Abstract
This study was performed to measure the antioxidant effects of red ginseng extracts which antioxidation had been promoted through enzyme hydrolysis. In order to observe their tumor-suppressing effects, an anti-cancer medicine and Saponin-SOD, which was a highly antioxidant beverage made from red ginseng saponin adding SOD-like rice (with embryo buds) extracts, were administered to nude mice with large intestine cancer induced. There was a significant increase in the content of phenolic compounds as the enzyme was added. The red ginseng extracts showed a high electron-donating ability with the passage of time. The electron-donating ability was particularly high in the enzyme-treated red ginseng extract, and also observed as high in Saponin-SOD. The lipid-peroxide generation was inhibited depending on the concentration of Saponin-SOD added; the addition of 0.625% Saponin-SOD served to decrease the inhibition level up to 65% compared with the case of no addition (100%). As a result, it could be assumed that Saponin-SOD would strongly inhibit the oxidation of ghost membrane. After the cancer was induced in nude mice through the injection of SNUC-4 cell, there was a significant inhibition in the growth of tumors in nude mice into which Saponin-SOD were injected; the growth of tumors was gradually decreasing with the passage of time after the cancer induction. In particular, when Saponin-SOD was administered together with an anti-cancer medicine, the synergic effect was observed. In conclusion, Saponin-SOD, when used with an anti-cancer medicine, is expected to reduce the amount of free radical and lipid peroxide, which are known to cause harmful effects occurring from the internal application of medicine.
