Cytokine Biology Group, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Molecules. 2011 Mar 30;16(4):2802-16. doi: 10.3390/molecules16042802.
Panax ginseng is one of the most commonly used Chinese medicines in China, Asia and Western countries. The beneficial effects of ginseng have been attributed to the biological activities of its constituents, the ginsenosides. In this review, we summarize recent publications on the anti-inflammatory effects of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides on cellular responses triggered by different inducers including endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma and other stimuli. Proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules and mediators of inflammation including inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 and nitric oxide orchestrate the inflammatory response. Ginseng extracts and ginsenosides including Rb₁, Rd, Rg₁, Rg₃, Rh₁, Rh₂, Rh₃ and Rp₁ have been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties in different studies related to inflammation. Ginsenosides inhibit different inducers-activated signaling protein kinases and transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB leading to decreases in the production of cytokines and mediators of inflammation. The therapeutic potential of ginseng on TNF-α-mediated inflammatory diseases is also discussed. Taken together, this summary provides evidences for the anti-inflammatory effects of ginseng extracts and ginsenosides as well as the underlying mechanisms of their effects on inflammatory diseases.
人参是中国、亚洲和西方国家最常用的中药之一。人参的有益作用归因于其成分——人参皂苷的生物活性。在这篇综述中，我们总结了最近关于人参提取物和人参皂苷对不同诱导剂（包括内毒素、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、干扰素-γ和其他刺激物）触发的细胞反应的抗炎作用的出版物。促炎细胞因子、趋化因子、粘附分子和炎症介质，包括诱导型一氧化氮合酶、环氧化酶-2 和一氧化氮，协调炎症反应。人参提取物和人参皂苷，包括 Rb₁、Rd、Rg₁、Rg₃、Rh₁、Rh₂、Rh₃ 和 Rp₁，在与炎症相关的不同研究中被报道具有抗炎特性。人参皂苷抑制不同诱导剂激活的信号蛋白激酶和转录因子核因子-κB，导致细胞因子和炎症介质的产生减少。还讨论了人参对 TNF-α 介导的炎症性疾病的治疗潜力。总之，这篇综述提供了人参提取物和人参皂苷具有抗炎作用的证据，以及它们对炎症性疾病影响的潜在机制。
