Effect of Korean Red Ginseng water extract on the hepatic fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis in HepG2 cells

Abstract

Korean Ginseng, the root Panax ginseng CA Meyer, has been widely used as a traditional herbal medicine in East Asian countries. In this study, we investigated the effects of Korean Red Ginseng water extract (KRGE) on hepatic lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. First, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of KRGE on HepG2 cells. Cytotoxicity was unaffected in the concentrations of 1–50 μg/ml of KRGE.Intracellular lipid accumulation was assessed by the quantification of intracellular triglyceride and cholesterol contents. KRGE decreased hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Moreover, KRGE suppressed expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG‐CoA) reductase, a rate‐limiting enzyme in hepatic cholesterol synthesis. These results suggest that KRGE may reduce hepatic lipid accumulation by inhibition of FAS and HMG‐CoA reductase expression in HepG2 cells. Consequently, KRGE may be beneficial as a functional food ingredient to improve various hepatic diseases by reducing hepatic lipid accumulation.