title: Metabolism of ginsenoside Rg1 by intestinal bacteria. II. Immunological activity of ginsenoside Rg1 and Rh1.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of New Drug, Changchun College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130021, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: B X
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikejima
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D036145:Ginsenosides; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012503:Saponins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C425564:ginsenoside Rh1; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1