Overview of Pharmacological Activity of Ginseng Extract Powder

Ginseng Extract Basics / Overview / Introduction

Panax Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) is the dried roots and rhizomes of Panax acanthaceae plant. It is a common herb that nourishes vitality and enhances immunity. Ginseng has the effect of preventing and treating various diseases and nourishing the human body, modern clinical use of ginseng to treat vitality weakness, cold limbs and various causes of shock, heart failure and other diseases.

The active components of Panax Ginseng include saponins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, vitamins and volatile components, among which the main active components are ginsenosides and ginseng polysaccharide. This article is mainly about the active ingredient ginsenosides in detail,

Ginsenoside is considered to be the main effective substance of ginseng, and its content is about 4%. Ginsenosides belong to triterpenoids, which are glycoside compounds which are connected by glycosides and sugars. According to different aglycones, ginsenosides can be divided into three types: one is oleanane pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins Ro, whose saponins are oleanolic acid; The other two categories are ginsenodiol saponins (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, F2, Rg3, R h2, etc.) and ginsenotriol saponins (Re, Rg1, Rg2, Rf, Rh1, etc.), both of which belong to damarane tetracyclic triterpenoids. They make up the majority of ginsenosides and are the main active ingredients in them. 

Modern pharmacological studies have shown that ginsenosides have good anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation and anti-apoptosis pharmacological activities. The details are as follows:

(1) Influence on endocrine and immune system

Relevant studies have shown that intraperitoneal administration of Ginsenosides GTS, Rb2, Rg1 and Rd can reduce the level of plasma IL-6 increase induced by fixed stress. Rb2 and Rd could significantly reduce the increase of IL-6 content of norepinephrine and epinephrine induced megophil cell lines, while Rg1 significantly reduced the increase of IL-6 content of epinephrine induced megophil cell lines. That is, ginsenosides have certain activity to regulate immunity and endocrine.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Source: Neurosci Lett,2003;2003;353:13-6

(2) Effect on the circulatory system

Ginseng Extract has the function of bidirectional regulating blood pressure, strengthening heart and protecting myocardium. Ginsenoside Rb1 can effectively inhibit ventricular remodeling and protect cardiac function in rats with acute myocardial infarction. Ginsenoside Rg1 can significantly increase the number of stem cells in peripheral blood, and promote stem cells homing to myocardial myocytoid cells in infarct myocardium, reduce infarct area, significantly reduce ventricular remodeling, and protect the basic structure of ischemic myocardium.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Source: Journal of Integrative Medicine on Cardio-/Cerebrovascuiar Disease, 2007,59(11):1075-1077

(3) Effects on the central nervous system

Ginseng has both sedative and excitatory effects, which are related to the functional state of the nervous system at the time of medication, dosage and different components of ginseng. The mixture of ginsenoside Rb and Rc has calming and analgesic effects on the central nervous system of mice, as well as central muscle relaxation, cooling and reducing spontaneous activity. Ginseng aqueous decoction has antagonistic effect on many stimulants and can alleviate the inhibitory effect of central depressants (chloral hydrate, chlorpromazine, etc.). The mixture of ginsenosides Rg1 and Rg2 showed excitatory effect on the central nervous system, while large doses showed inhibitory effect. Studies have shown that ginsenoside Rg1 can significantly improve the passive avoidance induced by amyloid peptide in mice, and can change the activity of A ChE, and it is suggested that the effect on the cholinergic system may be one of the mechanisms of its action on the central nervous system.

                                                                                                                        Source: Chinese Journal of Anatomy,2006,29(2):249-251

(4) Anti-tumor effect

Ginsenoside Rg2 inhibits the growth of B16 melanoma, possibly by inhibiting angiogenesis within the tumor and preventing tumor cells from entering the phase of division. Ginsenoside Rg3 moderately reversed cisplatin-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549DDP in a time-dependent manner [13]. Ginsenoside Rh2 can significantly inhibit the growth of human laryngeal carcinoma cell line H ep-2, and lead to G phase 1 cell cycle arrest. These results suggest that G phase 1 cell cycle arrest may be one of the mechanisms of anti-tumor effect of ginsenoside Rh2. Ginsenoside Rh2 inhibited proliferation and induced differentiation of SM M C-7721 hepatoma cells. Ginsenoside Rh1 has stronger antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo than its precursor Rg1.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Source: Journal of Jilin University (Science Edition),2003,29(1):25-28

(5) Anti-aging function

Ginsenosides have significant anti-aging effect on mice skin, and can improve the activity of skin antioxidant enzymes and fibroblast. Panax ginseng glycosides can improve the activity of antioxidant enzyme, increase the quality of immune organs, and have a good anti-aging effect.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Source: Journal of Jilin University (Science Edition),2003,29(1):25-28