• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.506-518
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• 2020

Background: Red-skin root of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) significantly reduces the quality and limits the production of ginseng in China. The disease has long been thought to be a noninfectious physiological disease, except one report that proved it was an infectious disease. However, the causal agents have not been successfully determined. In the present study, we were to reveal the pathogens that cause red-skin disease. Methods: Ginseng roots with red-skin root symptoms were collected from commercial fields in Northeast China. Fungi were isolated from the lesion and identified based on morphological characters along with multilocus sequence analyses on internal transcription spacer, β-tubulin (tub2), histone H3 (his3), and translation elongation factor 1α (tef-1α). Pathogens were confirmed by inoculating the isolates in ginseng roots. Results: A total of 230 isolates were obtained from 209 disease samples. These isolates were classified into 12 species, including Dactylonectria sp., D. hordeicola, Fusarium acuminatum, F. avenaceum, F. solani, F. torulosum, Ilyonectria mors-panacis, I. robusta, Rhexocercosporidium panacis, and three novel species I. changbaiensis, I. communis, and I. qitaiheensis. Among them, I. communis, I. robusta, and F. solani had the highest isolation frequencies, being 36.1%, 20.9%, and 23.9%, respectively. All these species isolated were pathogenic to ginseng roots and caused red-skin root disease under appropriate condition. Conclusion: Fungal complex is the causal agent of red-skin root in P. ginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.408-419
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• 2023

Background: Ginsenoside compound K (CK), the main active metabolite in Panax ginseng, has shown good safety and bioavailability in clinical trials and exerts neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemic stroke. However, its potential role in the prevention of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of ginsenoside CK against cerebral I/R injury. Methods: We used a combination of in vitro and in vivo models, including oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion induced PC12 cell model and middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion induced rat model, to mimic I/R injury. Intracellular oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rate were analyzed by Seahorse multifunctional energy metabolism system; ATP production was detected by luciferase method. The number and size of mitochondria were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and MitoTracker probe combined with confocal laser microscopy. The potential mechanisms of ginsenoside CK on mitochondrial dynamics and bioenergy were evaluated by RNA interference, pharmacological antagonism combined with co-immunoprecipitation analysis and phenotypic analysis. Results: Ginsenoside CK pretreatment could attenuate mitochondrial translocation of DRP1, mitophagy, mitochondrial apoptosis, and neuronal bioenergy imbalance against cerebral I/R injury in both in vitro and in vivo models. Our data also confirmed that ginsenoside CK administration could reduce the binding affinity of Mul1 and Mfn2 to inhibit the ubiquitination and degradation of Mfn2, thereby elevating the protein level of Mfn2 in cerebral I/R injury. Conclusion: These data provide evidence that ginsenoside CK may be a promising therapeutic agent against cerebral I/R injury via Mul1/Mfn2 mediated mitochondrial dynamics and bioenergy.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.115-125
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• 2022

Background: Ginsenosides (GS) have potential value as cosmetic additives for prevention of skin photoaging. However, their protective mechanisms against skin barrier damage and their active monomeric constituents are unknown. Methods: GS monomer types and their relative proportions were identified. A UVB-irradiated BALB/c hairless mouse model was used to assess protective effects of GS components on skin epidermal thickness and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Skin barrier function, reflected by filaggrin (FLG), involucrin (IVL), claudin-1 (Cldn-1), and aquaporin 3 (AQP3) levels and MAPK phosphorylation patterns, were analyzed in UVB-irradiated hairless mice or HaCaT cells. Results: Total GS monomeric content detected by UPLC was 85.45% and was largely attributed to 17 main monomers that included Re (16.73%), Rd (13.36%), and Rg1 (13.38%). In hairless mice, GS ameliorated UVB-induced epidermal barrier dysfunction manifesting as increased epidermal thickness, increased TEWL, and decreased stratum corneum water content without weight change. Furthermore, GS treatment of UVB-irradiated mice restored protein expression levels and epidermal tissue distributions of FLG, IVL, Cldn-1, and AQP3, with consistent mRNA and protein expression results obtained in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells (except for unchanging Cldn-1 expression). Mechanistically, GS inhibited JNK, p38, and ERK phosphorylation in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells, with a mixture of Rg2, Rg3, Rk3, F2, Rd, and Rb3 providing the same protective MAPK pathway inhibition-associated upregulation of IVL and AQP3 expression as provided by intact GS treatment. Conclusion: GS protection against UVB-irradiated skin barrier damage depends on activities of six ginsenoside monomeric constituents that inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.103-111
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• 2024

Background: Ginseng (Panax ginseng Mayer) is an important natural medicine. However, a long culture period and challenging quality control requirements limit its further use. Although artificial cultivation can yield a sustainable medicinal supply, research on the association between the transplantation and chaining of metabolic networks, especially the regulation of ginsenoside biosynthetic pathways, is limited. Methods: Herein, we performed Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry based metabolomic measurements to evaluate ginsenoside accumulation and categorise differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs). Transcriptome measurements using an Illumina Platform were then conducted to probe the landscape of genetic alterations in ginseng at various ages in transplantation mode. Using pathway data and crosstalk DAMs obtained by MapMan, we constructed a metabolic profile of transplantation Ginseng. Results: Accumulation of active ingredients was not obvious during the first 4 years (in the field), but following transplantation, the ginsenoside content increased significantly from 6-8 years (in the wild). Glycerolipid metabolism and Glycerophospholipid metabolism were the most significant metabolic pathways, as Lipids and lipid-like molecule affected the yield of ginsenosides. Starch and sucrose were the most active metabolic pathways during transplantation Ginseng growth. Conclusion: This study expands our understanding of metabolic network features and the accumulation of specific compounds during different growth stages of this perennial herbaceous plant when growing in transplantation mode. The findings provide a basis for selecting the optimal transplanting time.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.229-236
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• 1990

• 고려인삼학회:학술대회논문집
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• 고려인삼학회 1980년도 학술대회지
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• pp.121-129
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• 1980

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.493-505
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• 2023

In recent years, an increasing number of reports have explored the wound healing mechanism of these two traditional Chinese herbal medicines- Panax ginseng and Panax notoginseng, but there is no systematic research on the related core functions and different mechanisms in the treatment of wound healing up to now. Based on network pharmacology and meta-analysis, the present work aimed to comprehensively review the commonality and diversity of P. ginseng and P. notoginseng in wound healing. In this study, a wound healing-related "ingredients-targets" network of two herbs was constructed. Thereafter, meta-analysis of the multiple target lists by Metascape showed that these two medicines significantly regulated blood vessel development, responses to cytokines and growth factors and oxygen levels, cell death, cell proliferation and differentiation, and cell adhesion. To better understand the discrepancy between these two herbs, it was found that common signaling pathways including Rap1, PI3K/AKT, MAPK, HIF-1 and Focal adhesion regulated the functions listed above. In parallel, the different pathways including renin-angiotensin system, RNA transport and circadian rhythm, autophagy, and the different metabolic pathways may also explained the discrepancies in the regulation of the above-mentioned functions, consistent with the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory about the effects of P. ginseng and P. notoginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.221-227
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• 1990

The aqueous extract of fresh ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) contains a macromolecular fraction that showed mitogenic and co-mitogenic activities in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Purification of the crude extract by size (ultrafiltration, Sephadex G-200) and charge (DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sepharose) yielded a semi.purified fraction (DS-3). This fraction contains at least three subgroups of anionic macromolecules with apparent molecular weight greater than 600 kilodaltons. It is a glycoprotein with a large amount of glucuronic acid. It acts as a mitogen in both T and B cells of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. It could also potentiate the mitogenic action of Concanavalin A in lymphocyte T cells. Such potentiation is not due to increased binding of Concanavalin A to the cell surface. Its mitogenic and co-mitogenic effects do depend on the presence of extracellular Ca2+.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2021

The treatments of nervous system diseases (NSDs) have long been difficult issues for researchers because of their complexity of pathogenesis. With the advent of aging society, searching for effective treatments of NSDs has become a hot topic. Ginseng polysaccharides (GP), as the main biologically active substance in ginseng, has various biological properties in immune-regulation, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation and etc. Considering the association between the effects of GP and the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, many related experiments have been conducted in recent years. In this paper, we reviewed previous studies about the effects and mechanisms of GP on diseases related to nervous system. We found GP play an ameliorative role on NSDs through the regulation of immune system, inflammatory response, oxidative damage and signaling pathway. Structure-activity relationship was also discussed and summarized. In addition, we provided new insights into GP as promising neuroprotective agent for its further development and utilization.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.27-34
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• 2018

Background: The use of different methods for the processing of ginseng can result in alterations in its medicinal properties and efficacy. White ginseng (WG), frozen ginseng (FG), and red ginseng (RG) are produced using different methods. WG, FG, and RG possess different pharmacological properties. Methods: WG, FG, and RG extracts and pure ginsenosides were administered to rats to study the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution characteristics of the following ginsenosides-DRg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd. The concentrations of the ginsenosides in the plasma and tissues were determined using UPLC-MS/MS. Results: The rate and extent of absorption of Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd appeared to be affected by the different methods used in processing the ginseng samples. The areas under the plasma drug concentration-time curves (AUCs) of Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd were significantly higher than those of the pure ginsenosides. In addition, the AUCs of Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rd were different for WG, FG, and RG. The amounts of Rg1, Re, Rd, and Rb1 were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the tissues than those of the pure ginsenosides. The amounts of Re, Rb1, and Rd from the RG extract were significantly higher than those from the WG and FG extracts in the heart, lungs, and kidneys of the rats. Conclusion: Our results show that the use of different methods to process ginseng might affect the pharmacokinetics and oral bioavailability of ginseng as well as the tissue concentrations of Rg1, Re, Rd, and Rb1.