title: Reductions in levels of the Alzheimer's amyloid beta peptide after oral administration of ginsenosides.
abstract: For millennia, ginseng and some of its components have been used to treat a wide variety of medical conditions, including age-related memory impairment. Because of its purported effects and apparently low rate of side effects, ginseng remains one of the top selling natural product remedies in the United States. Given its potential role for improving age-related memory impairments and its common use in China for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms, we analyzed the effects of commercially available preparations of ginseng on the accumulation of the Alzheimer's amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) in a cell-based model system. In this model system, ginseng treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of Abeta in the conditioned medium. We next examined the effects of several compounds isolated from ginseng and found that certain ginsenosides lowered Abeta concentration in a dose-dependent manner with ginsenoside Rg3 having an approximate IC50 of under 25 microM against Abeta42. Furthermore, we found that three of these isolated components, ginsenoside Rg1, Rg3, and RE, resulted in significant reductions in the amount of Abeta detected in the brains of animals after single oral doses of these agents. The results indicate that ginseng itself, or purified ginsenosides, may have similarly useful effects in human disease.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Birdsall Bldg. Rm. 327, 4500 San Pablo Rd., Jacksonville, Florida 32224, USA.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Eckman
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Eckman
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D005260:Female; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D036145:Ginsenosides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010936:Plant Extracts; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); C097367:ginsenoside Rg3