Immunomodulatory Effect of Acidic Polysaccharide Fraction from Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng)

Effects of red ginseng acidic polysaccharides (RGAP) on immune system were studied. The proliferation of spleen cells was induced by RGAP treatment per se. Cotreatment of lipopolysaccharide $(100\;{\mu}g/ml)$ or concanavalin A $(1\;{\mu}g/ml)$ with RGAP further stimulated the spleen cell proliferation. BALB/c mice treated with RGAP showed a slight splenic hyperplasia and increased antibody forming cell response to sheep red blood cells. Flow cytometry analysis revealed an influx of macrophages in the mice treated with RGAP.