Beneficial Effects of a Combination of Korean Red Ginseng and Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Patients

Abstract

To determine whether Korean red ginseng (KRG) has beneficial effects on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients administered highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), we analyzed the CD4 T-cell count, viral load, and resistance mutations to HAART in 46 individuals. Thirteen patients harbored resistance mutations at baseline. The study population was divided into two groups: specifically, a group treated with a combination of HAART plus KRG (23 patients) and a group treated with HAART alone (23 patients). The annual increase in CD4 T-cell count in the combination group was significantly higher than that in the group treated with HAART alone (P < 0.05). Overall, 21 patients harbored resistance mutations after 3 years of therapy. Following exclusion of 13 patients displaying baseline resistance mutations, 7.1% of patients (1/14) in the combination group and 42.1% (8/19) in the HAART group were identified with resistance mutations. One patient with baseline resistance mutations in the combination group did not display resistance mutations 3 years after HAART therapy. High-level resistance mutations were significantly lower in the combination group than in the group treated with HAART alone. Five patients showed no improvement in viral copy number (26.3% [5/19]) in the combination group and 9 (45.0% [9/20]) showed no improvement in the HAART-only group. Our data support the clinical utility of KRG intake during HAART therapy.

Dosage and Duration Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Intake on Frequency of Gross Deletions in the nef Gene

“…In ad-dition, the frequency of a gross deletion in the 5'-LTR/ gag in these KRG-treated patients was 2-fold higher than that of the g∆nef [20]. With KRG treatment alone, several patients among less than 100 HIV-1 infected patients diagnosed prior to 1991 remained healthy for 20 years after diagnosis [20,21], and we recently showed that combined treatment with HAART plus KRG was more beneficial than HAART only [22].…”

“…The daily dose of KRG was 5.4 g for men and 2.7 g for women [22]. On averfor men and 2.7 g for women [22].…”

Renoprotective effect of red ginseng in gentamicin-induced acute kidney injury

“…Ginseng saponin is a major component of ginseng extract, and a glycoside of ginseng saponin known specifically as ginsenoid is regarded as an active component responsible for various beneficial effects of ginseng. [25][26][27][28] Red ginseng is produced by steaming and drying fresh ginseng, which results in chemical changes of ginsenoids are reported (Cyto c-c), cleaved caspase-3 and -9, and Bcl-2 are blocked by antioxidants, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC, 5 mM), NOX inhibitor (NOXi, 1 mM), and MitoQ (1 mM) at 6 and 24 h. Representative western blots (a) and quantitation graph at 6 and 24 h (b, c) are shown. b-Actin is used as control.…”

Protective Effect of Korean Red Ginseng Extract on the Infections by H1N1 and H3N2 Influenza Viruses in Mice

“…3,4 Various beneficial pharmacological effects of ginseng or its components have been reported, including anticancer, anti-allergy, antiinflammatory, antifatigue, antistress, and immunomodulatory activities. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] In clinical studies, ginseng has been shown to have beneficial effects on improving the survival and the quality of life among breast cancer patients, 17 in a placebocontrolled pilot trial of cancer patients, 18 in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus, 19,20 and on reducing the occurrence of gastric cancer. 21 Immunomodulatory effects are among the beneficial properties attributed to ginseng extract.…”