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Pharmacological Research Nov 2020Panax ginseng (Meyer) and Panax notoginseng (Burkill), belonging to the family Araliaceae, are used worldwide as medicinal and functional herbs. Numerous publications... (Review)
Review
Panax ginseng (Meyer) and Panax notoginseng (Burkill), belonging to the family Araliaceae, are used worldwide as medicinal and functional herbs. Numerous publications over the past decades have revealed that both P. notoginseng and P. ginseng contain important bioactive ingredients such as ginsenosides and exert multiple pharmacological effects on nervous system and immune diseases. However, based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, their applications clearly differ as ginseng reinforces vital energy and notoginseng promotes blood circulation. In this article, we review the similarities and differences between ginseng and notoginseng in terms of their chemical composition and pharmacological effects. Their chemical comparisons indicate that ginseng contains more polysaccharides and amino acids, while notoginseng has more saponins, volatile oil, and polyacetylenes. Regarding pharmacological effects, ginseng exhibits better protective effects on cardiovascular disease, nerve disease, cancer, and diabetes mellitus, whereas notoginseng displays a superior protective effect on cerebrovascular disease. The evidence presented in this review facilitates further research and clinical applications of these two herbs, and exploration of the relationship between the chemical components and disease efficacy may be the critical next step.
Topics: Animals; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Panax; Panax notoginseng; Phytochemicals
PubMed: 33127555
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105263 -
Cell Proliferation Nov 2019Panax ginseng, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacological activities, plays a crucial role in modulating mood disorders. Several recent... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Panax ginseng, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacological activities, plays a crucial role in modulating mood disorders. Several recent studies have identified an underlying role of Panax ginseng in the prevention and treatment of depression. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this review, we summarized the recent progress of antidepressant effects and underlying mechanisms of Panax ginseng and its representative herbal formulae.
RESULTS
The molecular and cellular mechanisms of Panax ginseng and its herbal formulae include modulating monoamine neurotransmitter system, upregulating the expression of neurotrophic factors, regulating the function of HPA axis, and anti-inflammatory action.
CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, this review may provide theoretical bases and clinical applications for the treatment of depression by Panax ginseng and its representative herbal formulae.
Topics: Animals; Antidepressive Agents; Depression; Humans; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Inflammation; Panax; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 31599060
DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12696 -
Nutrients Sep 2020The use of food supplements for weight loss purposes has rapidly gained popularity as the prevalence of obesity increases. Navigating through the vast, often low... (Review)
Review
The use of food supplements for weight loss purposes has rapidly gained popularity as the prevalence of obesity increases. Navigating through the vast, often low quality, literature available is challenging, as is providing informed advice to those asking for it. Herein, we provide a comprehensive literature revision focusing on most currently marketed dietary supplements claimed to favor weight loss, classifying them by their purported mechanism of action. We conclude by proposing a combination of supplements most supported by current evidence, that leverages all mechanisms of action possibly leading to a synergistic effect and greater weight loss in the foreseen absence of adverse events. Further studies will be needed to confirm the weight loss and metabolic improvement that may be obtained through the use of the proposed combination.
Topics: Chitosan; Dietary Supplements; Fabaceae; Humans; Panax; Tea; Weight Loss
PubMed: 32962190
DOI: 10.3390/nu12092873 -
Gut Apr 2022Programmed death 1 and its ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy is promising for late-stage lung cancer treatment, however, the response rate needs to be improved. Gut...
Ginseng polysaccharides alter the gut microbiota and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio, potentiating the antitumour effect of antiprogrammed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
Programmed death 1 and its ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy is promising for late-stage lung cancer treatment, however, the response rate needs to be improved. Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in immunotherapy sensitisation and has been shown to possess immunomodulatory potential. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the combination treatment of ginseng polysaccharides (GPs) and αPD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) could sensitise the response by modulating gut microbiota.
DESIGN
Syngeneic mouse models were administered GPs and αPD-1 mAb, the sensitising antitumour effects of the combination therapy on gut microbiota were assessed by faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and 16S PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. To assess the immune-related metabolites, metabolomics analysis of the plasma samples was performed.
RESULTS
We found GPs increased the antitumour response to αPD-1 mAb by increasing the microbial metabolites valeric acid and decreasing L-kynurenine, as well as the ratio of Kyn/Trp, which contributed to the suppression of regulatory T cells and induction of T cells after combination treatment. Besides, the microbial analysis indicated that the abundance of and was higher in responders to anti-PD-1 blockade than non-responders in the clinic. Furthermore, the combination therapy sensitised the response to PD-1 inhibitor in the mice receiving microbes by FMT from six non-responders by reshaping the gut microbiota from non-responders towards that of responders.
CONCLUSION
Our results demonstrate that GPs combined with αPD-1 mAb may be a new strategy to sensitise non-small cell lung cancer patients to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The gut microbiota can be used as a novel biomarker to predict the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Apoptosis; B7-H1 Antigen; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cell Death; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Immunotherapy; Kynurenine; Ligands; Lung Neoplasms; Mice; Panax; Polysaccharides; Tryptophan
PubMed: 34006584
DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321031 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2019Ginseng is one of the most valuable and commonly used Chinese medicines not only in ancient China but also worldwide. Ginsenosides, also known as saponins or... (Review)
Review
Ginseng is one of the most valuable and commonly used Chinese medicines not only in ancient China but also worldwide. Ginsenosides, also known as saponins or triterpenoids, are thought to be responsible for the beneficial effects of ginseng. In this review, we summarize recent publications on anti-diabetic studies of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides in cells, animals, and humans. It seems that the anti-diabetic effect of ginseng is positive for type 2 diabetic patients but has no significant impact on prediabetes or healthy adults. Regulation of insulin secretion, glucose uptake, anti-oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory pathways may be the mechanisms involved with ginseng's anti-diabetic effects. Taken together, this summary provides evidence for the anti-diabetes effects of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides as well as the underlying mechanisms of their impact on diabetes.
Topics: Animals; Blood Glucose; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diabetes Mellitus; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Ginsenosides; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Molecular Structure; Panax; Plant Extracts; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31835292
DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244501 -
Journal of Diabetes Research 2022The mechanism of Panax notoginseng in treating myocardial fibrosis (MF) was investigated using network pharmacology.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanism of Panax notoginseng in treating myocardial fibrosis (MF) was investigated using network pharmacology.
METHODS
Effective ingredients and potential targets of Panax notoginseng were screened in relevant databases to construct a compound-target network. Targets of MF were then screened to select common targets and construct a protein-protein interaction network. This was followed by Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment analyses. Molecular docking then verified the results of network analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 14 effective ingredients and 119 potential targets for MF were predicted. Quercetin, beta-sitosterol, and gossypetin were speculated to be the main active ingredients. The mechanism of action may be related to AGE-RAGE, proteoglycans, and IL-17 signaling pathways. Five key targets (IL6, ALB, AKT1, TNF, and VEGFA) may be involved in the treatment of MF using Panax notoginseng.
CONCLUSIONS
This study embodies the complex network relationship of multicomponents, multitargets, and multipathways of Panax notoginseng in treating MF and provides a novel method for further research on this herb's mechanism.
Topics: Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Fibrosis; Molecular Docking Simulation; Network Pharmacology; Panax notoginseng
PubMed: 35372585
DOI: 10.1155/2022/8895950 -
Biomolecules Mar 2020, also known as Korean ginseng, is a famous medicinal plant used for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases. Ginsenosides (ginseng saponins) are the main class of... (Review)
Review
, also known as Korean ginseng, is a famous medicinal plant used for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases. Ginsenosides (ginseng saponins) are the main class of active constituents of ginseng. The anti-inflammatory effects of ginseng extracts were proven with purified ginsenosides, such as ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, and Rh2, as well as compound K. The negative regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and enzyme expressions (iNOS and COX-2) was found as the anti-inflammatory mechanism of ginsenosides in M1-polarized macrophages and microglia. Recently, another action mechanism emerged explaining the anti-inflammatory effect of ginseng. This is a pro-resolution of inflammation derived by M2-polarized macrophages. Direct and indirect evidence supports how several ginsenosides (ginsenoside Rg3, Rb1, and Rg1) induce the M2 polarization of macrophages and microglia, and how these M2-polarized cells contribute to the suppression of inflammation progression and promotion of inflammation resolution. In this review, the new action mechanism of ginseng anti-inflammation is summarized.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Ginsenosides; Humans; Inflammation; Macrophages; Microglia; Panax; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 32183094
DOI: 10.3390/biom10030444 -
Nutrients Jun 2022Results from different clinical trials on the effects of ginseng on prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are still inconsistent. To fill this knowledge gap, we... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Results from different clinical trials on the effects of ginseng on prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are still inconsistent. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the overall effects of ginseng supplementation on improving cardiometabolic biomarkers among these patients. A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane library. A random-effect model was applied to estimate the weighted mean difference and 95% CI for each outcome. Overall, 20 eligible RCTs were included. Meta-analyses revealed that ginseng supplementation significantly reduced serum concentration of FPG, TC, IL-6, and HOMA-IR values. It also increased HR and TNF-α levels. Ginseng supplementation changed HOMA-IR and HDL-C significantly based on dose and changed HOMA-IR and LDL-C significantly based on study duration in a non-linear fashion. Furthermore, meta-regression analyses indicated a linear relationship between ginseng dose and absolute changes in HDL-C. Moreover, subgroup analyses showed that ginseng supplementation changed TC and LDL-C when the supplementation dose was ≥2 g/day. Our findings suggest that ginseng supplementation may be an effective strategy for improving cardiometabolic profiles in individuals with prediabetes and T2DM.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Cholesterol, LDL; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Dietary Supplements; Humans; Panax; Prediabetic State
PubMed: 35745129
DOI: 10.3390/nu14122401 -
Pharmaceutical Biology Dec 2022Red ginseng polysaccharide (RGP) is an active component of the widely used medicinal plant C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae), which has displayed promising activities against...
CONTEXT
Red ginseng polysaccharide (RGP) is an active component of the widely used medicinal plant C. A. Meyer (Araliaceae), which has displayed promising activities against cancer cells. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of RGP in ferroptosis is still unknown.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluates the effects of RGP in cancer cells.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A549 and MDA-MB-231 cells were used. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay after being treated with RGP at concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 μg/mL at 0, 12, 24 and 48 h. Lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed by C11-BODIPY assay. The control group was treated with PBS.
RESULTS
RGP inhibited human A549 (IC: 376.2 μg/mL) or MDA-MB-231(IC: 311.3 μg/mL) proliferation and induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, promoted ferroptosis and suppressed the expression of GPX4. Moreover, the effects of RGP were enhanced by the ferroptosis inducer erastin, while abolished by ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Our study is the first to demonstrate (1) the anticancer activity of RGP in human lung cancer and breast cancer. (2) RGP presented the anti-ferroptosis effects in lung and breast cancer cells via targeting GPX4.
Topics: Breast Neoplasms; Down-Regulation; Female; Ferroptosis; Humans; Panax; Polysaccharides
PubMed: 35575436
DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2022.2066139 -
Molecular Therapy : the Journal of the... Jan 2022Cold tumor microenvironment (TME) marked with low effector T cell infiltration leads to weak response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. Thus, switching...
Cold tumor microenvironment (TME) marked with low effector T cell infiltration leads to weak response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. Thus, switching cold to hot TME is critical to improve potent ICI therapy. Previously, we reported extracellular vesicle (EV)-like ginseng-derived nanoparticles (GDNPs) that were isolated from Panax ginseng C.A. Mey and can alter M2 polarization to delay the hot tumor B16F10 progression. However, the cold tumor is more common and challenging in the real world. Here, we explored a combinatorial strategy with both GDNPs and PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1) monoclonal antibody (mAb), which exhibited the ability to alter cold TME and subsequently induce a durable systemic anti-tumor immunity in multiple murine tumor models. GDNPs enhanced PD-1 mAb anti-tumor efficacy in activating tumor-infiltrated T lymphocytes. Our results demonstrated that GDNPs could reprogram tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to increase CCL5 and CXCL9 secretion for recruiting CD8 T cells into the tumor bed, which have the synergism to PD-1 mAb therapy with no detected systemic toxicity. In situ activation of TAMs by GDNPs may broadly serve as a facile platform to modulate the suppressive cold TME and optimize the PD-1 mAb immunotherapy in future clinical application.
Topics: Animals; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Line, Tumor; Immunotherapy; Mice; Nanoparticles; Panax; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 34450250
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.08.028