title: Ginsenosides from Panax ginseng differentially regulate lymphocyte proliferation.
abstract: We have examined the immunosuppressive effects of representative ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Re and Rg1) from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte proliferation. Ginsenosides differentially modulated lymphocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phytohemaglutinin (PHA) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). Thus, Rb1 and Re significantly enhanced Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation, whereas Rg1 did not affect the proliferation. Interestingly, however, Rb2 strongly blocked Con A, LPS and PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation with the IC50 values of 21.8, 29.0 and 24.0 microM, respectively. Moreover, Rb2 inhibited Con A-stimulated IL-2 production with an IC 50 of 13.3 microM. In the IL-2-stimulated CD8+ T cell (CTLL-2) proliferation assay, Re and Rg1 showed strong suppressive effects with IC50 values of 57.5 and 64.7 microM, respectively. In contrast, neither Rb1 nor Rb2 did inhibit CTLL-2 cell proliferation at tested concentrations. These results suggest that ginsenosides from P. ginseng may modulate lymphocyte proliferation in a different manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Molecular Pathology, Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, University College London Medical School, London, UK. jaecho@pathbox.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Jae Youl
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Ae Ra
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Sook
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Kyong Up
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Baik
authors.forename: Myung Hwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D036145:Ginsenosides; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D036145:Ginsenosides; D007376:Interleukin-2; D037102:Lectins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012503:Saponins; C048026:ginsenoside Rb2; D003208:Concanavalin A; C049864:ginsenoside Re; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1