Transgenic Panax ginseng inhibits the production of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 as well as COX-2 expression in human mast cells.

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Kim SJ, Jeong HJ, Yi BJ, Kang TH, An NH, Lee EH, Yang DC, Kim HM, Hong SH, Um JY

Transgenic Panax ginseng inhibits the production of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 as well as COX-2 expression in human mast cells.

Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(2):329-39.

PubMed ID

17436372 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

The most well-known medicinal plant, Panax ginseng (P. ginseng), contains various phytosterols and bioactive triterpene saponins (ginsenosides). Squalene synthase is a key regulatory enzyme for triterpene biosynthesis and overexpression of the squalene synthase confers the hyper-production of triterpene saponins to form transgenic ginseng. In this study, we have investigated whether and how transgenic P. ginseng modulates an inflammatory reaction in a stimulated human mast cell line, HMC-1. It was found that transgenic P. ginseng inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-stimulated HMC-1. Additionally, we have shown that transgenic P. ginseng suppressed the intracellular calcium level induced by PMACI. These results provide new insights into the pharmacological actions of transgenic P. ginseng as a potential molecule for use in therapy in mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Ginseng	Interleukin-6	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Antagonist	Details
Ginseng	Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Inhibitor	Details