Metabolism of ginsenoside Rg1 by intestinal bacteria. II. Immunological activity of ginsenoside Rg1 and Rh1.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 and its metabolite Rh1 on proinflammatory cytokines and their mRNA expression by THP-1 cells.


METHODS
Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were incubated with Rg1 and Rh1 at concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L, and the cell proliferation was measured 24 h after incubation. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to detect the production of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF alpha, IL-1 alpha, and IL-8. TNF alpha mRNA level was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) after administration of Rg1 and Rh1.


RESULTS
Rg1 and Rh1 (at concentration of 0.1, 1, 10, 100 mg/L) had no effect on PBMC proliferation. Rh1 1 mg/L could upregulate the productions of TNF (and IL-8 induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) 10 mg/L plus phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) 200 nmol/L, however, Rg1 showed an inhibitory effect on TNF alpha production induced by LPS 100 mg/L. Rg1 1 mg/L and Rh1 100 mg/L enhanced the production of IL-1 alpha level in THP-1 cells in the presence of LPS 10 mg/L. RT-PCR revealed that Rh1 stimulated TNF alpha mRNA expression in suitable stimulatory conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
Rg1 and Rh1 have different effects on the production of cytokines produced THP-1 cells stimulated by LPS and PMA.
Wang
Y
Y
Research Center of New Drug, Changchun College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130021, China.
Wang
B X
BX
Liu
T H
TH
Minami
M
M
Nagata
T
T
Ikejima
T
T
D036145:Ginsenosides; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015479:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012503:Saponins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D036145:Ginsenosides; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012503:Saponins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C425564:ginsenoside Rh1; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1