title: Immunological adjuvant effect of ginsenoside Rh4 from the roots of Panax notoginseng on specific antibody and cellular response to ovalbumin in mice.
abstract: Ginsenoside Rh(4) (1), a saponin isolated from the roots of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen, was evaluated for its haemolytic activity and adjuvant potential on specific antibody and cellular response to ovalbumin (OVA) in mice. Compound 1 showed a slight haemolytic effect, its concentration inducing 50% of the maximum haemolysis (HD(50) value) being 407+/-12 microg/ml using a 0.5% suspension of red blood cells. Compound 1 significantly increased the concanavalin A (Con A)-, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-, and OVA-induced splenocyte proliferation in OVA-immunized mice especially at a dose of 25 microg (P<0.05, P<0.01, or P<0.001). The OVA-specific serum IgG, IgG1, and IgG2b antibody levels were also significantly enhanced by 1 at a dose of 25 microg compared to the OVA control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, the enhancing effect of 1 on the OVA-specific IgG2b antibody responses to OVA in mice was more significant than that of Alum (Al(OH)(3) gel; P<0.01). These results suggest that 1 could be safely used as adjuvant with low or non-haemolytic effect.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Hong-Xiang
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology*; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D062605:Quillaja Saponins; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D036145:Ginsenosides; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D062605:Quillaja Saponins; D012503:Saponins; C101280:ginsenoside Rh4; C078785:saponin QA-21V1; C046386:Quil A; D010047:Ovalbumin