구강악취 원인 물질인 <TEX>$H_2S$</TEX>를 발생시키는 NaHS로 RAW 264.7 세포를 자극시킨 결과, VSCs 생성에 관련된 CSE 유전자 발현증가와 함께 IL-6, COX-2, iNOS와 같은 염증매개 cytokine이 증가하며, 아울러 본 대식세포나 백혈구 활성에 관련된 세포내 골격단백질인 ERM의 발현증가가 유도되었다. 이러한 사실은 이전의 연구결과인 VSCs의 생성이 위점막 염증 및 손상과 연관되어 있다는 이전의 연구를 증빙해주는 사실인데, 더욱 흥미로운 사실은 고려 홍삼의 전처치를 통하여 CSE의 억제는 물론 염증 연관 cytokine 및 ERM의 발현억제를 유도할 수 있으며, 이는 세포내 신호전달계인 p38 및 ERK의 억제, 주로는 ERK 비활성화를 통하여 작동됨을 규명하였다. 고려홍삼이 구강악취 환자에게서 증상 완화내지는 소멸을 위하여 매우 유용하다는 이전의 연구결과에 본 연구결과가 추가됨으로 고려홍삼에 의한 VSC 생성억제 기전이 관련된 유전자의 약화는 물론 cytokine 억제 및 백혈구 활성에 관련된 인자억제를 통한 항염증 작용에 근거한다는 기전을 추가할 수 있었다. Halitosis is a generally accepted marker of diseases in the oral cavity and of systemic and gastrointestinal disorders. Based on these authors' previous findings (that (1) there is a close association between H. pylori infection and halitosis; (2) Korea red ginseng may suppress the colonization of H. pylori, fight H. pylori-induced cytotoxicity, and impose significant anti-inflammatory actions in patients with chronic gastritis; and (3) H. pylori infection is linked with the generation of significant levels of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), and the levels of VSCs correlate significantly with H. pylori-associated mucosal damages), in the current study, the authors documented the molecular mechanisms of Korea red ginseng's efficacy in ameliorating halitosis. When the RAW 264.7 cells were treated with the <TEX>$H_2S$</TEX> releasing compound NaHS, the mRNA expression of cystathionine <TEX>${\gamma}$</TEX>-lyase (CSE), IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS were more significantly induced compared with the vehicle-treated group. The cytoskeletal components of ezrin's and moesin's mRNA expressions were elevated by NaHS treatment accompanied by the activation of MAPK, p38, and ERK. Korea red ginseng pretreatment reduced both the NaHS-induced CSE expression and the proinflammatory genes (e.g., IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS) in a concentration-dependent manner. The ERM expression and the phosphorylation of p38 were also significantly reduced by Korea-red-ginseng pretreatment. Overall, Korea red ginseng pretreatment imposed significant anti-inflammatory effects through the downregulation of the NaHS-triggered proinflammatory gene expression, CSE, and ERM mRNA expression. Korea red ginseng could thus be said to be a key remedy of halitosis and to be effective in relieving gastric inflammation.