• 한국조경학회지
• /
• 제49권3호
• /
• pp.40-52
• /
• 2021

장백산은 시대마다 다양한 민족이 생활하였고, 시대별 민족들은 자신들만의 신앙문화로 장백산을 신성시 하였다. 기존의 장백산 문화에 대한 연구들은 특정 시대 사건에 관한 연구만 이루어지고 있는데, 정작 장백산의 신성성이 시대별로 어떻게 변천하고, 시대별 민족들의 신앙문화와 어떠한 관계가 있고, 어떻게 변하였는지에 대한 연구는 없었다. 본 연구는 장백산 신성성을 역사적 사료에 입각하여 시대적으로 변천해 온 의미를 고찰하고 분석하는 것이다. 장백산 신성성의 변천을 통시적으로 고찰하기 위하여 시대별 민족들의 신앙문화와 장백산 공간의 관계에서 발생하는 성현을 중심으로 고찰하였다. 구체적으로, 성현으로 드러난 신성한 공간을 보호하기 위한 활동을 고찰하였고, 도출된 결과를 가지고 장백산 신성성의 변천을 해석하였다. 본 연구의 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 장백산 신성한 활동은 시대별로 다음과 같이 변천하였다. 청나라 이전 시대 민간들은 생계와 생존을 위한 화신제사, 성신제사, 산신제사, 버드나무신제사를 하였고, 금나라 왕은 악진(嶽鎭)과 같은 제사의례로 장백산신에게 제사를 드렸다. 청나라 시대 황제는 망제전을 조성하고 직접가거나 관원을 파견하여 국가를 상징하는 최고의 제사의례로 장백산신에게 제사를 드렸다. 근대는 장백산 정상에 팔괘묘를 조성하고, 장백산신에게 제사를 드리거나 팔괘의 술수를 통하여 장백산 자연과 장백산에서 생활하는 인간들의 길흉을 판단하였다. 또한 이 시기 민간들은 생활과 생산을 위하여 인격화 된 신 산신노파두를 중심으로 제사활동을 하였다. 정리하면, 장백산의 신성한 활동은 청나라 이전 시기는 애니미즘의 사상을 기본으로 한 샤머니즘 제사활동, 청나라 시기는 황실의 성산으로서 신성성을 받들기 위한 최고의 황실 제사의례, 근대시기는 이주민들의 도교사상을 기본으로 한 제사활동으로 변천하였다. 그리고 신성한 활동으로 바라 본 장백산의 의미는 청나라 이전 시대 생계의 산에서 청나라 시대 국가의 산으로 위상이 승격하였다가 근대 생산의 산으로 변화하였다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제46권6호
• /
• pp.738-749
• /
• 2022

Background: Ginseng possesses antitumor effects, and ginsenosides are considered to be one of its main active chemical components. Ginsenosides can further be hydrolyzed to generate secondary saponins, and 20(R)-panaxotriol is an important sapogenin of ginsenosides. We aimed to synthesize a new ginsengenin derivative from 20(R)-panaxotriol and investigate its antitumor activity in vivo and in vitro. Methods: Here, 20(R)-panaxotriol was selected as a precursor and was modified into its derivatives. The new products were characterized by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR and HR-MS and evaluated by molecular docking, MTT, luciferase reporter assay, western blotting, immunofluorescent staining, colony formation assay, EdU labeling and immunofluorescence, apoptosis assay, cells migration assay, transwell assay and in vivo antitumor activity assay. Results: The derivative with the best antitumor activity was identified as 6,12-dihydroxy-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-17-(2,6,6-trimethyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)hexadecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl(tert-butoxycarbonyl)glycinate (A11). The focus of this research was on the antitumor activity of the derivatives. The efficacy of the derivative A11 (IC₅₀ < 0.3 µM) was more than 100 times higher than that of 20(R)- panaxotriol (IC₅₀ > 30 µM). In addition, A11 inhibited the protein expression and nuclear accumulation of the hypoxia-inducible factor HIF-1α in HeLa cells under hypoxic conditions in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, A11 dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HeLa cells, while promoting their apoptosis. Notably, the inhibition by A11 was more significant than that by 20(R)-panaxotriol (p < 0.01) in vivo. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the production of derivative A11 from 20(R)-panaxotriol and its superior antitumor activity compared to its precursor. Moreover, derivative A11 can be used to further study and develop novel antitumor drugs.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.280-283
• /
• 2009

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제46권1호
• /
• pp.62-70
• /
• 2022

Background: Maternal Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection during pregnancy has been associated with various mental illnesses in the offspring. Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is a major bioactive compound obtained from ginseng that has an anti-T. gondii effect and attenuates microglial activation through toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. GRh2 also alleviated tumor-associated or lipopolysaccharide-induced depression. However, the effects and potential mechanisms of GRh2 on depression-like behavior in mouse offspring caused by maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy have not been investigated. Methods: We examined GRh2 effects on the depression-like behavior in mouse offspring, caused by maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy, by measuring depression-like behaviors and assaying parameters at the neuronal and molecular level. Results: We showed that GRh2 significantly improved behavioral measures: sucrose consumption, forced swim time and tail suspended immobility time of their offspring. These corresponded with increased tissue concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine, and attenuated indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase or enhanced tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the prefrontal cortex. GRh2 ameliorated neuronal damage in the prefrontal cortex. Molecular docking results revealed that GRh2 binds strongly to both TLR4 and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that GRh2 ameliorated the depression-like behavior in mouse offspring of maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy by attenuating the excessive activation of microglia and neuroinflammation through the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. It suggests that GRh2 could be considered a potential therapy in preventing and treating psychiatric disorders in the offspring mice of mothers with prenatal exposure to T. gondii infection.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제48권2호
• /
• pp.202-210
• /
• 2024

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer polysaccharides exhibit various biological functions, like antagonizing galectin-3-mediated cell adhesion and migration. Galectin-8 (Gal-8), with its linker-joined N- and C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), is also crucial to these biological processes, and thus plays a role in various pathological disorders. Yet the effect of ginseng-derived polysaccharides in modulating Gal-8 function has remained unclear. Methods: P. ginseng-derived pectin was chromatographically isolated and enzymatically digested to obtain a series of polysaccharides. Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) quantified their binding affinity to Gal-8, and their inhibitory effects on Gal-8 was assessed by hemagglutination, cell migration and T-cell apoptosis. Results: Our ginseng-derived pectin polysaccharides consist mostly of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and homogalacturonan (HG). BLI shows that Gal-8 binding rests primarily in RG-I and its β-1,4-galactan side chains, with sub-micromolar K_D values. Both N- and C-terminal Gal-8 CRDs bind RG-I, with binding correlated with Gal-8-mediated function. Conclusion: P. ginseng RG-I pectin β-1,4-galactan side chains are crucial to binding Gal-8 and antagonizing its function. This study enhances our understanding of galectin-sugar interactions, information that may be used in the development of pharmaceutical agents targeting Gal-8.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제44권5호
• /
• pp.704-716
• /
• 2020

Background: Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is a characterized component in red ginseng widely used in Korea and China. GRh2 exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, its effects on Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection have not been clarified yet. Methods: The effect of GRh2 against T. gondii was assessed under in vitro and in vivo experiments. The BV2 cells were infected with tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain, and the effects of GRh2 were evaluated by MTT assay, morphological observations, immunofluorescence staining, a trypan blue exclusion assay, reverse transcription PCR, and Western blot analyses. The in vivo experiment was conducted with BALB/c mice inoculated with lethal amounts of tachyzoites with or without GRh2 treatment. Results and conclusion: The GRh2 treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of T. gondii under in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, GRh2 blocked the activation of microglia and specifically decreased the release of inflammatory mediators in response to T. gondii infection through TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. In mice, GRh2 conferred modest protection from a lethal dose of T. gondii. After the treatment, the proliferation of tachyzoites in the peritoneal cavity of infected mice markedly decreased. Moreover, GRh2 also significantly decreased the T. gondii burden in mouse brain tissues. These findings indicate that GRh2 exhibits an antieT. gondii effect and inhibits the microglial activation through TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, providing the basic pharmacological basis for the development of new drugs to treat toxoplasmic encephalitis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제59권3호
• /
• pp.297-301
• /
• 2021

Toxoplasma gondii infection is widespread worldwide, not only posing a serious threat to human food safety and animal husbandry, but also endangering human health. The selectivity index was employed to measure anti-T. gondii activity. Hederagenin (HE) exhibited potent anti-T. gondii activity and low cytotoxicity. For this reason, HE was selected for in vivo experiments. HE showed 64.8%±13.1% inhibition for peritoneal tachyzoites in mice, higher than spiramycin 56.8%±6.0%. Biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutathione, and malondialdehyde, illustrated that HE was a good inhibitor of T. gondii in vivo. This compound was also effective in relieving T. gondii-induced liver damage. Collectively, it was demonstrated that HE had potential as an anti-T. gondii agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제26권10호
• /
• pp.1661-1667
• /
• 2016

The ginsenoside-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase gene (bgy2) was cloned from Lactobacillus brevis. We expressed this gene in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), isolated the resulting protein, and then utilized the enzyme for the biotransformation of ginsenosides. The bgy2 gene contains 2,223 bp, and encodes a protein of 741 amino acids that is a member of glycosyl hydrolase family 3. β-Glucosidase (Bgy2) cleaved the outer glucose moieties of ginsenosides at the C-20 position, and the inner glucose at the C-3 position. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.0, 30℃), we used 0.1 mg/ml Bgy2 in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (PBS) for enzymatic studies. In these conditions, 1.0 mg/ml ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside F2 were converted into 0.59 mg/ml ginsenoside Rd and 0.72mg/ml compound K, with molar conversion productivities of 69% and 91%, respectively. In pharmaceutical and commercial industries, this recombinant Bgy2 would be suitable for producting ginsenoside Rd and compound K.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제41권4호
• /
• pp.540-547
• /
• 2017

Background: In general, after Panax ginseng is administered orally, intestinal microbes play a crucial role in its degradation and metabolization process. Studies on the metabolism of P. ginseng by microflora are important for obtaining a better understanding of their biological effects. Methods: In vitro biotransformation of P. ginseng extract by rat intestinal microflora was investigated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 24 h, and the simultaneous determination of the metabolites and metabolic profile of P. ginseng saponins by rat intestinal microflora was achieved using LC-MS/MS. Results: A total of seven ginsenosides were detected in the P. ginseng extract, including ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rf, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rd. In the transformed P. ginseng samples, considerable amounts of deglycosylated metabolite compound K and Rh1 were detected. In addition, minimal amounts of deglycosylated metabolites (ginsenosides Rg2, F1, F2, Rg3, and protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides) and untransformed ginsenosides Re, Rg1, and Rd were detected at 24 h. The results indicated that the primary metabolites are compound K and Rh1, and the protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides were more easily metabolized than protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides. Conclusion: This is the first report of the identification and quantification of the metabolism and metabolic profile of P. ginseng extract in rat intestinal microflora using LC-MS/MS. The current study provided new insights for studying the metabolism and active metabolites of P. ginseng.

• 한국전통조경학회지
• /
• 제34권4호
• /
• pp.89-97
• /
• 2016

본 연구는 특정한 시대에 장백산 지역에 조성된 제사공간을 문화경관의 관점으로 바라보면서 장백산의 신성성이 역사 속에서의 변화과정과 정권의 교체와 민족의 변화 속에서도 신성성이 유지된 이유에 대하여 해석했다. 본 연구의 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 청나라에서 중화민국시기로 과도하면서 겪은 정권의 교체와 민족의 다양성, 그리고 문화의 수용성으로 인하여 장백산의 제사성격과 신적대상이 변화했다. 둘째, 청나라의 황가 제사공간인 망제전(望祭殿)은 권위적인 공간으로 만족만의 유일한 제사공간과 문화를 형성했고 중화민국 시기에는 한족의 이주와 정착과정을 겪으면서 방산인 사이에서 새로운 민간신앙이 탄생했으며 따라서 제사공간인 여래사(如來寺), 산신노파두묘(山神老把頭廟)가 조성되었다. 셋째, 제사공간과 장백산을 공간적으로 보면 망제전은 수직적인 공간으로 권력적인 공간이고 여래사와 팔괘묘는 장백산과 수평적인 공간에 입지되어 순종적인 공간으로 나타났다. 넷째, 제사의례를 보면 청나라의 망제전은 만족만의 유일한 제사의례 이지만 황권의 폐지에 따라 단절되었다. 현재는 민간제사의례가 일상화 되어있고 청나라의 제사의례는 형식적으로만 진행된다. 결론적으로 보면 역사적으로 장백산에 대한 신성성은 변하지 않았다. 하지만 장백산 제사공간은 청나라의 단일한 제사문화에서 정권의 교체와 다민족의 문화에 대한 수용을 거쳐 변화하였다. 현재는 상호수용을 통하여 중첩된 제사공간과 문화를 형성하였다.