Effects of Ginsenosides, Active Ingredients of Panax ginseng, on Development, Growth, and Life Span of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER, has been used as a representative tonic for two thousand years in the Far East countries like Korea, China, and Japan. Now, ginseng is one of the most famous and precious herbal medicines consumed around the world. 1) Although ginseng exhibits multiple pharmacological actions in vitro or in vivo studies, its mechanisms on various efficacies are still elusive. Recent accumulating evidences show that ginseng saponins (or ginsenosides) are the main active ingredients of ginseng (Fig. 1). Ginseng root contains 3-4% of ginseng saponins. Ginseng saponins are especially abundant in fine roots rather than main body of ginseng root. Ginseng saponins are one of glycoside saponins and one of the derivatives of triterpenoid dammarane consisting of thirty carbon atoms. Each ginsenoside has a common hydrophobic four ring cholesterol-like backbone structure with sugar moieties attached. About 30 different types of ginseng saponins have been isolated and identified from the root of Panax ginseng (Fig. 1).Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is one of nematode species and is one of free living animals under the earth rather than is parasitic in host animals or plants. C. elegans takes its food from dead animals or plants. Since C. elegans has short life cycle and large amounts of worms can be easily grown for biochemical assays or genetic studies in the laboratory, the organism is one of the well-established genetic models and its development processes have well characterized. Interestingly, C. elegans cannot synthesize sterols unlike other The backbone structure of ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, is similar with that of sterol, especially cholesterol. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is one of free living nematodes and is well-established animal model for biochemical and genetic studies. C. elegans cannot synthesize de novo cholesterol, although cholesterol is essential requirement for its growth and development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) on the average brood size, growth, development, worm size, and life span of C. elegans in cholesterol-deprived and -fed medium. Cholesterol deprivation caused damages on normal growth, reproduction, and life span of worms throughout F1 to F3 generations. GTS supplement to cholesterol-deprived medium restored the growth, reproduction, and life span of worms as much as cholesterol alone-fed medium. GTS co-supplement to cholesterol-fed medium not only promoted worm reproduction but also induced bigger worms and faster growth than cholesterol-fed medium. In study to identify which ginsenosides are responsible for life span restoring effects of GTS, we found that ginsenoside Rc supplement not only restored life span of worms grown in cholesterol-deprived medium but also prolonged life span of worms grown in cholesterol-fed medium. Worms grown in medium supplemented with ginsenoside Rb 1 or Rc to cholesterol-deprived medium exhibited strong filipin staining, in which filipin f...

New triterpenoids from the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng

“…Triterpene saponins are the principal bioactive constituents of the root of P. ginseng, which have been reported to show antitumor, antistress, antiaging, radioresistance, and immunostimulating activities, etc. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Our previous phytochemical studies on the stems and leaves of P. ginseng had resulted in the isolation of four new and two known ginsenoside [10], and further chemical analysis had led to the isolation of three new dammarane-type triterpene saponins named ginsenosides Rh 18 (1), Rh 19 (3) and Rh 20 (4), along with two new triterpene sapogenins 12β,23(R)-epoxydammara-24-ene-3β,6α,20(S)-triol (2) and dammara-(20E)22,25-diene-3β,6α,12β,24S-tetrol (5).…”

Effects of Minor Ginsenosides, Ginsenoside Metabolites, and Ginsenoside Epimers on the Growth of Caenorhabditis elegans

“…In the previous report, we could demonstrate that ginsenoside Rb 1 and Rc but not Rg 1 restored the average brood size, growth rate, percent development, and life span of C. elegans in cholesterol-deprived medium [6]. These results show a possibility that ginsenosides differentially affect development and growth of worm in cholesterol-deprived medium.…”

“…In the previous report, we have shown that supplements of ginseng total saponins (GTS) fraction and ginsenoside Rb 1 and Rc restored normal growth of C. elegans grown in cholesterol-deprived-medium [6]. These results show a possibility that the individual ginsenosides might have differential effects on growth of C. elegans .…”

Botanical Medicine and Phytochemicals in Healthy Aging and Longevity—Part 1

“…Ginsenosides have been found to extend life span in a nematode model. 23 In a model of cellular senescence, the ginsenoside Rg1 has been found to increase telomerase expression and prevent terminal restriction fragment shortening (terminal restriction fragment analysis is considered the gold standard assay for measuring telomere length). 24 In a mouse model of hematopoietic stem cell aging, Rg1 was also determined to reduce the number of cells entering the G1 phase, decrease telomere shortening, and increase telomerase activity.…”