Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation: experimental evidence

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing, idiopathic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical studies suggest that the initiation of IBD is multifactorial, involving genetics, the immune system and environmental factors, such as diet, drugs and stress. Pfaffia paniculata is an adaptogenic medicinal plant used in Brazilian folk medicine as an anti-stress agent. Thus, we hypothesised that the P. paniculata enhances the response of animals subjected to colonic inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of P. paniculata in rats before or after induction of intestinal inflammation using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS). The animals were divided into groups that received the vehicle, prednisolone or P. paniculata extract daily starting 14days before or 7days after TNBS induction. At the end of the procedure, the animals were killed and their colons were assessed for the macroscopic damage score (MDS), extent of the lesion (EL) and weight/length ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and glutathione (GSH), cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Histological evaluation and ultrastructural analysis of the colonic samples were performed. Treatment with the 200mg/kg dose on the curative schedule was able to reduce the MDS and the EL. In addition, MPO activity was reduced, GSH levels were maintained, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CRP were decreased. In conclusion, the protective effect of P. paniculata was related to reduced oxidative stress and CRP colonic levels, and due to immunomodulatory activity as evidenced by reduced levels of IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α and IL-6.

Ein chinesisches Wunderkraut (Aralia Ginseng oder Panax Shin-Seng)

Von Fr. Wilh. Gross

Ein chinesisches Wunderkraut (Aralia Ginseng oder Panax Shin-Seng) : Schluß

Von Fr. Wilh. Gross

A trace component of ginseng that inhibits Ca2+ channels through a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein.

A crude extract from ginseng root inhibits high-threshold, voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels through an unknown receptor linked to a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. We now have found the particular compound that seems responsible for the effect: it is a saponin, called ginsenoside Rf (Rf), that is present in only trace amounts within ginseng. At saturating concentrations, Rf rapidly and reversibly inhibits N-type, and other high-threshold, Ca2+ channels in rat sensory neurons to the same degree as a maximal dose of opioids. The effect is dose-dependent (half-maximal inhibition: 40 microM) and it is virtually eliminated by pretreatment of the neurons with pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of G(o) and Gi GTP-binding proteins. Other ginseng saponins--ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Re, and Rg1--caused relatively little inhibition of Ca2+ channels, and lipophilic components of ginseng root had no effect. Antagonists of a variety of neurotransmitter receptors that inhibit Ca2+ channels fail to alter the effect of Rf, raising the possibility that Rf acts through another G protein-linked receptor. Rf also inhibits Ca2+ channels in the hybrid F-11 cell line, which might, therefore, be useful for molecular characterization of the putative receptor for Rf. Because it is not a peptide and it shares important cellular and molecular targets with opioids, Rf might be useful in itself or as a template for designing additional modulators of neuronal Ca2+ channels.

Ginseng : its history, cultivation, market value and profits : text /

"Fifth edition"-- Cover.

U.S. ginseng in the Far East market /

Mode of access: Internet.

Biology of ginseng (panax quinquefolium in Illinois /

On cover: Biology of ginseng in Illinois.

Histoire naturelle du thé de la Chine : de ses différentes espèces, de sa récolte, de ses préparations, de sa culture en Europe, de l'usage qu'on en fait, comme boisson, chez différens peuples, principalement en Angleterre, de ses bons et mauvais effets, et de ses propriétes en médecine, dans les cas d'indigestion et de transpiration supprimée; a laquelle on a joint un mémoire sur le thé du Paraguay, de Labrador, des Isles, du Cap, du Mexique, d'Oswego, de la Martinique, du Japon, et des notices sur differentes plantes de l'Europe, propres à remplacer le vrai thé; suivie d'une notice sur le cachou, le ginseng et l'huile de cajeput /

"Liste des ouvrages nouveaux, économiques de J. P. Buc'hoz, publiés aux frais de Madame Buc'hoz, et qui se trouvent chex elle, à l'adresse rapportée ci-devant" at end of work.

Investigating an Alternative Treatment to Cystic Fibrosis: Testing the Effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer extracts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The predominant pathogen found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The success of the infection is partially due to virulence factor production, which is regulated by quorum sensing (QS) signaling. Currently, antibiotics are used to treat the infection, but resistant forms of P. aeruginosa have evolved, necessitating alternative treatments. Previous animal studies showed that treatment with extracts from the Chinese herb Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer reduced bacterial load resulting in a favorable immune response. It is hypothesized that ginsenosides, the major bioactive compounds in ginseng, is responsible for this effect. This study explores the role of ginseng extracts in attenuating P. aeruginosa virulence. A sequential extraction was performed using hexane, methylene chloride, methanol, and water. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed the methanol and water ginseng extracts contained the known ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, and Rg1• All extracts were tested on biomonitor strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens,Chromobacterium violaceum, and P. aeruginosa. Antibacterial and anti-QS activity were assessed using a disc diffusion assay. This was then followed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) bioautographic assay to further separate active compounds. The hexane and dichloromethane extracts, that lacked ginsenosides, displayed antibacterial activity against C. violaceum, whereas methanol and water extracts had anti-QS activity. The results of the bioassay with the pure ginsenoside standards showed that they lack antibacterial or anti-QS activity. Our results indicate that there are bioactive compounds, other than ginsenosides, that are the cause of antibacterial effects and anti-QS in the ginseng extracts.

Testing the Efficacy of Panax ginseng Extract as a Novel Anti-Quorum Sensing Agent

Quorum sensing (QS) is the phenomenon by which microorganisms regulate gene expression in response to cell-population density. These microorganisms synthesize and secrete small molecules known as autoinducers that increase in concentration as a function of cell density. Once the cell detects the minimal threshold concentration of an autoinducer, the gene expression is altered accordingly. Although the cellular circuitry responding to QS is relatively conserved, the cellular processes regulated by QS, for example are conjugation, motility, sporulation, biofilm formation and production of virulence factors importamt for infection. Since many pathogens have developed resistance to available antibiotics, novel therapies are required to further treat these pathogens. Inhibitors of QS are potential therapeutic candidates since they would inhibit virulence without selecting for antibiotic resistant strains. Previous studies have shown that the Chinese herb Panax ginseng contains compounds that inhibit QS activity. To further characterize this activity, a highly sensitive quantitative liquid assay was developed using a Chromobacterium violaceum AHL mutant, CV026 as a biomonitor strain. After confirmation that P. ginseng aqueous extracts had anti-QS activity, the extract was fractionated on a reverse phase C18 Sep Pak column. Most anti-QS activity was present in the flow through, and compounds eluted with ten percent acetonitrile in water antibacterial activity. We thus conclude that P. ginseng has anti-QS activity and the active compound is water soluble. Compounds from P. ginseng, could be used as a lead structure to design compound with higher anti-QS activity for therapeutic treatments.

西洋参体细胞胚胎发生的研究

以西洋参(Panax quinquefolium L.)为材料，从胚、胚乳、多年生主根等外植体诱导筛选得到多种胚性及非胚性愈伤组织，胚来源的胚性愈伤组织经用附加1.0ppm 2,4-D的MS培养基继代保持三年后仍具旺盛的体细胞胚胎发生能力，以胚性愈伤组织建立的液体培养系统可得到大量游离的胚状体，将胚状体包埋制成的人工种子能在附加0.1ppm NAA和1.0ppm GA_3的B_s培养基上萌发形成根、茎、叶健全的再生植株，并且移栽成活。松软型根愈伤组织以过长期继代培养后，也得到了胚状体发生。比较了多种培养因素对体细胞胚胎发生和愈伤组织的影响，其中外植体来源、基本培养基的无机盐组成以及生长素是决定愈伤组织形态结构类型和体细胞胚胎发生能力的主要因素。胚乳愈伤组织、质密型根愈伤组织以及来源于胚的松软型非胚性愈伤组织在多种诱导条件下均未能发生胚状体。 从松软型的胚或根愈伤组织均容易游离大量原生质体，用悬浮培养物游离原生质体的得率更高，从早期胚状体也可酶解得到可用于培养量的原生质体。原生质体体积均很小，培养中的行为也相似，有些形成细胞壁，细胞变形，个别进行细胞分裂，形成少数细胞团，但未形成愈伤组织;有些原生质体仍保持球形，体积剧裂膨大几十倍，小液泡汇聚成大液泡，有些液泡中积累紫红色素。 用石蜡切片、半薄切片、透射电镜和扫描电镜等方法对各种愈伤组织的内部结构及外部形态进行了详细观察，发现胚状体起源于愈伤组织的表皮或表皮下层细胞，有单个发生和成丛发生两种发生方式，不同愈伤组织细胞的显微及超微结构各具特色。胚乳愈伤组织、松软型根愈作组织以及胚状体的细胞虽然都具有某些胚性细胞结构特征，例如细胞体积小、细胞核大、细胞质浓厚、细胞器丰富等，但它们并不具有现实的体细胞胚胎发生能力。发生胚状体的细胞含大量多核糖体和内质网片段，小液泡数量少且形成多泡复合体，细胞壁也由于在组织中所外的位置不同而有厚薄两种类型之分，细胞常形成胚性细胞复合体，位于愈伤组织的外围，边缘可分化为许多小细胞团。胚性细胞复合体的表面质密平整，有许多丝状物和颗粒，细胞轮廓不清，但有显著突出的小细胞，细胞表面具沟脊;而其它各型愈伤组织的表面均为球形或半球形的大型细胞，表面仅具细小的纹理、凸起或颗粒。 胚来源的胚性愈伤组织的总蛋白组成与来源相同，但形态结构截然不同的非胚性愈作组织的总蛋白组成差异显著，后者与形态结构特征相似的根本源公软型愈伤组织具有相似的蛋白质电泳带型，但多一条33KD的蛋白带;培养基中去掉2,4-D后，松软型根愈伤组织的蛋白质组成发生轻微变化。等电聚焦和SDS聚丙烯酰胺凝胶双向电泳揭示出在单向电泳扫描上呈现最高峰的17KD蛋白质在胚性愈伤组织中随等电点的不同而分离，在其它三种构软型愈伤组织中则仅集中在等电点为5.9处，为一个大而染色深的点。 同样培养基上培养的形态结构不同的愈伤组织所含元素的量不同，说明细胞对无机盐的吸收是有选择性的，不同类型的愈伤组织可积累不同的元素。培养基中的元素组成情况在愈伤组织中也有一定反映，在含钠、钾元素较多的B_5培养基上生长的愈伤组织中这两种元素的含量也较高，培养基的离子胁迫作用和细胞对离子一定程度的被动吸收会影响细胞的代谢方式，从而导致细胞类型的分化，基本培养基对愈伤组织类型的转变及体细胞胚胎发生能力的影响可能正是通过影响细胞的离子吸收、代谢平衡而实现。

人参配伍的物质基础研究

采用电喷雾多极串联质谱技术，对正、负离子条件下人参中的皂苷类化合物的碎裂机理、苷元类型和糖基的种类、连接顺序及连接位点的信息进行了系统的研究。并用高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱联用技术, 对人参中的皂苷类化合物进行了在线分析，建立了中药粗提物中皂苷类化合物快速检测的方法。 采用电喷雾质谱和高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱联用技术对人参与不同比例酸、甘味中药：五味子、麦冬、金银花、黄芪、何首乌配伍前后溶液中人参皂苷的种类与含量的变化进行了研究。建立了一种快速、简便地鉴别药对中人参皂苷化合物的方法。试验结果表明，各单体皂苷含量的变化十分复杂。有机酸对人参皂苷的溶出和水解有较为显著的影响。 采用电喷雾质谱和高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱联用技术对人参与不同比例苦、辛味中药：附子、黄连、赤芍、大黄、干姜配伍前后溶液中人参皂苷的种类与含量的变化进行了研究。试验结果也表明，有机酸对人参皂苷的溶出和水解有一定的影响；附子和黄连中所含的生物碱类化合物在水溶液中对人参皂苷的影响不大，而将提取液换成50％的乙醇溶液则可以促进人参皂苷的溶出。 采用高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱联用技术对与人参相反、相恶、相畏的中药藜芦、五灵脂、莱菔子与人参的配伍进行研究，观察人参皂苷在配伍前后的变化。试验结果表明：人参与这三种中药配伍后，溶液中人参皂苷总量下降，且人参对藜芦中毒性较大的藜芦生物碱的溶出具有促进作用。 采用高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱联用技术对不同pH值水溶液中的人参皂苷的溶出，水解变化进行研究，试验结果表明：在碱性溶液中人参皂苷的溶出量增加且不易水解；在酸性溶液中，酸性越强人参皂苷溶出量越低且更易水解，水解产物较复杂，多为失去C20位糖基的小分子量人参皂苷和其C20的手性异构体，还可发现分子量为802Da的水合分子。 采用半制备液相色谱对二醇型皂苷Rb1和三醇型皂苷Re的水解产物进行分离和鉴定。共分离出四种分子量为802Da的水解产物。通过高分辨质谱仪对这几个化合物的特征质谱行为进行了系统研究，总结了该类化合物特征的质谱裂解规律，并鉴定了它们的结构。

The inhibitory effect of intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginsenosides on CYP3A activity

The intestinal bacterial metabolites of ginsenosides are responsible for the main pharmacological activities of ginseng. The purpose of this study was to find whether these metabolites influence hepatic metabolic enzymes and to predict the potential for ginseng-prescription drug interactions. Utilizing the probe reaction of CYP3A activity, testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation, the effects of derivatives of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol families on CYP3A activity in rat liver microsomes were assayed. Our results showed that ginsenosides from the 20(S)-protopanaxadiol and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol family including Rb-1, Rb-2, Rc, Compound-K, Re, and Rg(1), had no inhibitory effect, whereas Rg(2), 20(S)-panaxatriol and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol exhibited competitive inhibitory activity against CVP3A activity in these microsomes with the inhibition constants (K) of 86.4+/-0.8mum, 1.7+/-0.1mum, and 3.2+/-0.2 mum, respectively. This finding demonstrates that differences in their chemical structure might influence the effects of ginsenosides on CYP3A activity and that ginseng-derived products might have potential for significant ginseng-drug interactions.

不同加工方法红参中精氨酸双糖苷的电喷雾质谱研究

Four different methods were used to process fresh ginseng into red ginseng in this paper. The contents of AFG in these red ginseng were determined by ESI-MS. The results show that the indirect steaming method plays an important role in increasing the AFG content, while soakage in vinegar alone has no effect on it.