Influence of fermented red ginseng extract in proliferation of rat glomerular mesangial cells and extracellular matrix degradation under high sugar stimulation / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To explore the influence of fermented red ginseng extract (FRGE) in the proliferation of rat glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) and the degradation of extracellular matrix(ECM)under high sugar stimulation, and to clarify the prevention and treatment effects of FRGE on diabetic nephropathy (DN) and the possible mechanism.Methods:The rat GMCs were cultured and divided into normal concentration of D-glucose (NG) group, high concentration of D-glucose (HG) group and high concentration of D-glucose plus different concentrations (3.75, 7.50, 15.00 mg·L-1) of FRGE groups. The proliferation rates of rat GMCs were detected with MTT,and the type Ⅳcollagen(Col Ⅳ) levels in supernatants of the GMCs were detected by ELISA. The protein expressions levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were detected with Western blotting m ethod.Results:Compared with NG group, the proliferation rate of GMCs in HG group was increased(P<0.01), the Col Ⅳ level was increased(P<0.01),the MMP-2 expression level was decreased, and the TIMP-2 expression level was up-regulated(P<0.01).Compared with HG group, the proliferation rates of GMCs in various FRGE groups were decreased(P<0.01), the Col Ⅳ levels were decreased(P<0.01),the expression levels of TIMP-2 were reduced(P<0.01),and the expression levels of MMP-2 were increased(P<0.01).Conclusion:FRGE can inhibit the proliferation of rat GMCs induced by high sugar and promote the ECM degradation to delay the occurrence and development of DN.

Adjuvant effects of fermented red ginseng extract on advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the adjuvant therapeutic effects of fermented red ginseng (FRG) extract on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with chemotherapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 60 patients with advanced NSCLC were divided into two groups using a random number table, i.e., the gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) chemotherapy alone group (26 patients) and the FRG + GP chemotherapy group (34 patients), for 60-day treatment. Patients were then assessed according to the Fatigue Symptom Inventory, Chinese medicine symptoms score, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Karnofsky Performance Status Scale, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung. In addition, chemotherapy toxicity and tumor biomarkers were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For NSCLC patients after chemotherapy, FRG extract significantly improved the FSI score, CM symptoms score, psychological status, physical conditions, and quality of life and reduced chemotherapy toxicity, but the expression levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, cytokeratin-19 fragments, and neuron-specific enolase were not significantly different between the chemotherapy alone and the FRG + chemotherapy groups or between pre- and post-treatments.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study demonstrated that FRG extract had an adjuvant effect on advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy. Further studies with a larger sample size will verify the current findings.</p>

Effects of Red or Black Ginseng Extract in a Rat Model of Inflammatory Temporomandibular Joint Pain / 치위생과학회지

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is characterized by persistent jaw pain associated with dysfunction and tenderness of the temporomandibular muscles and joints. The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with red or black ginseng extract helps in the modulation of inflammatory TMJ pain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220~260 g were used. The experimental group was subdivided into 4 groups based on the treatment method (n=6, each group): formalin (5%, 30 µl), formalin after distilled water (vehicle), formalin after red or black ginseng extract (per oral, single or repeated, respectively). To induce TMJ pain, 30 µl of formalin was injected into the articular cavity under ether inhalation anesthesia. The number of noxious behavioral responses of scratching the facial region proximal to the injection site was recorded for 9 successive 5-min intervals following formalin injection. Repeated treatment with red or black ginseng extract reduced the nociceptive responses in the second phase (11~45 min). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an oxidative stress-mediated transcription factor. Both ginsengs significantly down-regulated the increased Nrf2 level compared to the vehicle group. In the test for liver and kidney functions, repeated treatment with red or black ginseng was not different compared to the vehicle group. These results indicate that red and black ginseng extract might be promising analgesic agents in the treatment of inflammatory TMJ pain.

The Bioconversion of Red Ginseng Ethanol Extract into Compound K by Saccharomyces cerevisiae HJ-014

A beta-glucosidase producing yeast strain was isolated from Korean traditional rice wine. Based on the sequence of the YCL008c gene and analysis of the fatty acid composition, the isolate was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain HJ-014. S. cerevisiae HJ-014 produced ginsenoside Rd, F2, and compound K from the ethanol extract of red ginseng. The production was increased by shaking culture, where the bioconversion efficiency was increased 2-fold compared to standing culture. The production of ginsenoside F2 and compound K was time-dependent and thought to proceed by the transformation pathway of: red ginseng extract-->Rd-->F2-->compound K. The optimum incubation time and concentration of red ginseng extract for the production of compound K was 96 hr and 4.5% (w/v), respectively.

Bioconversion of Ginsenosides from Red Ginseng Extract Using Candida allociferrii JNO301 Isolated from Meju

Red ginseng (Panax ginseng), a Korean traditional medicinal plant, contains a variety of ginsenosides as major functional components. It is necessary to remove sugar moieties from the major ginsenosides, which have a lower absorption rate into the intestine, to obtain the aglycone form. To screen for microorganisms showing bioconversion activity for ginsenosides from red ginseng, 50 yeast strains were isolated from Korean traditional meju (a starter culture made with soybean and wheat flour for the fermentation of soybean paste). Twenty strains in which a black zone formed around the colony on esculin-yeast malt agar plates were screened first, and among them 5 strains having high beta-glucosidase activity on p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside as a substrate were then selected. Strain JNO301 was finally chosen as a bioconverting strain in this study on the basis of its high bioconversion activity for red ginseng extract as determined by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis. The selected bioconversion strain was identified as Candida allociferrii JNO301 based on the nucleotide sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA gene. The optimum temperature and pH for the cell growth were 20~30degrees C and pH 5~8, respectively. TLC analysis confirmed that C. allociferrii JNO301 converted ginsenoside Rb1 into Rd and then into F2, Rb2 into compound O, Rc into compound Mc1, and Rf into Rh1. Quantitative analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography showed that bioconversion of red ginseng extract resulted in an increase of 2.73, 3.32, 33.87, 16, and 5.48 fold in the concentration of Rd, F2, compound O, compound Mc1, and Rh1, respectively.

Korean Red Ginseng Water Extract Restores Impaired Endothelial Function by Inhibiting Arginase Activity in Aged Mice

Cardiovascular disease is the prime cause of morbidity and mortality and the population ages that may contribute to increase in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Arginase upregulation is associated with impaired endothelial function in aged vascular system and thus may contribute to cardiovascular disease. According to recent research, Korean Red Ginseng water extract (KRGE) may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by improving vascular system health. The purpose of this study was to examine mechanisms contributing to age-related vascular endothelial dysfunction and to determine whether KRGE improves these functions in aged mice. Young (10+/-3 weeks) and aged (55+/-5 weeks) male mice (C57BL/6J) were orally administered 0, 10, or 20 mg/mouse/day of KRGE for 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed and the aortas were removed. Endothelial arginase activity, nitric oxide (NO) generation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) coupling, vascular tension, and plasma peroxynitrite production were measured. KRGE attenuated arginase activity, restored nitric oxide (NO) generation, reduced ROS production, and enhanced eNOS coupling in aged mice. KRGE also improved vascular tension in aged vessels, as indicated by increased acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation and improved phenylephrine-stimulated vasoconstriction. Furthermore, KRGE prevented plasma peroxynitrite formation in aged mice, indicating reduced lipid peroxidation. These results suggest KRGE exerts vasoprotective effects by inhibiting arginase activity and augmenting NO signaling and may be a useful treatment for age-dependent vascular diseases.

Effects of pectin lyase-modified red ginseng extracts in high-fat diet-fed obese mice / 한국실험동물학회지

Red ginseng and its extracts have been used as traditional medicines and functional foods in countries worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine the bioavailability of pectin lyase-modified red ginseng extracts (GS-E3D), and the effects of GS-E3D on adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, as well as on metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and fatty liver in high-fat diet fed obese C57BL/6 mice. Mice were divided into 5 groups: normal diet group, high fat diet-vehicle group, high fat diet + 0.1 g/kg GS-E3D (0.1-GS-E3D), high fat diet + 0.3 g/kg (0.3-GS-E3D), high fat diet + 1.0 g/kg (1.0-GS-E3D). Treatment of GS-E3D reduced differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with low cytotoxicity. In the animal model, compared to the high fat diet control, serum glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, TG, and leptin level were reduced in treatment animals in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, we found that GS-E3D could decrease total hepatic lipid droplets. These results suggest that GS-E3D, as a dietary supplement, has beneficial effects on obesity and may have useful effects in health-care products.

Subacute Oral Toxicity Study of Korean Red Ginseng Extract in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Ginseng is a well-known traditional medicine used in Asian countries for several thousand years, and it is currently applied to medicine, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements due to its many healing and energy-giving properties. It is well demonstrated that ginsenosides, the main ingredient of ginseng, produce a variety of pharmacological and therapeutic effects on central nerve system (CNS) disorders, cardiovascular disease, endocrine secretions, aging, and immune function. Korean red ginseng extract is a dietary supplement containing ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rg1 extracted from Panax ginseng. While the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the extract have been well established, its toxicological properties remain obscure. Thus, four-week oral toxicity studies in rats were conducted to investigate whether Korean red ginseng extract could have a potential toxicity to humans. The test article was administered once daily by oral gavage to four groups of male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg/day for four weeks. Neither deaths nor clinical symptoms were observed in any group during the experiment. Furthermore, no abnormalities in body weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross findings, organ weights, or histopathology were revealed related to the administration of the test article in either sex of any dosed group. Therefore, a target organ was not determined in this study, and the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Korean red ginseng extract was established to be 2,000 mg/kg/day.

Effects of Ginseng on the Metabolism of Enflurane and Methoxyflurane

Ginseng has been believed to be a powerful tonic by oriental people for a long time and is one of the most popular folk medicine in oriental countries. Intraperitoneal injection of ginseng into rats and mice has been reported to Increase the rates of hepatic RNA and protein synthesis, increase proliforation of rough RES of liver, and enhance alcohol metabolism. We have carried out a study to see the effects of red ginseng powder and extract on in vivo and in vitro metabolism of enflurane and methoxyflurane in male Fisher 344 rats. Red ginseng powder was dissolved in deionized water and dosed for two weeks ad libitum in rats. Hepatic microsomes were prepared and oxidative defluorination of enflurane and methoxyflurane were measured in vitro. Using red ginseng extract, studies were done of both acute and chronic treatment in rats. In chronic experiments, they were dosed with several dosages three times a day for three days; on the fourth day enflurane was administered i.p. and one hour later fluoride levels were mesured in plasma and hepatic microsomes were prepared for in vitro studies as above. In the acute experiment enflurane was administered intraperitoneally eighteen hours after single oral dosage of ginseng and plasma defluorination was measured. There were no statistically significant differences in hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content or defluorination of enflurane and methoxyflurane between control and experimental groups using either red ginseng extract or powder. The results showed that ginseng ingestion did not affect the metabolism of enflurane and methoxyflurane.