Abstract
Much has been written on the physiological benefits of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG). Among its various components, ginsenosides have been widely investigated for their various pharmacological effects. However, polysaccharides are a major KRG component that has not received scrutiny similar to that of ginsenosides. The present study aims to fill that gap in the existing literature and to investigate the possible functions of polysaccharide in KRG. The researchers evaluated proteomic changes in non-saponin fractions with rich polysaccharides (NFP) in KRG. Based on the serum analysis, proteomics analysis of the liver and the spleen was additionally conducted to identify related functions. We validated the suggested functions of NFP with the galactosamine-induced liver injury model and the cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression model. Then, we evaluated the antimetastatic potential of NFP in the lungs. Further proteomics analysis of the spleen and liver after ingestion confirmed functions related to immunity, cancer, hepatoprotection, and others. Then, we validated the suggested corresponding functions of the NFP in vivo model. NFP showed immune-enhancing effects, inhibited melanoma cell metastasis in the lung, and decreased liver damage. The results show that using the proteomic approach uncovers the potential effects of polysaccharides in KRG, which include enhancing the immune system and protecting the liver.
Highlights
Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is processed Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer), a representative indigenous plant
The researchers performed a proteomic analysis of rat sera to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the first step
Many KRG-related articles look at its active components, like ginsenoside and polysaccharide, but polysaccharides have not been as deeply investigated when compared with ginsenosides [4]
Summary
Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is processed Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer), a representative indigenous plant. The diverse pharmacological effects of KRG have been reported in both clinical and experimental research. Molecules 2020, 25, 3019 ginsenoside, non-saponin components such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, flavonoids, and others [3] Among these components, ginsenosides have been well researched for various pharmacological activities. The activities of polysaccharides as major components of KRG have not been as deeply investigated as ginsenoside activities [4], because ginsenosides seemed easier to isolate and characterize in terms of chemical structure. For this reason, polysaccharides have been less explored, in terms of evaluating all their possible functions individually
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