Abstract
Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines and is reported to have a wide range of therapeutic and pharmacological applications. Ginsenosides, the major pharmacologically active ingredients of ginseng, appear to be responsible for most of the activities of ginseng including vasorelaxation, antioxidation, anti-inflammation and anticancer. Approximately 40 ginsenoside compounds have been identified. Researchers now focus on using purified individual ginsenoside to reveal the specific mechanism of functions of ginseng instead of using whole ginseng root extracts. Individual ginsenosides may have different effects in pharmacology and mechanisms due to their different chemical structures. Among them the most commonly studied ginsenosides are Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, Re, Rd and Rh1. The molecular mechanisms and medical applications of ginsenosides have attracted much attention and hundreds of papers have been published in the last few years. The general purpose of this update is to provide information of recently described effects of ginsenosides on antioxidation, vascular system, signal transduction pathways and interaction with receptors. Their therapeutic applications in animal models and humans as well as the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of ginsenosides are also discussed in this review. This review concludes with some thoughts for future directions in the further development of ginseng compounds as effective therapeutic agents.
Keywords: Ginsenoside, antioxidant, structure, eNOS, receptor, signal transduction pathway, therapeutic application, pharmacokinetics, toxicity
Current Vascular Pharmacology
Title: Ginseng Compounds: An Update on their Molecular Mechanisms and Medical Applications
Volume: 7 Issue: 3
Author(s): Jian-Ming Lu, Qizhi Yao and Changyi Chen
Affiliation:
Keywords: Ginsenoside, antioxidant, structure, eNOS, receptor, signal transduction pathway, therapeutic application, pharmacokinetics, toxicity
Abstract: Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines and is reported to have a wide range of therapeutic and pharmacological applications. Ginsenosides, the major pharmacologically active ingredients of ginseng, appear to be responsible for most of the activities of ginseng including vasorelaxation, antioxidation, anti-inflammation and anticancer. Approximately 40 ginsenoside compounds have been identified. Researchers now focus on using purified individual ginsenoside to reveal the specific mechanism of functions of ginseng instead of using whole ginseng root extracts. Individual ginsenosides may have different effects in pharmacology and mechanisms due to their different chemical structures. Among them the most commonly studied ginsenosides are Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, Re, Rd and Rh1. The molecular mechanisms and medical applications of ginsenosides have attracted much attention and hundreds of papers have been published in the last few years. The general purpose of this update is to provide information of recently described effects of ginsenosides on antioxidation, vascular system, signal transduction pathways and interaction with receptors. Their therapeutic applications in animal models and humans as well as the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of ginsenosides are also discussed in this review. This review concludes with some thoughts for future directions in the further development of ginseng compounds as effective therapeutic agents.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Lu Jian-Ming, Yao Qizhi and Chen Changyi, Ginseng Compounds: An Update on their Molecular Mechanisms and Medical Applications, Current Vascular Pharmacology 2009; 7 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016109788340767
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016109788340767 |
Print ISSN 1570-1611 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-6212 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Ischemic Cardiovascular Diseases: Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Therapy
Ischemic cardiovascular disease includes myocardial infarction, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, angina pectoris, etc., constitute the leading cause of patient mortality by preventing tissues from getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Ischemic heart disease, as a clinical condition, is characterized by myocardial ischemia, causing an imbalance between myocardial blood supply and demand, ...read more
TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN CHRONIC AND END STAGE KIDNEY DISEASE
Cardiovascular disease still remains the leading cause of death in Chronic and End Stage Kidney Disease, accounting for more than half of all deaths in dialysis patients. During the past decade, research has been focused on novel therapeutic agents that might delay or even reverse cardiovascular disease and vascular calcification, ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Hematoma Expansion Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Mechanisms Targeting the Coagulation Cascade and Platelet Activation
Current Drug Targets Use of Contrast Echocardiography in Intensive Care and at the Emergency Room
Current Cardiology Reviews The Management of Membranous Glomerulopathy in Allogeneic Stem Cells Transplantation: Updated Literature
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Editorial [Hot Topic: Ischemic Stroke in Very Old Patients (Guest Editor: Maria Cristina Zurru)]
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets The Use of Exercise Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Mitral Regurgitation
Current Cardiology Reviews How to Investigate the Vascular Changes in Resistant Hypertension
Current Hypertension Reviews Trends and Applications of Brain Computer Interfaces
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Editorial (Thematic Issue: Recent Progress in Drug Discovery for Parkinson's Disease)
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Human Tissue Kallikrein: A New Bullet for the Treatment of Ischemia
Current Pharmaceutical Design Ca2+ Signalling in Damaged Endothelium and Arterial Remodelling: Do Connexin Hemichannels Provide a Suitable Target to Prevent In-stent Restenosis?
Current Drug Therapy An Increasing Incidence of Treatment Resistance in Hypertension?
Current Drug Therapy Biochemical and Clinical Aspects of the Human Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase Form 3 (FMO3) Related to Trimethylaminuria
Current Drug Metabolism Drug Induced QT Prolongation: Lessons from Congenital and Acquired Long QT Syndromes
Current Drug Targets - Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders Pharmacological Interventions to Attenuate Alzheimer’s Disease Progression: The Story So Far
Current Alzheimer Research Statins and Portal Hypertension: A New Pharmacological Challenge
Current Vascular Pharmacology Editorial from Editor-in-Chief (Thrombolytic and Catheter-Directed Therapy for Pulmonary Embolism: The Paradox of Clinical Outcomes and Theory)
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews Editorial (Hot Topics: Inflammation: A Key Mechanism of Adverse Reactions to Coronary Stent and A Target for Future Therapies)
Current Vascular Pharmacology Xanthine Oxidase and its Role as Target in Cardiovascular Disease: Cardiovascular Protection by Enzyme Inhibition?
Current Pharmaceutical Design Berberine Encapsulated PLGA-PEG Nanoparticles Modulate PCSK-9 in HepG2 Cells
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Nocturnal Hypertension and Chronic Kidney Disease
Current Hypertension Reviews