Study on the Grading and Antioxidant Activity in vitro of Neutral Polysaccharides from White Ginsengand Red Ginseng / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To study the antioxidant activity in vitro of neutral polysaccharides and its graded component from 3samples of white ginseng and red ginseng. METHODS:The decoction method was used to extract the crude polysaccharides fromwhite ginseng,100 ℃ and 120 ℃ processed red ginseng;the crude polysaccharides were further separated through ion exchangecolumn to extract neutral polysaccharides;Sephadex G-75 gels filter column was used to grade the neutral polysaccharides accordingto the molecular weight,antioxidant activity in vitro of 9 samples in 3 neutral polysaccharides and were detected by DPPH andOH free radical scavenging test and reduction capacity test(FRAP value),and vitamin C was used as positive control. RESULTS:The 3 neutral polysaccharides all obtained component Ⅰ and component Ⅱ after grading. Neutral polysaccharides and its gradedcomponent showed certain antioxidant activity in vitro in a certain concentration range,and increased by concentration increasing.The activity of neutral polysaccharides and component Ⅱ from 120 ℃ processed red ginseng was the strongest,of which 50% inhibitoryconcentration(IC50)on DPPH free radical was 0.258 g/L and 0.253 g/L,on OH free radical was 7.157 g/L and 6.845g/L,FRAP values were 2.8 and 3.0 mmol/L(when concentration was 1.2 g/L),respectively. CONCLUSIONS:The antioxidant activityin vitro from 120 ℃ processed red ginseng is higher than that of 100 ℃ processed red ginseng and white ginseng,in whichcomponent Ⅱ makes important contribution to the antioxidant activity.

Effect of Ginseng on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE: A meta-analysis was performed to determine effect of ginseng on blood pressure. METHODS: The databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, RISS, DBpia, KISS, and Koreamed were searched for all published studies from inception to January 2016. The following terms were used: "ginseng", "hypertension", and "blood pressure". Using the Review Manager 5, mean differences (MDs) were pooled to measure the effect of ginseng on blood pressure compared to that of placebo. RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials were included. In this meta-analysis, ginseng treatment significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) in a dose-independent way (MD: -1.99, p = 0.04). In subgroup analysis, 8-12 week consumption of ginseng achieved significantly greater reduction in SBP (MD: -3.14, p = 0.03), while single administration of ginseng failed to show BP-lowering effect. When ingested over 8-12 weeks, ginseng significantly lowered diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD: -1.96, p = 0.03). No significant association was found between ginseng dose and the magnitude of BP-lowering effect. However, a significant positive relationship was observed between baseline SBP level and the magnitude of SBP reduction (r = 0.848, p = 0.033). Such a relationship was not seen in DBP. CONCLUSION: Consumption of ginseng for 8-12 weeks achieved significant reductions in SBP and DBP in a dose-independent way. There was a significant positive relationship between baseline SBP level and the magnitude of SBP reduction.

Anti-oxidant and Hepatoprotective Effect of White Ginsengs in H2O2-Treated HepG2 Cells

The antioxidant activity of white ginseng was not recorded in Korea Functional Food Code, while its activity of red ginsengs was recorded. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and hepato protective effect of different ginsengs in H2O2-treated HepG2 cells. White and red ginseng were prepared from longitudinal section of the same fresh ginseng (4-year old). The whole parts of white and red ginsengs were separately extracted with 70% ethanol and distilled water respectively, at 70 degrees C to obtain therapeutic ginseng extracts namely, WDH (distilled water extract of white ginseng), WEH (70% ethanol extract of white ginseng), RDH (distilled water extract of red ginseng) and REH (70% ethanol extract of red ginseng). In this work, we have investigated the DPPH, hydroxyl radical, Fe2+-chelating activity, intracellular ROS scavenging capacity and lipid peroxidation of different ginsengs. All these extracts showed a dose dependent free-radical scavenging capacity and a ROS generation as well as lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced by treatment with bioactive extracts of white ginsengs (WDH) than red ginsengs. Additionally, white ginseng extracts (WDH) has dramatically increased intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities like superoxide dismutase and catalase in H2O2-treated HepG2 cells. All these results explain that administration of white ginseng is useful as herbal medicine than red ginseng for chemoprevention of liver damage.

Effects of Korean White Ginseng (Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer) on Vascular and Glycemic Health in Type 2 Diabetes: Results of a Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-controlled, Multiple-crossover, Acute Dose Escalation Trial

Korean red ginseng (steam treated Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), among most prized traditional herbal remedies, has been clinically shown to improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Whether this holds true for the dried non-steamed variety, known as Korean white ginseng (KWG) is unclear. This study therefore, investigated the efficacy and safety of escalating doses of KWG on vascular and glycemic parameters in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Using an acute, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover design, 25 participants with well-controlled T2DM (12-males: 13-females, age: 63 +/- 9 years, A1c: 6.9 +/- 0.7%, BMI: 29.3 +/- 4.3 kg/m2) underwent five visits during which they received 1 g, 3 g, or 6 g KWG or 3 g wheat-bran control (twice) together with 50 g-glucose load. For the duration of 240 minutes, augmentation index (AI), and central blood pressure were measured at baseline and at 60 min-intervals, and ambulatory blood pressure was assessed at baseline and at 10 min-intervals. Additionally, capillary blood was collected at time zero and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes post-treatment. A symptoms questionnaire was used to assess safety and adverse events. Two-way ANOVA demonstrated a significant time-treatment interaction effect on AI (p = 0.01) with one-way ANOVA showing significant reductions in AI with 3 g KWG relative to control (p = 0.04). Compared to control, acute administration of KWG appeared to be safe, but did not affect any other postprandial, vascular or glycemic parameters. KWG might have a beneficial effect on AI, a cumulative indicator of arterial health. However, these results are preliminary and highlight the need for long-term investigation with a focus on its accountable components. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT01699074

Comparison on ginsenosides in Panax ginseng from different habitats in northeast China and its processed products / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the contents of total ginsenosides and 10 sorts of monomer ginsenosides in the roots of Panax ginseng from different habitats of northeast China and its processed products, and thus to provide the useful reference data for its quality st andard establishment and st andardized cultivation. Methods: Based on the pharmacopoeia and literatures related to the roots of P. ginseng, the contents of total ginsenosides and 10 sorts of monomer ginsenosides in the roots of P. ginseng samples collected from 10 different habitats of northeast China and its processed product samples were studied and determined, and then these various indicators were analyzed by DTOPSIS method. Results: Ginseng from Changbai, Ji'an, and Fusong reached the st andard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010 and Chinese National St andards in those different measurement indicators. Comprehensive evaluation of ginseng from Changbai, Ji'an, Fusong, and Jingyu by DTOPSIS method showed better results than others. Conclusion: The qualities of ginseng from different habitats of northeast China are different. Ginseng collected from those four habitats which result better quality of ginseng than that of ginseng from other place stems from Chinese GAP ginseng planting bases, and thus reflects the importance of GAP for ginseng cultivation.

White Ginseng Commercialization and Sales Expansion Activities of Gaesung Merchants in the 1910s and 1920s / 의사학

Ginseng has always been the typical export item in Korean history. Until the 18th century, exporting ginseng was wild ginseng from the mountains. Since the 19th century, exporting ginseng became red ginseng, which was red due to steaming and drying process. Red ginseng was produced by Gaesung merchants, so that these merchants were able to gain the control of the output. Gaesung merchants of the 19th century exported red ginseng to China and made huge economic success. However, when the Korean Empire and Japanese colonical government established red ginseng monopoly, it essentially blocked Gaesung traders from manufacturing and exporting any further of its prized commodity. Then, the traders turned to sun-dried white ginseng as a substitute to red ginseng. As a result, white ginseng production dramatically increased after 1914, which in turn made Gaesung merchants newly aware of the commercial value of white ginseng, which was previously ignored. The traders made good use of the traditional medicine herb market, which opened annually, to promote the expansion of white ginseng sales. Moreover, the merchants also adopted modern marketing techniques, as they founded companies to handle solely white ginseng sales, refreshed packaging to raise commodity values, and made an effort in advertising and mail order sales. Due to such endeavors, demand for white ginseng grew exponentially both in domestic and foreign markets, which generated steady growth of white ginseng prices despite the rapid increase of its supply. This phenomenon naturally brought about the rich economic accomplishments of Gaesung merchants. Through the white ginseng sales activities of Gaesung merchants in post-1910s era, two facts can be newly uncovered. First, the mass consumption of white ginseng today in Korean society took a full-scale step after the 1910s. Second, it was a widely-held view that during the Japanese rule, majority of Korean traditional merchants were economically ruined, while a small minority collaborated with the colonical government to obtain economic success. However, Gaesung merchants in 1910s successfully commercialized white ginseng not with the aid of the Japanese but with their own efforts alone. Such fact reveals that there were other types of traditional merchants during the Japanese colonial period who cannot be explained with the common theory.