Ginsenosides from Panax ginseng Differentially Regulate Lymphocyte Proliferation

Abstract

We have examined the immunosuppressive effects of representative ginsenosides (Rb₁, Rb₂, Re and Rg₁) from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer on CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte proliferation. Ginsenosides differentially modulated lymphocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phytohemaglutinin (PHA) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). Thus, Rb₁ and Re significantly enhanced Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation, whereas Rg₁ did not affect the proliferation. Interestingly, however, Rb₂ strongly blocked Con A, LPS and PHA-induced lymphocyte proliferation with the IC₅₀ values of 21.8, 29.0 and 24.0 μM, respectively. Moreover, Rb₂ inhibited Con A-stimulated IL-2 production with an IC₅₀ of 13.3 μM. In the IL-2-stimulated CD8+ T cell (CTLL-2) proliferation assay, Re and Rg₁ showed strong suppressive effects with IC₅₀ values of 57.5 and 64.7 μM, respectively. In contrast, neither Rb₁ nor Rb₂ did inhibit CTLL-2 cell proliferation at tested concentrations. These results suggest that ginsenosides from P. ginseng may modulate lymphocyte proliferation in a different manner.

Key words

Panax ginseng - Araliaceae - ginsenosides - interleukin-2 - lymphocyte proliferation

References

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