Hypoglycemic constituents of Panax ginseng.
This article reviews the recent progress in the identification of hypoglycemic and insulino-mimetic principles in ginseng. Hitherto five types of substances have been discovered. They include five glycans designated panaxans A to E, adenosine, a carboxylic acid, a peptide with a molecular weight of 1400 and lacking in basic amino acid residues, and a fraction designated DPG-3-2 prepared from the water extract of ginseng. The structure of panaxan A has been partially elucidated and the glycans have been demonstrated to elicit hypoglycemia in both normal and diabetic mice. DPG-3-2 exerted its hypoglycemic action or provoked insulin secretion in diabetic and glucose-loaded normal mice while having no effect on normal mice. Adenosine, the carboxylic acid and the mol. wt 1400 peptide inhibited catecholamine-induced lipolysis in rat epididymal fat pads. EPG-3-2, a fraction related to DPG-3-2, also exhibited antilipolytic activity.
D000241:Adenosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism; D006027:Glycosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D005894:Panax / Q000032:analysis*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012995:Solubility
D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D002395:Catecholamines; D006027:Glycosides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010455:Peptides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D000241:Adenosine