Effects of Panax ginseng on Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Mediated Inflammation: A Mini-Review
1
Cytokine Biology Group, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
2
Molecular Chinese Medicine Laboratory, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2011, 16(4), 2802-2816; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules16042802
Received: 1 March 2011 / Revised: 21 March 2011 / Accepted: 28 March 2011 / Published: 30 March 2011
(This article belongs to the Collection Bioactive Compounds)
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.
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Keywords:
Panax ginseng; ginsenosides; cytokines; immunomodulation; inflammation
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
MDPI and ACS Style
Lee, D.C.; Lau, A.S. Effects of Panax ginseng on Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Mediated Inflammation: A Mini-Review. Molecules 2011, 16, 2802-2816. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules16042802
AMA Style
Lee DC, Lau AS. Effects of Panax ginseng on Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Mediated Inflammation: A Mini-Review. Molecules. 2011; 16(4):2802-2816. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules16042802
Chicago/Turabian StyleLee, Davy CW; Lau, Allan SY. 2011. "Effects of Panax ginseng on Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Mediated Inflammation: A Mini-Review" Molecules 16, no. 4: 2802-2816. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules16042802
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