Ginseng volatile oil prolongs the lifespan and healthspan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Overview of Panax ginseng and its active ingredients protective mechanism on cardiovascular diseases

ETHNIC PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Panax ginseng is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to treat cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and it is still widely used to improve the clinical symptoms of various CVDs. However, there is currently a lack of summary and analysis on the mechanism of Panax ginseng exerts its cardiovascular protective effects. This article provides a review of in vivo and in vitro pharmacological studies on Panax ginseng and its active ingredients in reducing CVDs damage.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

This review summarized the latest literature on Panax ginseng and its active ingredients in CVDs research, aiming to have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the cardiovascular protection mechanism of Panax ginseng, and to provide new ideas for the treatment of CVDs, as well as to optimize the clinical application of Panax ginseng.

METHODS

Enrichment of pathways and biological terms using the traditional Chinese medicine molecular mechanism bioinformatics analysis tool (BATMAN-TCM). The literature search is based on electronic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, CNKI, with a search period of 2002-2023. The search terms include Panax ginseng, Panax ginseng ingredients, ginsenosides, ginseng polysaccharides, ginseng glycoproteins, ginseng volatile oil, CVDs, heart, and cardiac.

RESULTS

132 articles were ultimately included in the review. The ingredients in Panax ginseng that manifested cardiovascular protective effects are mainly ginsenosides (especially ginsenoside Rb1). Ginsenosides protected against CVDs such as ischemic reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis and heart failure mainly through improving energy metabolism, inhibiting hyper-autophagy, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and promoting secretion of exosomes.

CONCLUSION

Panax ginseng and its active ingredients have a particularly prominent effect on improving myocardial energy metabolism remodeling in protecting against CVDs. The AMPK and PPAR signaling pathways are the key targets through which Panax ginseng produces multiple mechanisms of cardiovascular protection. Extracellular vesicles and nanoparticles as carriers are potential delivery ways for optimizing the bioavailability of Panax ginseng and its active ingredients.

Collagen peptides from sturgeon swim bladder prolong the lifespan and healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans

BACKGROUND

Sturgeon is a popular aquaculture species in many countries. Its swim bladder is rich in collagen but has not yet been exploited scientifically.

RESULTS

Collagen peptides (CPs) prepared from sturgeon swim bladder by trypsinolysis had an average molecular weight of 528.5 Da and consisted of 407 peptides, 16.1% of the content of which was GFPGADGSAGPK. The CPs at 25 mg mL-1 extended the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans by 22.6%, which was significantly higher than the extension achieved by other hydrolysis methods and source materials. They also improved fitness-related traits (body size, motor capacity, oxidative stress, cell apoptosis, and epidermal barrier function), indicating prolonged healthspan. Transcriptome analysis showed that the effect was mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, which enhanced stress resistance, the insulin/IGF-1 pathway, which inhibited protein aggregation, and the NHR-80/FAT-6 pathway, which regulated lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSION

Collagen peptides from sturgeon swim bladder by trypsinolysis prolonged the lifespan and healthspan in C. elegans, and might be promising anti-aging agents. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Free Radical Scavenging Effect and Immunomodulatory Activity of Total Saponins Extract of Ginseng Fibrous Roots

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Mey) is known for its rich saponin compounds and tonic effects. To better utilize the medicinal value of ginseng, this study investigated the extraction process, components, free radical scavenging ability, and immunomodulatory activity of total saponins of ginseng fibrous roots. The response surface methodology was employed to optimize the extraction process of total saponins, and Q-Orbitrap high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to identify the chemical constituents in the total saponins extract of ginseng fibrous roots (GRS). The results showed that the optimal extraction process was achieved with an ethanol concentration of 68%, a material-solvent ratio of 1:25 mL/g, and an extraction time of 20 min, yielding a total saponin content of 6.34% under these conditions. The extract contained four terpenoid compounds and four polyphenolic compounds. GRS exhibited considerable scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals, with IC50 values of 0.893 and 0.210 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, GRS restored immune suppression in mice by increasing white blood cell, red blood cell, and neutrophil counts, and improving the lymphocyte. It also promoted immune system recovery, as evidenced by elevated serum levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β in mice. GRS is a natural compound with promising potential for developing antioxidants and immunomodulatory foods.

Research Progress on the Anti-Aging Potential of the Active Components of Ginseng

Aging is a cellular state characterized by a permanent cessation of cell division and evasion of apoptosis. DNA damage, metabolic dysfunction, telomere damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction are the main factors associated with senescence. Aging increases β-galactosidase activity, enhances cell spreading, and induces Lamin B1 loss, which further accelerate the aging process. It is associated with a variety of diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, and chronic inflammation. Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-aging effects. The active components of ginseng, including saponins, polysaccharides, and active peptides, have antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, neuroprotective, and age-delaying effects. DNA damage is the main factor associated with aging, and the mechanism through which the active ingredients of ginseng reduce DNA damage and delay aging has not been comprehensively described. This review focuses on the anti-aging mechanisms of the active ingredients of ginseng. Furthermore, it broadens the scope of ideas for further research on natural products and aging.

Processing technologies, phytochemistry, bioactivities and applications of black ginseng-a novel manufactured ginseng product: A comprehensive review

Black ginseng is a novel manufactured ginseng product, and the application of black ginseng products in market is increasing in recent years. Black ginseng is prepared by steaming and fermentation, but not as mature as processing red ginseng. Therefore, complete proposals for preparation techniques are firstly presented. Additionally, there are also abundant chemical components in black ginseng, including ginsenosides, polysaccharides, amino acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, etc. Among them, ginsenosides, polysaccharides and phenolic compounds are the main ingredients, making health benefits of black ginseng stronger than other ginseng products. Therefore, black ginseng as a functional food has come to the market in various forms, such as candies, tea, porridge, soup, etc. The improvement in nutrition, flavor, and safety has exhibited a broad prospect for black ginseng products in food industry. Accordingly, preparation technologies, phytochemistry, health benefits and application of black ginseng are comprehensively evaluated.