title: Immunopotentiation and antitumor effects of a ginsenoside Rg₃-fortified red ginseng preparation in mice bearing H460 lung cancer cells.
abstract: Antitumor effects of a ginsenoside Rg(3)-fortified red ginseng preparation (Rg(3)-RGP) were investigated in human non-small cell lung carcinoma (H460) cells using in vitro cytotoxicity assay and in vivo nude mouse xenograft model. Immunomodulatory effects of the preparation were also assessed by measuring the facilitating activities on the nitric oxide (NO) release from peritoneal macrophages, in vitro and in vivo lymphocyte proliferation, and the carbon clearance from circulating blood. In a cell level, Rg(3)-RGP exerted H460 cytotoxicity and facilitated splenocyte proliferation at very high concentrations, without affecting NO production. However, oral administration of Rg(3)-RGP (100-300 mg/kg) enhanced carbon particle-phagocytic index of blood macrophages up to 360-397% of control value. In addition, Rg(3)-RGP significantly increased the splenocyte proliferation (23% at 100mg/kg). In tumor-bearing mice, 28-day oral treatment with Rg(3)-RGP (100mg/kg) remarkably suppressed the tumor growth, leading to the decrease of the tumor volume and weight by 30-31%, which was comparable to the effect (27-29% reduction) of doxorubicin (2mg/kg at 3-day intervals). While Rg(3)-RGP did not cause adverse effects, intravenous injection of doxorubicin markedly decreased body and testes weights, and exhibited severe depletion of spermatogenic cells in the atrophic seminiferous tubules. These results indicate that Rg(3)-RGP exerts antitumor activities via indirect immunomodulatory actions, without causing adverse effects as seen in doxorubicin.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 361-763, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dongsun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dae-Kwon
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Jeong Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Jinsoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Namgil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Goeun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yun-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tae Kyun
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jugyeong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Sun Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byeng Sub
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Tae Hawn
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Shin Jyung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Seong Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Seung U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yun-Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D028321:Plant Preparations; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D036145:Ginsenosides; D028321:Plant Preparations; C097367:ginsenoside Rg3; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002244:Carbon; D004317:Doxorubicin