Journal of Ginseng Research (Apr 2015)

Anti-inflammatory activity of AP-SF, a ginsenoside-enriched fraction, from Korean ginseng

  • Kwang-Soo Baek,
  • Yong Deog Hong,
  • Yong Kim,
  • Nak Yoon Sung,
  • Sungjae Yang,
  • Kyoung Min Lee,
  • Joo Yong Park,
  • Jun Seong Park,
  • Ho Sik Rho,
  • Song Seok Shin,
  • Jae Youl Cho

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgr.2014.10.004
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 39, no. 2
pp. 155 – 161

Abstract

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Background: Korean ginseng is an ethnopharmacologically valuable herbal plant with various biological properties including anticancer, antiatherosclerosis, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Since there is currently no drug or therapeutic remedy derived from Korean ginseng, we developed a ginsenoside-enriched fraction (AP-SF) for prevention of various inflammatory symptoms. Methods: The anti-inflammatory efficacy of AP-SF was tested under in vitro inflammatory conditions including nitric oxide (NO) production and inflammatory gene expression. The molecular events of inflammatory responses were explored by immunoblot analysis. Results: AP-SF led to a significant suppression of NO production compared with a conventional Korean ginseng saponin fraction, induced by both lipopolysaccharide and zymosan A. Interestingly, AP-SF strongly downregulated the mRNA levels of genes for inducible NO synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, and cyclooxygenase) without affecting cell viability. In agreement with these observations, AP-SF blocked the nuclear translocation of c-Jun at 2 h and also reduced phosphorylation of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and TAK-1, all of which are important for c-Jun translocation. Conclusion: Our results suggest that AP-SF inhibits activation of c-Jun-dependent inflammatory events. Thus, AP-SF may be useful as a novel anti-inflammatory remedy.

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