Anti-inflammatory and antifatigue effect of Korean Red Ginseng in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
BACKGROUND
Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a well-known natural product with anticarcinogenic and antioxidant effects. We evaluated the antifatigue effect of KRG in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).


METHODS
Eighty patients with NAFLD were prospectively randomized to receive 3 wk of KRG or placebo in addition to counseling on healthy eating and regular exercise. Liver function test, proinflammatory cytokines, adiponectin, antioxidant activity, and fatigue score were measured and compared according to the body mass index between the KRG and placebo groups.


RESULTS
The liver function tests were significantly improved after 3 wk of treatment in both groups. The mean levels (at baseline and after treatment) of tumor necrosis factor-α were 108.0 pg/mL ± 54.8 pg/mL and 92.7 pg/mL ± 39.0 pg/mL (p = 0.018) in the KRG group and 123.1 pg/mL ± 42.1 pg/mL and 127.5 pg/mL ± 62.2 pg/mL (p = 0.694) in the placebo group, respectively. There was a significant difference in change of adiponectin levels between the KRG (7,751.2 pg/mL ± 3,108.1 pg/mL and 8,197.3 pg/mL ± 2,714.5 pg/mL) and placebo groups (7,711.6 pg/mL ± 3,041.3 pg/mL and 7,286.1 pg/mL ± 5,188.7 pg/mL, p = 0.027). In patients with overweight, the fatigue score was significantly decreased in the KRG group (35.0 ± 13.2 and 24.5 ± 8.9, p = 0.019).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that KRG might be effective in reducing proinflammatory cytokine and fatigue in overweight patients with NAFLD, in addition to improvements in adiponectin levels.
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Meegun
M
Hong
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Yoon Hyeong
YH
Lee
Department of Biomedical Science, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Seungwoo
S
Kim
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea; Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Ki Tae
KT
Suk
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Chang Seok
CS
Bang
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Jai Hoon
JH
Yoon
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Gwang Ho
GH
Baik
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Dong Joon
DJ
Kim
College of Agriculture and Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.
Myong Jo
MJ
Kim
Panax ginseng; adiponectin; chronic hepatitis; fatty liver