• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.763-771
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• 2020

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) generally has a good safety profile and contains many bioactive substances, such as ginsenosides or panaxosides. Korean red ginseng might help to stabilize the sympathetic nervous system and improve cognition in individuals. Soft red ginseng is produced by new processing technology. This study focused on investigating whether soft red ginseng produced under the new processing technology reduces or improves the existing antioxidant effects. No significant difference in 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity was found between soft red ginseng and ready-made red ginseng (p<0.05). Soft red ginseng extract showed higher 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenging activity than other ginseng extracts. OH scavenging activity was significantly different across three groups (raw ginseng, soft red ginseng, and red ginseng sap) (p<0.05). Nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity was also significantly different among raw ginseng, soft red ginseng, and purchased red ginseng liquid products (p<0.05). Many calcium crystals appeared on the electron microscope in soft red ginseng. Magnesium and potassium showed no significant difference between soft red ginseng and hard red ginseng. The extract of soft red ginseng scavenged different free radicals efficiently due to the presence of DPPH and OH and may help treat free radical-induced diseases.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.906-911
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• 2004

In order to evaluate estrogenic compounds in natural products, an in vitro detection system was established. For this system, the human breast cancer cell line MCF7 was stably trans-fected using an estrogen responsive chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter plas-mid yielding MCF7/pDsCAT-ERE119-Ad2MLP cells. To test the estrogenic responsiveness of this in vitro assay system, MCF7/pDsCAT-ERE119-Ad2MLP cells were treated with various concentrations of 17f3-estradiol. Treatments of 10$^{-8}$ to 10$^{-12}$ M 17$\beta$-estradiol revealed significant concentration dependent estrogenic activities compared with ethanol. We used in vitro assay system to detect estrogenic effects in Puerariae radix and Ginseng radix Rubra extracts. Treat-ment of 500 and 50 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of Puerariae radix extracts increased the transcriptional activity approximately 4- and 1.5-fold, respectively, compared with the ethanol treatment. Treatment of 500, 50, and 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of Ginseng radix Rubra extracts increased the transcriptional activity approximately 3.2-,2.7, and 1.4-fold, respectively, compared with the ethanol treatment. These observations suggest that Puerariae radix and Ginseng radix Rubra extracts have effective estrogenic actions and that they could be developed as estrogenic supplements.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.218-224
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• 2018

Background: Compound K (CK) is a ginsenoside, a metabolite of Panax ginseng. There is interest both in increasing skin health and antiaging using natural skin care products. In this study, we explored the possibility of using CK as a cosmetic ingredient. Methods: To assess the antiaging effect of CK, RT-PCR was performed, and expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, and type I collagen were measured under UVB irradiation conditions. The skin hydrating effect of CK was tested by RT-PCR, and its regulation was explored through immunoblotting. Melanin content, melanin secretion, and tyrosinase activity assays were performed. Results: CK treatment reduced the production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in UVB irradiated NIH3T3 cells and recovered type I collagen expression level. Expression of skin hydrating factors-filaggrin, transglutaminase, and hyaluronic acid synthases-1 and -2-were augmented by CK and were modulated through the inhibitor of ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or extracellular signal-regulated kinases pathway. In the melanogenic response, CK did not regulate tyrosinase activity and melanin secretion, but increased melanin content in B16F10 cells was observed. Conclusion: Our data showed that CK has antiaging and hydrating effects. We suggest that CK could be used in cosmetic products to protect the skin from UVB rays and increase skin moisture level.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 2000.11b
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• pp.388-395
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• 2000

This study was performed to examine the effects of infrared (IR)/heated-air combination drying on some quality attributes of Korean white ginsengs. Ginseng roots were dried in a dryer where both the far infrared ray and heated-air are available as drying energy sources. Diametral shrinkage, external color, total saponin content, and ginsenosides and free sugar composition of the IR/heated-air combination dried ginsengs were measured and compared with those of commercial white ginseng products. The external color became lower in lightness and higher in saturation as the IR radiating plate temperature increased. IR/heated-air combination dried white ginsengs at IR plate temperature of 100$^{\circ}C$ was comparable to the commercial white ginseng products in color characteristics. Diametral shrinkage ratios ranged from 20 to 36% and appeared to be independent on the different drying methods. No definite evidence could be found whether the IR/heated-air combination drying and the conventional. hot-air drying practice resulted in white ginsengs having different ginsenoside contents and compositions. No conclusion could be made on whether the various drying treatments used in the study had effects on the free sugar contents and compositions of white ginsengs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 1979

Two pure saponin components, Panax saponin C (protopanaxatriol derivative, ginsenoside Re) and Panax saponin E (protopanaxadiol derivative, ginsenoside $Rb_l$) were isolated from Panax ginseng root and their acute toxicities in mice and antistress effects in rats were investigated. Average lethal doses $(LD_{50})$ of ginsenoside Re were 130mg/kg (i.v.), more than 1,000mg/kg (i.p.) and more than 1,500mg/kg (s.c.), respectively. Average lethal dose of ginsenoside $Rb_{1}$ was 243mg/kg intravenously. Adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol contents were significantly decreased when normal rats were exposed to heat $(40^{\circ}C)$ for 30 min. The reduction of the adrenal ascorbic acid and cholesterol contents in rats was partially prevented when the rats received the ginseng saponins prior to exposure to heat stress and most pronounced effects were observed in rats received ginsenoside Re. However, it was found that administration of ginseng alone, without stress, did not significantly change the ascorbic acid and cholesterol contents in adrenal glands. Eosinophil counts in the blood of the rats were elevated when the rats were exposed to the heat stress, and the elevation of the eosinophil counts were prevented with the ginseng saponins under the stress, but the changes were all insignificant statistically.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 1990

The pyrolytlc behavior of cocoa powder, a flavorant of tobacco smoking products, was examined by determining its pyrolyzate constituents. Cocoa powder was pyrolyzed of two cigarette smoking conditions'distillation-pyrolysis zone(35$0^{\circ}C$, 55$0^{\circ}C$) and high temperature zone($650^{\circ}C$, 85$0^{\circ}C$). Pyrolyzate was flushed from the tube by NB gas into CS2 trap in dry ice-acetone cooled bath and charcoal tube and its constituents were analyzed by GC/MS. As results, the major components of pyrolyzates were identified as hydrocarbon and phenolic compounds. In addition to these, aldehyde, ketone, pyrazin in very small amount. Component changes were observed with temperature increase; decane, styrene, tridecane, m-cresol,4-ethylphenol were increased while hexadecane, tetradecane were decreased. o-cresol and 2-ethylphenol were constant in amounts despite temperature change.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2008

Protoplasts of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer and Aralia continentalis K. (Araliaceae) were isolated from callus cells and mesophyll cells, respectively. The maximum yield of protoplasts isolated from callus cells of P. ginseng were obtained by incubation for 3 hrs in the enzyme mixture of 0.5% macerozyme, 1.5% cellulase, and 0.5 M mannitol as an osmoticum. In the case of mesophyll cells of A. continentalis, the highest yield of protoplasts were obtained by incubation for 5 hrs in the enzyme mixture of 1% macerozyme, 2% cellulase, and 0.6 M mannitol. A polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment induced an intergeneric fusion of the protoplasts. The fusion products, that is, heterokaryocytes were obtained by treatment of 50% PEG containing 0.05 M Ca salts.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.187-197
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• 1972

In spite of the fact that the system of oriental medicine still remains in the realm of 'unproven-method of treatment', no one can deny that the oriental medicine is a rich source of idea and motivation for the discovery of new drug from natural sources. However, non-scientific, mystic hypothetical system of oriental medicine refuses to be revealed scientifically. For the purpose of drawing useful parameters for inductive reasoning of the system, a new approach which comprises statistical analyses of prescription was attempted in this study. One hundred and thirty two ginseng-compounds prescription in 'Bang-Yak-Hap-Pyon', one of the most popular formularies of oriental medicine in Korea, were analysed by multivariate analysis technique. The results revealed ginseng from many points of view, e.g., therapeutic indications, dose, and compatibility, etc. Among these, the most striking coincidence with scientific achievements of modern pharmacology, is the fact that the oriental medicine has characterized ginseng already from remote ancient times as neither a specific curative nor an aphrodisiac, but a non-specific adaptogenic drug for general infirmity.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 1991

This study was divised to observe an inhibitory toward a lipolytic action of toxohormone-L from large root and small root Nepal pseudo ginseng(NPG ; Nepal products) components by water extract and ethanol precipitate in vitro. Toxohormone-L Is known to be a lipolytic factor that was partially purified from the ascites fluid of sarcoma 180-hearing mice and of patients with hepatoma. The inhibitory effect that inhibited the lipolytic action of toxohormone-L by ethanol precipitate component of large root NPG(mean 46.8%) was higher (mean 1.8 times) than that of water extract component in final reaction concentration ,5001g1m1, on the other side inhibitory effect of water extract component in small root NPG(mean 43.9%) was higher(mean 1. 2 times) than that of ethano1 precipitate component, respectively. In a way inhibitory effect of ethanol precipitate component in large root NPG(47.6%), when final reaction concentration of sample were 1,000 U g/ml, was about 4095 lower than that of Korean red ginseng, respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.534-539
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• 2017

Background: Ginsenosides are the main ingredients of ginseng, which, in traditional Eastern medicine, has been claimed to have therapeutic values for many diseases. In order to verify the effects of ginseng that have been empirically observed, we utilized the reverse docking method to screen for target proteins that are linked to specific diseases. Methods: We constructed a target protein database including 1,078 proteins associated with various kinds of diseases, based on the Potential Drug Target Database, with an added list of kinase proteins. We screened 26 kinds of ginsenosides of this target protein database using docking. Results: We found four potential target proteins for ginsenosides, based on docking scores. Implications of these "hit" targets are discussed. From this screening, we also found four targets linked to possible side effects and toxicities, based on docking scores. Conclusion: Our method and results can be helpful for finding new targets and developing new drugs from natural products.