title: Ginsenoside Re lowers blood glucose and lipid levels via activation             of AMP-activated protein kinase in HepG2 cells and high-fat diet fed mice.
abstract: Ginsenoside Re is a protopanaxatriol-type saponin isolated from Panax ginseng berry. Although anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of Re have been reported by several groups, its mechanism of action is largely unknown until now. Here, we examine anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities of Re and action mechanism(s) in human HepG2 hepatocytes and high-fat diet fed C57BL/6J mice. Re suppresses the hepatic glucose production via induction of orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner (SHP), and inhibits lipogenesis via suppression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and its target gene [fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1)] transcription. These effects were mediated through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and abolished when HepG2 cells were treated with an AMPK inhibitor, Compound C. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups: regular diet fed group (RD), high-fat diet fed group (HFD) and the HFD plus Re (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) groups. Re treatment groups were fed a high-fat diet for 6 weeks, and then orally administered Re once a day for 3 weeks. The in vitro results are likely to hold true in an in vivo experiment, as Re markedly lowered blood glucose and triglyceride levels and protected against hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet fed C57BL/6J mice. In conclusion, the current study suggest that ginsenoside Re improves hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia through activation of AMPK, and confers beneficial effects on type 2 diabetic patients with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Hai-Dan
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Mi Song
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sung Kwon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Young Guk
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005943:Gluconeogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D036145:Ginsenosides; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; C049864:ginsenoside Re; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C109790:STK11 protein, human; D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases