• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.548-555
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• 2017

Background: Korean Red Ginseng has been used for several decades to treat many diseases, enhancing both immunity and physical strength. Previous studies have documented the therapeutic effects of ginseng, including its anticancer, antiaging, and anti-inflammatory activities. These activities are mediated by ginsenosides present in the ginseng plant. Ginsenoside Rg3, an effective compound from red ginseng, has been shown to have antiplatelet activity in addition to its anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Platelets are important for both primary hemostasis and the repair of the vessels after injury; however, they also play a crucial role in the development of acute coronary diseases. We prepared ginsenoside Rg3-enriched red ginseng extract (Rg3-RGE) to examine its role in platelet physiology. Methods: To examine the effect of Rg3-RGE on platelet activation in vitro, platelet aggregation, granule secretion, intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) mobilization, flow cytometry, and immunoblot analysis were carried out using rat platelets. To examine the effect of Rg3-RGE on platelet activation in vivo, a collagen plus epinephrine-induced acute pulmonary thromboembolism mouse model was used. Results: We found that Rg3-RGE significantly inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization in a dose-dependent manner in addition to reducing ATP release from collagen-stimulated platelets. Furthermore, using immunoblot analysis, we found that Rg3-RGE markedly suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation (i.e., extracellular stimuli-responsive kinase, Jun N-terminal kinase, p38) as well as the PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase)/Akt pathway. Moreover, Rg3-RGE effectively reduced collagen plus epinephrine-induced mortality in mice. Conclusion: These data suggest that ginsenoside Rg3-RGE could be potentially be used as an antiplatelet therapeutic agent against platelet-mediated cardiovascular disorders.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.149-162
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• 2024

Ginseng, the roots of Panax species, is an important medicinal herb used as a tonic. As ginsenosides are key bioactive components of ginseng, holistic chemical profiling of them has provided many insights into understanding ginseng. Mass spectrometry has been a major methodology for profiling, which has been applied to realize numerous goals in ginseng research, such as the discrimination of different species, geographical origins, and ages, and the monitoring of processing and biotransformation. This review summarizes the various applications of ginsenoside profiling in ginseng research over the last three decades that have contributed to expanding our understanding of ginseng. However, we also note that most of the studies overlooked a crucial factor that influences the levels of ginsenosides: genetic variation. To highlight the effects of genetic variation on the chemical contents, we present our results of untargeted and targeted ginsenoside profiling of different genotypes cultivated under identical conditions, in addition to data regarding genome-level genetic diversity. Additionally, we analyze the other limitations of previous studies, such as imperfect variable control, deficient metadata, and lack of additional effort to validate causation. We conclude that the values of ginsenoside profiling studies can be enhanced by overcoming such limitations, as well as by integrating with other -omics techniques.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.192-196
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• 1991

As a part of studios on the Quality control of index components in crude drug preparations, extraction yields of ginseng saponins from crude drug extracts were identified by TLC and quantified by HPLC. So-Shi-Ho-Tang(小柴胡湯), Sa-Kun-Ja-Tang(四君子湯), Yook-Kun-Ja-Tang(六君子湯) and In-sam-Tang(人蔘湯) were extracted with water, 30%-ethanol, 50%-ethanol, 80%-ethanol and absolute ethanol to analyze ginseng saponins in the crude drug extracts prepared with various concentrations of ethanol. Ginseng saponins were extracted considerably more from the extracts with higher concentrations of ethanol than those with water or lower concentrations of ethanol. Extraction yields of ginseng-side-Rb$_1$, -Rb$_2$ and -R$_c$ from four crude drug preparations were the lowest as 4.9~45.9%, 5.0~40.1, and 6.3~43.7% in water extract and the highest as 29.5~62.6%, 26.7~61.4% and 31.4~62.0% in absolute ethanol extract, compared with those of 80%-methanol extracts.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.7-7
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• 2005

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 1989

The effects of Ginseng saponins on the in vitro biosynthesis of prostaglandins were examined in order to identify the role of some Ginseng components on the regulation of arachidonic arid metabolism. The productions of prostaglandin $E_2$ (PG$E_2$), $F_2$ (PGF2), thromboxane $B_2$(TX$B_2$) and 6-ketoprostaglandin Fl (6-Keto-PGF1) from [3Hl-arachidonic acid were evaluatpf by radiochromatographic analysis with rabbit kidney microtome, human platelet homogenate and bovine aortic microsome. The amounts of the total prostaglandins produced by cyclooxygenase activity and malondialdehyde from arachidonic acid didn't show significant changes in the presence of Ginseng saponins. Both of panaxadiol and panaxatriol didn't affect the production of PG$E_2$ while the formations of PG$F_2$( and TX$B_2$( were nearkedly reduced and the production of prostacyclin was increased. The formation of TXBE was reduced by ginsenoside $Rb_2$, Rc, and Re, however the production of 6-Keto-PGF1 was increased dose dependently up to 1 mg/ml. Moreover, platelet aggregations induced by arachidonic acid and U46619 (9.11-methanepoxy PG$H_2$), TX$A_2$ mimetics, were also inhibited by three ginsenosides. The effect of G-Re on prostacyclin synthetase was inhibited by tranylcypromine, prostacyclin synthetase inhibitor. These results suggest that Ginseng saponins may not directly act on cyclooxygenase but affect on the divergent pathway from endoperoxide.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2000

Proton extrusion by hairy roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer was enhanced by iron-deficiency or single salt solutions of nitrate or ammonium salts. The enhancement effect of iron-deficiency was confined to the apical zones, whereas that of nitrate and ammonium was confined to the basal root zones. tinder iron-deficiency medium, the proton extrusion of ginseng hairy roots was higher at two times than that grown in the medium of iron-sufficiency. According to pH in the medium, uptake of inorganic elements showed various patterns for the kind of inorganic elements. $Ca^{2＋}$, $Mg^{2＋}$ and Fe$^{2＋}$ were highest uptake at the pH 4.8 and Mn$^{2＋}$, Zn$^{2＋}$ and Cu$^{2＋}$ were highest uptake at the pH 3.8. Free sugars and ginsenosides were analyzed by HPLC. Five kinds of free sugars were indentified in ginseng hairy roots. Glucose, fructose and sucrose were a major sugar in ginseng hairy roots and contents of free sugars were highest at pH 6.8 and pH 4.8, respectively. The contents of ginsenosides and phenolic compounds were highest at pH 5.8. This physiological responses in ginseng hairy root indicated that it may well be a good model system for the study of mechanism of mobilization and uptake of inorganic elements related with the red-colored phenomenon in ginseng roots.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2013

20S-dihydroprotopanaxadiol (2H-PPD) is a derivative of protopanaxadiol, a glycone of ginsenosides prepared from Panax ginseng. Although ginsenosides and acidic polysaccharides are known to be major active ingredients in ginseng, the immunopharmacological activities of their metabolites and derivatives have not been fully explored. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the regulatory action of 2H-PPD on the function of monocytes and macrophages in innate immune responses. 2H-PPD was able to boost the phagocytic uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran in macrophages and enhance the generation of radicals (reactive oxygen species) in sodium nitroprusside-treated RAW264.7 cells. The surface levels of the costimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD86 were also increased during 2H-PPD treatment. In addition, this compound boosted U937 cell-cell aggregation induced by CD29 and CD43 antibodies, but not by cell-extracellular matrix (fibronectin) adhesion. Similarly, the surface levels of CD29 and CD43 were increased by 2H-PPD exposure. Therefore, our results strongly suggest that 2H-PPD has the pharmacological capability to upregulate the functional role of macrophages/monocytes in innate immunity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.706-709
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• 2003

Ginsenosides and polysaccharides were isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Family Araliaceae) by treating at low ($60^{\circ}C$, LT), mild ($100^{\circ}C$, MT), and high ($120^{\circ}C$, HT) temperatures, and their inhibitory effects on growth, infection, and VacA vacuolation of Helicobacter pylori (HP) were investigated. The molecular weights of polysaccharides decreased as the processing temperature increased. Ginseng polysaccharides inhibited the HP infection into KATO III cells, but did not inhibit growth of HP and VacA vacuolation of HeLa cells. HT polysaccharides showed the most potent inhibition with $IC_50$ value of 6.8 mg/ml. Ginseng saponins did not inhibit the infection of HP into KATO cells. However, 20(s)-protopanaxadiol showed the most potent inhibition of HP growth and vacuolation of HeLa by VacA toxin with $IC_50$ values of 0.05 and 0.067 mg/ml, respectively.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.265-268
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• 2004

Cell growth and ginseng saponin production by large-scale suspension (bioreactor) cultures of Panax ginseng were investigated under various inoculum sizes. Cell growth was low at an inoculum size of 40 g FW/L, and the maximum cell growth was obtained with increasing inoculum size up to 100 g FW/L. The cell density of 333 g FW/L and 12.7 g DW/L was obtained at inoculum size of 100 g FW/L after 30 days of cultivation. Maximum saponin production of $4.40\;\cal{mg/g}$ DW was achieved at 60 g FW/L of inoculum size. Thus, inoculum size 60 g FW/L was suitable for optimum biomass accumulation as well as saponin production during bioreactor cultivation of ginseng suspension cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.318-324
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• 1996

The effects of light on the growth and ginsenosides production were examined in the hairy roots of Panax ginsen C.A. Meyer induced by Agrobacterium rhizogines A4. The 9rowth of ginseng hairy roots in 1/2MS liquid medium was significantly decreased with an increment of light intensity (1,000~7,000 lux). The growth of hairy roots under 7,000 lux condition was decreased at 17% compared to the dark condition. The production of 7 ginsenosides in hairy root was very high in 3,500 lux condition. The production of ginsenoside-Rg, and Rf increased 3.3 and, 2.4 times respectively as compared to dark condition. The growth of hairy roots was inhibited by blue light, while ginsenosides production was increased. The sucrose demands of hairy roots was examined in light condition(3,500 lux). The growth of hairy roots in 1/2MS liquid medium with various sucrose concentrations(1~4%) was high in IVp sucrose, while ginsenosides production was high in 3% sucrose condition. The growth and ginsenosides production were high when hairy roots were cultured in dark condition for 1 week and then transferred to light condition(3,500 lux) for 4 weeks. It is suggested that ginsenosides production could be accelerated by light intensity of specific wavelength in cultures of ginseng hairy roots.