[Analysis of ginseng. IV. HPLC determination of ginsenosides in Panax ginseng].
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The very first record of ginseng in the Korean peninsula dates back to early 6th century A.D., with its concentration in Chinese sources. Regardless of the fact that the Korean ginseng was introduced to China before th birth of CHrist, there is no writing about it for 500 years. This is because the Chinese substituted Korean ginseng for the Chinese one, which was cultivated around the Shangdang Area. The ginseng, however, is greatly influenced by natural environment and its native area bing Manchurian and the Korean peninsula. It is believed that ginseng range from the northern mountains of Pyongando and Hamkyongdo provincnes to the southern Taebaek and Sobaek mountains in Korea. Especially the area of Madasan(Baekdusan?) mountain was well-known for ginseng-growing district. The ginseng taxation of the Three Kingdoms period seems to have gone through certain changes along the development stages of the ancient state. The first taxation stage is estimated to be in the form of a tribute. Afterwards, as the governing power of central government was gradually strengthened in the subjugated places, there was a major replacement from tributary form to actual goods levy. The actual areas of such tributary collection is unknown, but the Sejongshilok Chiriji (geographical records of Sejong chronicles) of the early Choson ear indicates 113 prefectures and countries as those which submit ginseng to the central government. These administrations provide permissible clues to the historic background of ginseng-taxed regions of the Three Kingdoms. The ginseng trade also is estimated to have flourished in ancient Korea through the Han commanderies of China. However, the writings of Korean ginseng trade is non-existent until 6th century A.D.. Such phenomenon can be attributed to few reasons. First, the Chinese took little interest in Korean ginseng as they believed they had their own native ginseng in China. Second, same ignorance resulted from its inflowing but new feature. Third, active communication became impossible as the Goguryo-China relations deteriorated overall after the closing of the commanderies. Nevertheless, ginseng eventually was properly introduced into China as the relations between regions improved after the 5th century A.D., which led the Chinese to realize the difference between Chinese and Korean ginseng. So it is estimated that such causes generated the real beginning of ginseng records in the 6th century. Based on the remaining texts, it can be inferred that trade in the Three Kingdoms era usually was conducted in each kingdom were all different, which was reflected in their respective contact with China. Such characteristics must have directly influenced their ginseng trade with China as well. For example, Shilla was only able to perform major ginseng commerce with China from the 7th century. There are various records of ginseng trade in Unified Shilla period, owing mostly to the previous tributary trade. Additionally, there is a case in which a certain individual presented Korean ginseng to a Chinese, as well as a case of Shilla ginseng trade in Japan. Aforementioned examples clearly illustrate that the fundamental structure of ginseng trade in East Asia was completed during the Unified Shilla period.
Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been the most highly recognized medicinal herb in the Orient. The prolonged administration of red ginseng extract significantly inhibits the incidence of hepatoma and also proliferation of pulmonary tumors induced by aflatoxin B(1) and urethane. Statistically significant anticarcinogenic effects were in aged or heat treated extracts of ginseng and red ginseng made by steaming in a 9 weeks medium-term anticarcinogenicity test using benzo[a]pyrene. In case-control studies, odds ratios (OR) of the cancer of lip, oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, lung, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, ovary, and colorectum were significantly reduced. As to the type of ginseng, the ORs for cancer were reduced in user of fresh ginseng extract intakers, white ginseng extract, white ginseng powder, and red ginseng. In a cohort study with 5 years follow-up conducted in a ginseng cultivation area, ginseng users had a decreased relative risk (RR) compared with non-users. The relative risks (RRs) of ginseng users were decreased in gastric cancer and lung cancer. These findings strongly suggest that Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer cultivated in Korea has non-organ specific cancer preventive effects against various cancers. To investigate the active components for cancer prevention, several fractions of fresh and red ginseng and four semi-synthetic ginsenoside Rh(1), Rh(2), Rg(3) and Rg(5), the major saponin components in red ginseng, were prepared among the ginsenosides. By using Yun's model, Rg(3) and Rg(5) showed statistically significant reduction of lung tumor incidence and Rh(2) had a tendency to decrease the incidence. In conclusion, these results strongly suggested that Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer cultivated in Korea is a non-organ specific cancer preventive against human cancers and also indicated that the anticarcinogenicity or human cancer preventive effect of Panax ginseng is due to ginsenoside Rg(3), Rg(5) and Rh(2).
BACKGROUND: A number of studies have reported that increased consumption of natural products reduced the risk of cancer. Our previous case-control studies have shown a significant reduction in the risk of cancer development among those who regularly consumed ginseng. We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate the preventive effect of ginseng against cancer on a population residing in a ginseng cultivation area on the basis of the result of case-control studies. METHODS: This study was conducted in Kangwha-eup from August 1987 to December 1992. We studied 4634 people over 40 years old who completed a questionnaire on ginseng intake. In an attempt to obtain detailed information about ginseng intake, we asked them to specify their age at initial intake, their frequency and duration of ginseng intake, the kind of ginseng, etc. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate relative risks (RR) when controlling simultaneously for covariates. RESULTS: Ginseng consumers had a decreased risk (RR = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] : 0.28-0.56) compared with non-consumers. On the type of ginseng, the RR was 0.31 (95% CI: 0.13-0.74) for fresh ginseng extract consumers and 0.34 (95% CI: 0.20-0.53) for consumers of multiple combinations. There was no cancer death among 24 red ginseng consumers. There was a decreased risk with a rise in the frequency of ginseng intake, showing a dose-response relationship. The RR of ginseng consumers were 0.33 (95% CI: 0.18-0.57) in gastric cancer and 0.30 (95% CI : 0.14-0.65) in lung cancer. Among ginseng preparations, fresh ginseng extract consumers were significantly associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer (RR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.12-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: These results strongly suggest that Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has non-organ specific preventive effect against cancer, providing support for the previous case-control studies.
The Chinese people discovered ginseng and used it as a revitalizing agent since time immemorial. They are still the world's major consumers of this plant drug. The commercial product of ginseng comes from two species of the genus Panax in the family Araliaceae. These species are P. ginseng C. A. Meyer which is the source plant of the Chinese, Korean and Japanese brands of ginseng, and P. quinquefolius L., which is the source of American ginseng. Phytogeographically, ginseng demonstrates the classical bicentric pattern of plant distribution, with closely related species in eastern Asia and in eastern North America. Ecologically, ginseng is an undergrowth of hardwood mixed deciduous forest. It prefers the northern or the northeastern slope of a hill. Species of the genus Tilia are good indicators of the proper environmental condition for the growth of ginseng. Morphologically, ginseng is a perennial herb with fleshy root, a single annual stem bearing a whorl of palmately compound leaves, and a terminal simple umbel of small 5-merous flowers. The flowers are soon followed by pea-sized fruits developed from inferior ovaries. The fruits are red when ripe. Ginseng is propagated by seed. The commercial products of ginseng consist primarily of roots 2-20 years old. Within this age range, the older the root the higher the market value, provided they are grown in proper conditions. The methods of curing the roots change the color and shape of the products. Chinese ginseng is prepared from roots bleached, boiled, steamed, or sugared in curing. The cultural background for the uses of ginseng by the Chinese people is explained. Ginseng may be used alone in the form of tea, powder, or as a masticatory. It is also used in combination with other drugs of animal, mineral, or plant origin. Forty-two recipes are selected from Pen-ts'oa kang-mu and translated into English for the first time to show the various ways by which ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine. A systematic summary of the companion plant drugs of ginseng is presented in the form of a table, showing the distribution of the species in the plant kingdom. The scientific names of the species are given in full.
The effects of the subchronic administration of Panax ginseng extracts were examined on the hepatic cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase system of guinea pigs pre-exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Panax ginseng extracts were intraperitoneally administered to guinea pigs at 100 mg/kg/day for 14 days from 1 week after a single intraperitoneal injection of 1 microg of TCDD/kg of body weight. TCDD treatment increased the total cytochrome P450 content 2.86-fold, and this was remarkably inhibited by the administration of Panax ginseng extracts. Treatment with ginseng extract alone also decreased the contents of cytochrome P450 by 33%, but both TCDD and ginseng extracts had no effect on cytochrome b(5) content. The administration of TCDD resulted in a 1.73-fold increase in microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase activity in the guinea pig liver, and this was significantly inhibited by ginseng extracts, but treatment with ginseng extracts alone had no effect on its activity, and no statistical changes in the activity of NADPH-cytochrome b(5) reductase were observed in guinea pig liver due to TCDD and/or ginseng extract administration. Compared to the control, ECOD activity remarkably (1.76-fold) increased after TCDD administration, but this increase was completely inhibited by treatment with ginseng extract. Treatment with ginseng extract alone resulted in a 50% reduction of ECOD activity. TCDD administration remarkably induced benzphetamine demethylation (BPDM) activity, while ginseng extract also slightly increased the enzyme's activity, but the induction attributed to ginseng extracts was not statistically significant. Even though administration of ginseng extracts slightly inhibited TCDD-induced BPDM activity, the inhibition was not statistically significant. These results indicate that ginseng extract exerts different effect on the induction of P450 isozymes. From these results, we suggest that Panax ginseng extracts may act as an inhibitor of CYP1A rather than that of CYP2B.
This study presents the risk of various cancers in relation to ginseng intake based on the data from a case-control study conducted in the Korea Cancer Center Hospital. Ginseng intakers had a decreased risk [odds ratio = 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.44-0.58] for cancer compared with nonintakers. On the type of ginseng, the odds ratios for cancer were 0.37 (95% CI = 0.29-0.46) for fresh ginseng extract intakers, 0.57 (95% CI = 0.48-0.68) for white ginseng extract intakers, 0.30 (95% CI = 0.22-0.41) for white ginseng powder intakers, and 0.20 (95% CI = 0.08-0.50) for red ginseng intakers. Intakers of fresh ginseng slice, fresh ginseng juice, and white ginseng tea, however, showed no decreasing risk. There was a decrease in risk with the rising frequency and duration of ginseng intake, showing a dose-response relationship. On the site of cancer, the odds ratios were 0.47 for cancer of the lip, oral cavity, and pharynx; 0.20 for esophageal cancer; 0.36 for stomach cancer; 0.42 for colorectal cancer; 0.48 for liver cancer; 0.22 for pancreatic cancer; 0.18 for laryngeal cancer; 0.55 for lung cancer; and 0.15 for ovarian cancer. In cancers of the female breast, uterine cervix, urinary bladder, and thyroid gland, however, there was no association with ginseng intake. In cancers of the lung, lip, oral cavity and pharynx, and liver, smokers with ginseng intake showed decreased odds ratios compared with smokers without ginseng intake. These findings support the view that ginseng intakers had a decreased risk for most cancers compared with nonintakers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Ginsengs are widely used to improve cardiac health and circulation. Loosely termed as ginsengs, Asian (Panax), Siberian and Ashwagandha (Indian Ginseng) Indian ginsengs are prepared from different plants. We tested the popular belief of cardiotonic effects of ginsengs using both neonatal and adult rat cardiomyocytes, comparing extracts from the three ginsengs. Addition of 10% v/v of extract (100 microl of extract/ml of culture medium) of each of the ginsengs resulted in a rapid (<10 s) cessation of beating in neonatal cardiomyocytes due to calcium overload, while sequential dilutions revealed that treatment with a low dose (0.01% v/v, 0.1 microl/ml of the medium) resulted in constant, regular beats (transients), and a slight elevation of diastolic calcium without overload. Addition of extracts to sparking, calcium-tolerant adult cardiomyocytes resulted in initiation of calcium transients, and adult cells were able to tolerate exposure to high concentrations of extract. Cardiotonic effects in adult cells (cardiotoxicity in neonatal cells) were most profound with Asian ginseng (2.6 times that of Siberian ginseng, 1.6 times that of Indian ginseng) probably due to the active ingredients (ginsenosides in Asian, eleutherosides in Siberian and withanolides in Indian) being structurally different. We conclude that fully developed cardiomyocytes are able to accommodate higher doses of ginseng than neonatal cells, and that the effects of ginseng on newly formed, developing myocytes, could be extremely deleterious to the fetus. However, for adults, ginseng might well be a 'tonic' in its ability to increase beating and intramyocytic calcium levels.
BACKGROUND: Ginseng is a widely used herbal product in China, other Asian countries, and in the Unites States. There is a traditional belief that ginseng stimulates immune functions. In this study, the innate effects of Asian and Siberian ginsengs on cytokines and chemokines produced by cultured macrophages were examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of Asian and Siberian ginseng on cytokines and chemokines produced by cultured macrophages were examined. Mouse macrophages (J774A.1) were incubated with Asian or Siberian ginseng at varying concentrations (1, 10, 100, and 1000 microg/ml) for 24 h and then harvested for RNA isolation. The expression levels of IL-1beta, IL-12, TNF-alpha, MIP-1 alpha, and MIP-2 mRNA were measured by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Our data showed that Asian ginseng induced a statistically significant increase in IL-12 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. However, the minor twofold increase is probably biologically insignificant. No significant increase of IL-12 by Siberian ginseng was observed at any dose level studied. No significant change in IL-1beta, IL-15, TNF-alpha, or MIP-1alpha mRNA was observed by either Asian or Siberian ginseng treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed statistically significant differential regulation of IL-12 by Asian ginseng. Siberian ginseng did not show a statistically significant increase. We conclude that both Asian ginseng and Siberian ginseng cannot significantly stimulate innate macrophage immune functions that influence cellular immune responses. Therefore, contrary to the popular belief, Asian and Siberian ginseng may not stimulate immune function.
Previous studies demonstrated that both ginseng root and ginseng berry possess anti-diabetic activity. However, a direct comparison between the root and the berry under the same experimental conditions has not been conducted. In the present study, we compared anti-hyperglycemic effect between Panax ginseng root and Panax ginseng berry in ob/ob mice, which exhibit profound obesity and hyperglycemia that phenotypically resemble human type-2 diabetes. We observed that ob/ob mice had high baseline glucose levels (195 mg/dl). Ginseng root extract (150 mg/kg body wt.) and ginseng berry extract (150 mg/kg body wt.) significantly decreased fasting blood glucose to 143 +/- 9.3 mg/dl and 150 +/- 9.5 mg/dl on day 5, respectively (both P < 0.01 compared with the vehicle). On day 12, although fasting blood glucose level did not continue to decrease in the root group (155 +/- 12.7 mg/dl), the berry group became normoglycemic (129 +/- 7.3 mg/dl; P < 0.01). We further evaluated glucose tolerance using the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. On day 0, basal hyperglycemia was exacerbated by intraperitoneal glucose load, and failed to return to baseline after 120 min. After 12 days of treatment with ginseng root extract (150 mg/kg body wt.), the area under the curve (AUC) showed some decrease (9.6%). However, after 12 days of treatment with ginseng berry extract (150 mg/kg body wt.), overall glucose exposure improved significantly, and the AUC decreased 31.0% (P < 0.01). In addition, we observed that body weight did not change significantly after ginseng root extract (150 mg/kg body wt.) treatment, but the same concentration of ginseng berry extract significantly decreased body weight (P < 0.01). These data suggest that, compared to ginseng root, ginseng berry exhibits more potent anti-hyperglycemic activity, and only ginseng berry shows marked anti-obesity effects in ob/ob mice.