• Plant Resources
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2003

Ginseng(Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is important medicinal plant but requires 4-year cultivation for root harvest because of slow growth. In contrast, ginseng hairy roots induced by introducing Ri-plasmid of Agrobacterium rhizogenes into genomic DNA of plant cells show vigorous growth, and the hairy roots produce the same or more saponins than natural ginseng roots. Therefore, hairy roots can be used for commercial purposes. The present study was carried out to induce hairy roots with both active growth and high saponin contents. Numerous hairy roots of Panax ginseng were obtained after root disks of three-year old roots were infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1000 A4T in dark condition after one month of culture. About 3 hundred lines of hairy roots were selected according as morphological characters on medium with carbenicillin. After pre-selection of fifteen lines of hairy roots with active growth, KGHR-l and KGHR-8 lines were finally selected which had characters of high content of ginsenoside-Rd and ginsenoside-Re, respectively. The optimum growth of hairy roots was achieved in the culture of 1/2 MS liquid medium in dark (22 $^{\circ}C$) under 60 rpm gyratory shaking. Hairy roots grew well in 5L Erlenmeyer flasks, lL roller drums, 10L jar-fermenters, and especially in 20L air-lift culture vessels.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2004

The effect of ginsenoside-Rb2, one of a major pharmacological component of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, on low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression was investigated and compared with hypocholesterolemic drug lovastatin. In HepG2 cell, exogenous cholesterol decreased LDL receptor mRNA expression, but ginsenoside-Rb2 recovered this reduction of LDL receptor mRNA up to normal expression level. Lovastatin also increased LDL receptor mRNA expression as similar as ginsenoside-Rb2 did. The reduction of sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) transcription by exogenous cholesterol was also similarly recovered by ginsenoside-Rb2 and lovastatin addition. Compound K, a metabolite of ginsenoside-Rb2 and -Rb1 by human intestinal bacteria also increased the SREBP mRNA expression in cholesterol-enriched condition. Ginsenoside-Rb2 seems to up-regulate LDL receptor mRNA expression through the induction of de novo SREBP transcription. Therefore, increased expression of SREBP mRNA by ginsenoside-Rb2 elevated the LDL receptor mRNA expression in HepG2 cells, and these inductions possibly drop the plasma cholesterol level in hypercholesterolemia patients, in vivo, as likely in case of lovastatin.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.305-318
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• 2022

To minimize the effects of aging-related comorbidities and to maintain a good quality of life and physical independence for a longer period, the improvement of lifestyle and dietary habits is essential, and healthy foods can be helpful. Among them, medicinal plant such as ginseng (Panax ginseng) and bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorum) contain natural functional substances and have been used for disease treatment and prevention since ancient times. This review summarizes the scientific of these treatments basis by investigating the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic effects of major functional substances on the aging-related health effects of Panax ginseng and Platycodon grandiflorum. The main functional substances of Panax ginseng and Platycodon grandiflorum are saponins, which have a similar molecular structure and confirmed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, anticancer, and anti-metabolic syndrome effects (improvement of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity). Both types of saponins in Panax ginseng (Ginseonside) and Platycodon grandiflorum (Platycoside) have very low absorption profiles in their purified state, but methods to increase absorption in the body through extraction or fermentation have been studied.