Ginsenosides action

Benishin, C. G. (1992). Actions of ginsenoside Rb on choline uptake in central cholinergic nerve endings. Neurochem. Int. 21,1-5. 

Chen, X. (1996). Cardiovascular protection by ginsenosides and their nitric oxide releasing action. Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23, 728-732. 

The dried roots of Asian ginseng are used for medicinal purposes and its main constituents are triterpene saponins known as ginsenosides or panaxosides. The pharmacologic actions of ginseng include immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, smooth muscle relaxation, stimulant, and hypoglycemic effects (36). 

G115 extract protects rat heart from iechemia-reperfusion injury G115 extract protects rabbits pulmonary artery from free radical injury G115 extract inhibita dose-dependently lipid peroxidation in rats Activation of the superoxide dismutase gen by Rb2 Scavenging effect of hydroxyl radicals, protection of fatty acids Anti free radical action of Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd in rats Antioxidant action in rats (SOD, catalase, glutathionperoxidase)... 

Ginsenosides belong to a family of steroids and share their structural characteristics. They can traverse cell membranes freely similar to steroids. Moreover, their presence has been demonstrated within cells, particularly the nucleus. Steroid hormone action, steroids that bind nuclear receptors, are thought to affect primarily the transcription of mRNA and subsequent protein synthesis. Intracellular steroid-binding proteins present possible attractive targets for ginsenosides. 

Jiang et al. reported that Ginsenosides-Re, -Rgi, -Rg2 and-Rh had both calcium channel blockade and anti-ffee-radical actions, -Rf had blockade action on L type channel in cultured myocardiocytes of rats with the cell attached configuration of patch-clamp technique and electron spin resonance method[21]. Ginsenoside-Re could coordinately promote the colony formation and increase H-TdR incorporation of bone marrow cell[22]. 

This well-known Chinese traditional crude drug which consists of the roots of P. notoginseng cultivated in Yunnan has been used as a tonic and a hemostatic. Recently, it has attracted much attention because of its action in preventing and curing coronary disease. Several Ginseng dammarane saponins, Rb (1.62% yield), Rd (0.32%), Re (0.51%) and Rgi (2.07%) have been isolated from this drug, while the oleanolic acid saponin C-V (= ginsenoside-Ro) could not be detected (85, 88, 89). 

Inorganic metal salts can induce secondary metabolism in plant cell cultures, such as Cu and Ag. Cu elicited phytoalexin production in rice plants. Adding AgNOs induced taxol biosynthesis. Rare earth metal salts, such as (NH4)2Ce(N03)6, can also increase the accumulation of paclitaxel in Taxus cells. Ginsenoside biosynthesis was elicited in cell cultures of Panax ginseng by vanadate. The metabolic action of inorganic metal salts inducing the accumulation of secondary metabolites may be similar to other natural chemical elicitors. ... 

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