea, Polygonatum odoratum, and Rehmanniae radix preparata. In this study, ingredient conversion of ginseng by 9 repetitive steaming and drying process were investigated measuring conversion efficiency of brown materials, crude lipids, crude proteins and aromatic compounds. Brown materials, as an antioxidant, in red ginseng were produced through non-enzymatic reaction by heat. Repetitive steaming and drying treatments on ginseng root contiunously increased the content of brown materials and the chromaticity. Crude lipids were degraded by heat and converted into volatile aromatic ingredients. Crude lipids were degraded and decreased by 0.52% after the 5th and 7th. Crude proteins were also decomposed and converted to amino acid. Crude proteins after the 9th treatment were decreased by more than 85% as increased times of treatments. A bicyclogermacrene as aromatic material was decreased as increased treatment times, while but a aromatic caramel was increased.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.217-221
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• 2007

In order to determine the effects of ginseng powder on the antioxidant enzyme activities of hepatotoxicity in $benzo({\alpha})pyrene[B({\alpha})P]-treated$ mice, the mice were divided into 5 groups. Ginseng powder was injected intraperitoneally once a day for 5 successive days, followed by the administration of $B({\alpha})P$ treatment on the fifth day. We also evaluated the relationship existing between lipid peroxidation and ginseng powder on oxidative stress. The increased activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase observed following $B({\alpha})P-treatment$ were reduced as the result of ginseng powder treatment. Whereas, the glutathione content and glutathione S-transferase activity depleted by $B({\alpha})P$ were increased significantly, but the $B({\alpha})P-associated$ elevation of cytochrome P-450 activities and lipid peroxide content were reduced as the result of ginseng powder treatment. These results indicate that ginseng powder may exert a protective effect against $B({\alpha})P-induced$ hepatotoxicity in mice.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Korean red ginseng, the processed root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been frequently used for various therapeutic purposes in oriental medicine. The present study investigated the possible effect of Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) for the treatment of liver fibrosis in mice injected with carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) for 4 wk. Liver injuries were assessed by blood biochemistry and histopathology in mice treated with $CCl_4$ alone or $CCl_4$+ RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg). Concomitant treatment with RGE and $CCl_4$ (three times/wk for 4 wk) effectively inhibited liver fibrosis as evidenced by decreases in plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, as well as by the percentages of degenerative regions, numbers of degenerative hepatocytes, and collagen accumulation in hepatic parenchyma. Treatment with $CCl_4$ for 4 wk increased mRNA levels of transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in fibrogenic liver, whereas RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) significantly blocked the induction of fibrogenic genes by $CCl_4$. Similarly, RGE also prevented transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$-mediated induction of fibrogenic genes in human hepatic stellate cell lines. More importantly, RGE markedly reduced the number of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in liver tissue. This study implies that RGE efficaciously protects against the liver fibrosis induced by chronic $CCl_4$ treatment, and may therefore have potential to treat liver disease.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.36-55
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ginseng seed oil in healthy subjects who have mild liver dysfunction. Methods: A randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 167 subjects visited Semyung University Hospital from July 1st, 2016 to June 10th 2017. Except for the 103 excluded subjects, 64 subjects were randomized into one of the two groups: an treatment group(n=33) and control group(n=31). Subjects were randomly given either ginseng oil seed capsules or indistinguishable placebo capsules(2 capsules per dose, twice per day). Laboratory tests(aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol) were performed to evaluate the effectiveness after 6, 12 weeks of treatment. Vital sign, laboratory test were performed to assess safety at every visit. Results: There were no significant differences in efficacy between treatment group and control group. There were some adverse events with no significant difference in symptoms and frequency between treatment group and control group. Conclusions: Although the efficacy of ginseng seed oil was not proved, ginseng seed oil did not worsen liver function and proved its safety. More study of ginseng seed oil and clinical trials are necessary to increase the usefulness of above-ground parts of ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.248-255
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• 2012

Potential antioxidant effect of processed ginseng (sun ginseng, SG) on oxidative stress generated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) was investigated in HepG2 cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage test demonstrated that SG dose-dependently prevents a loss of cell viability against t-BHP-induced oxidative stress. Also, SG treatment dose-dependently relieved the increment of activities of hepatic enzymes, such as aspartate aminotrasferase and alanine aminotransferase, and lipid peroxidation mediated by t-BHP treatment in HepG2 cells. SG increased the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. However, high dose of SG treatment caused decrease in mRNA level of glutathione peroxidase as compared to low dosage of SG-treated cells. The gene expression of glutathione reductase was found to be slightly increased by SG treatment. In addition, SG extract attributed its hepaprotective effect by inducing the mRNA level of bcl-2 and bcl-xL but reducing that of bax. But, the gene expression of bad showed no significant change in SG-treated HepG2 cells. These findings suggest that SG has hepatoprotective effect by showing reduction of LDH release, activities of hepatic enzymes and lipid peroxidation and regulating the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis-related molecules against oxdative stress caused by t-BHP in HepG2 cells.