• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2022

Objective : This study aims to investigate the active ingredients and potential mechanisms of the beneficial herb on human cancers such as the liver by employing network pharmacology. Methods : Ingredients and their target information was obtained from various databases such as TM-MC, TTD, and Drugbank. Related protein for liver cancer was retrieved from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database and literature. A hypergeometric test and gene set enrichment analysis were conducted to evaluate associations between protein targets of red ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) and liver cancer-related proteins and identify related signaling pathways, respectively. Network proximity was employed to identify active ingredients of red ginseng on liver cancer. Results : A compound-target network of red ginseng was constructed, which consisted of 363 edges between 53 ingredients and 121 protein targets. MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and cell cycle pathway was significantly associated with protein targets of red ginseng. Network proximity results indicated that Ginsenoside Rg1, Acetic Acid, Ginsenoside Rh2, 20(R)-Ginsenoside Rg3, Notoginsenoside R1, Ginsenoside Rk1, 2-Methylfuran, Hexanal, Ginsenoside Rd, Ginsenoside Rh1 could be active ingredients of red ginseng against liver cancer. Conclusion : This study suggests that network-based approaches could be useful to explore potential mechanisms and active ingredients of red ginseng for liver cancer.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2012

Objectives : This experimental study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects of combination with Korean red ginseng and Gastrodia rhizoma on vascular dysfunction in high-fat/cholesterol diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with 7.5% cocoa butter and 1.25% cholesterol for 10 weeks, with Panax ginseng (PG), and mixtures of Panax ginseng and Gastrodia rhizoma (PGM), respectively. Results : Chronic treatment with PG and PGM significantly decreased body weight. The aortic expression of cell adhesion molecules such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin were markedly increased in hyperlipidemia rats. Interestingly, PGM significantly decreased cell adhesion molecules expression. However, there was no significant decrease in PG group. In addition, PG and PGM group inhibited high-fat/cholesterol diet-induced cytokine such as monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) mRNA expression. Furthermore, PG and PGM group significantly decreased c-reactive protein protein (CRP) level. Especially, PGM significantly accentuated the decrease of MCP-1 mRNA expression and CRP level. Conclusions : the present study provides an evidence that combination with Panax ginseng and Gastrodia rhizoma enhances anti-vascular protective effects through suppression of vascular inflammation in hyperlipidemic rats.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.255-260
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• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of aboveground plants and red ginseng of polystem ginseng in 6 years of age having two or more stems in a plant. Total leaf weight and area of polystem ginseng were larger, while its stem diameter, and the leaf weight and area of the big­gest stem in each plant were decreased with increase the stem numbers in a plant. The ratio of shoot weight to root weight in the polystem ginseng with three or more stems was higher than that in the monos­tem ginseng and the polystem ginseng with two stems, In ginseng plants with no more than 2 stems, there were positive correlations between root weight and total leaf weight, and leaf area, but not between leaf weight and area of the biggest stem. Inner cavity and inner white, limiting factors for redginseng quality grade, occurred more in tri-stem ginseng than mono- and di-stem one. Percentages of Heaven (1st grade) and Earth (2nd grade) red ginseng in tri-stem ginseng were decreased compared with mono stem and di-stem ginseng.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.153-162
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• 2009

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Korean herb medicine, has been widely used in China and Japan for fatigue and enhancement of resistance to many diseases. In this study, we investigated the synergistic effect of Korean red ginseng and Fagopyrum esculentum extracts (RGFE) on dermal bioactive properties. RGFE treatment significantly increased electron donating ability, nitrite scavenging activity and collagenase inhibitory activity compared to red ginseng-treated group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in RGFE-treated group was similar to that of red ginseng. However, tyrosinase activity as indicator of melanin synthesis was not affected by RGFE or red ginseng. The results indicate that RGFE has anti-oxidative property and inhibitory effect of collagenase, and it may serve as a effective ingredient for beauty food.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 1997

The changes in aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH, E.C. 1.2.1.3.) activity in neurons and astrocytes isolated from rat brains were investigated after administration of ethanol and Korean red ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) saponln. The cerebral ALDH activity with acetaldehyde and Propionaldehyde was higher in the white matter than in the gray matter. However, using indole-3-a-cetaldehyde and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde as substrates, there was no significant difference in activity between two regions in cerebrum. In ethanol treated group, ALDH activity with all the substrates in the gray and white matter was lower than in normal group. In ethanol-saponin treated group, the enzyme activity in the white matter remarkably Increased. The ALDH activity in neurons isolated from cerebral cortex in ethanol-treated group was lower than in normal group. In ethanol-saponin treated group, neuronal ALDH activity with propionaldehyde was significantly recovered but not with Indole-3-acetaldehyde. In astrocytes, although the ALDH activity with propionaldehyde in the ethanol-treated group was not changed as compared with normal group, considerable increase in activity was found in ethanol-saponin treated group. These results suggest that Korean red ginseng saponin may protect the neuronal functions from the toxic effects of acetaldehyde derived from ethanol by stimulation of ALDH activity in astrocytes surrounding nerve cells.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2021

We aimed to compare the content of ginsenosides and the pharmacokinetics after the oral administration of four different ginseng products at a dose of 1 g/kg in rats. The four different ginseng products were fresh ginseng extract, red ginseng extract, white ginseng extract, and saponin enriched white ginseng extract prepared from the radix of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. The ginsenoside concentrations in the ginseng product and the rat plasma samples were determined using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Eight or nine ginsenosides of the 15 tested ginsenosides were detected; however, the content and total ginsenosides varied depending on the preparation method. Moreover, the content of triglycosylated ginsenosides was higher than that of diglycosylated ginsenosides, and deglycosylated ginsenosides were not present in any preparation. After the single oral administrations of four different ginseng products in rats, only four ginsenosides, such as 20(S)-ginsenosides Rb1 (GRb1), GRb2, GRc, and GRd, were detected in the rat plasma samples among the 15 ginsenosides tested. The plasma concentrations of GRb1, GRb2, GRc, and GRd were different depends on the preparation method but pharmacokinetic features of the four ginseng products were similar. In conclusion, a good correlation between the area under the concentration curve and the content of GRb1, GRb2, and GRc, but not GRd, in the ginseng products was identified and it might be the result of their higher content and intestinal biotransformation of the ginseng product.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1127-1133
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• 2007

Antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic effects of Red Ginseng (RG, steamed and dried root of Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer, family Araliaceae), major component of which is ginsenoside Rg3, and Bifidodoterium-fermented RG (FRG), major component of which is ginsenoside Rh2, were investigated. Orally administered RG and FRG potently reduced the serum triglyceride levels in com-oil-induced hypertriglycemidemic mice as well as total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidemic mice. Of the saponin and polysaccharide fractions of RG and FRG, the polysaccharide fraction inhibited postprandial blood glucose elevation of maltose- or starch-loaded mice and reduced the blood triglyceride levels in com-oil-induced hypertriglycemidemic mice. The saponin fraction and its ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2 reduced blood triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in Triton WR1339-induced hyperlipidemic mice. The inhibitory effect of FRG and its main constituents against hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia in mice were more potent than those of RG. These findings suggest that hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects of RG can be enforced by Bifidus fermentation and FRG may improve hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.551-553
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• 1996

A genuine dammarane glycoside, named ginsenoside $Rg_{5}$, has been isolated by repeated column chromatography and preparative HPLC from the MeOH extract of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer). The chemical structure of ginsenoside$ Rg_{5}$ was determined as $3-O-[{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl (1{\rightarrow}2)-{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyl]$ dammar-20(22), $24-diene-3{\beta},12{\beta}-diol$ by spectral and chemical methods. The stereostructure of a double bond at C-20(22) of ginsenoside $Rg_{5}$ was characterized as (E) from the chemical shift of C-21 in the $^{13}C-NMR $and a NOESY experiment in the $^{1}H-NMR$.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.7-7
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• 2012

인삼(Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer)은 두릅나무과(Araliaceae)에 속하는 식물로 동아시아에서 2,000여년 전부터 보기(補氣)제로 사용된 중요한 약재이다. 홍삼은 인삼의 뿌리를 찐 것으로, 고려시대 이전부터 쪄서 말리는 가공법이 있었던 것으로 알려져 있다. 건강기능식품에서 말하는 홍삼제품은 홍삼을 원재료로 하여 이를 분말화하거나 물이나 주정으로 추출하여 농축 또는 발효하여 식용에 적합하며, 진세노사이드Rg1과 Rb1의 합이 0.8~34 mg/g이 되어야 한다. 2011년 한국의 건강기능식품 시장은 약 3조 6,000억원에 이르며, 홍삼시장은 1조 2,000억원에 이른다. 2007년 6,420억원이었던 홍삼시장이 5년만에 두배가 된 것이다. 홍삼시장이 성장하면서 한국인삼공사(정관장)와 농협중앙회(NH한삼인), 동원F&B(천지인), 웅진식품(다채움수) 등의 회사가 기초연구와 다양한 제품개발을 통하여 경쟁하고 있다. 한국인삼공사의 경우, 최근 식품의약품안전청으로부터 홍삼의 '항산화' 기능에 대하여 건강기능식품기능성원료 인정을 받았고, '홍삼정타브렛'을 출시하였으며 '홍이장군' 브랜드를 리뉴얼하였다. 농협중앙회에서는 이미지 향상을 위한 '지성이면 한삼인' 시리즈와 짜 먹는 '뽀로로 홍삼 젤리'를 출시하였고, 동원F&B은 '홍송조화건조'를 제조공정에 도입하였고, 캡슐형태의 제품을 출시하였으며, 최근에는 꼬마버스 타요를 활용하여 '천지인 꼬마버스 타요' 시리즈를 개발하였다. 웅진식품, 대상웰라이프 등에서도 사포닌이 흡수되기 좋게 만든 '발효홍삼' 제품을 출시하고 있다. 향후 홍삼시장의 지속적인 성장을 위해 기초연구와 소비자의 니즈에 맞는 국내시장만이 아닌 해외시장까지 나아갈 수 있는 특화된 제품 개발이 절실히 요구되는 시점이다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.991-998
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• 2012

Ginseng is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines and health foods. Korean red ginseng (KRG; Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) extract is known to have potential therapeutic activities, such as anti-viral effects, the amelioration of food allergies, anti-oxidant effects, and obesity reduction. Nevertheless, no reports have been issued the modulatory effects of KRG extract on the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP). In the present study, we investigated the modulatory effect of KRG extract in vitro and in vivo by using pooled human liver microsomes and male ICR mice. When human liver microsomes were incubated with KRG extract at 0.01-10 mg/ml, CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A were not significantly inhibited by KRG extract, although CYP2B6 was slightly inhibited. Mice were orally administered KRG extract at 50, 250, or 500 mg/kg daily for 3, 7, or 14 days. However, the activities of CYPs in mouse livers were not significantly different from those of vehicle-treated controls. In conclusion, no significant ginseng-drug interaction was observed. KRG extract did not significantly modulate the activities of CYPs in vitro or in vivo.