Anti-thrombotic effects of ginsenoside Rk3 by regulating cAMP and PI3K/MAPK pathway on human platelets

Panax notoginseng: Pharmacological Aspects and Toxicological Issues

Current evidence suggests a beneficial role of herbal products in free radical-induced diseases. Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen has long occupied a leading position in traditional Chinese medicine because of the ergogenic, nootropic, and antistress activities, although these properties are also acknowledged in the Western world. The goal of this paper is to review the pharmacological and toxicological properties of P. notoginseng and discuss its potential therapeutic effect. A literature search was carried out on Pubmed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. The following search terms were used: "notoginseng", "gut microbiota", "immune system", "inflammation", "cardiovascular system", "central nervous system", "metabolism", "cancer", and "toxicology". Only peer-reviewed articles written in English, with the full text available, have been included. Preclinical evidence has unraveled the P. notoginseng pharmacological effects in immune-inflammatory, cardiovascular, central nervous system, metabolic, and neoplastic diseases by acting on several molecular targets. However, few clinical studies have confirmed the therapeutic properties of P. notoginseng, mainly as an adjuvant in the conventional treatment of cardiovascular disorders. Further clinical studies, which both confirm the efficacy of P. notoginseng in free radical-related diseases and delve into its toxicological aspects, are mandatory to broaden its therapeutic potential.

Multi-layered effects of Panax notoginseng on immune system

Recent research has demonstrated the immunomodulatory potential of Panax notoginseng in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases and cerebral hemorrhage, suggesting its significance in clinical practice. Nevertheless, the complex immune activity of various components has hindered a comprehensive understanding of the immune-regulating properties of Panax notoginseng, impeding its broader utilization. This review evaluates the effect of Panax notoginseng to various types of white blood cells, elucidates the underlying mechanisms, and compares the immunomodulatory effects of different Panax notoginseng active fractions, aiming to provide the theory basis for future immunomodulatory investigation.

Palm Kernel Cake Extracts Obtained from the Combination of Bacterial Fermentation and Enzymic Hydrolysis Promote Swine Small Intestine IPEC-J2 Cell Proliferation and Alleviate LPS-Induced Inflammation In Vitro

Co-fermentation with bacteria and enzymes can reduce sugar content in palm kernel cake (PKC); however, the chemical changes and their effects on cell functionality are unclear. This study investigated the active components in pre-treated PKC extracts and their effects on pig small intestine IPEC-J2 cell proliferation and LPS-induced inflammation. The extracts contained 60.75% sugar, 36.80% mannose, 1.75% polyphenols and 0.59% flavone, as determined by chemical analyses, suggesting that the extracts were palm kernel cake oligosaccharides (PKCOS). Then, we found that 1000 µg/mL PKCOS counteracted the decrease in cell viability (CCK8 kit) caused by LPS induction by 5 µg/mL LPS (p < 0.05). Mechanistic studies conducted by RNA-seq and qPCR analyses suggested PKCOS promoted cell proliferation through the upregulation of TNF-α, PI3KAP1, MAP3K5 and Fos in the PI3K/MAPK signalling pathway; alleviated inflammation caused by LPS via the downregulation of the target genes Casp3 and TNF-α in association with apoptosis; and regulated the expression of the antioxidant genes SOD1, SOD2 and GPX4 to exert positive antioxidant effects (p < 0.05). Furthermore, PKCOS upregulated SLC5A1 (encoding SLGT1), HK and MPI in the glycolytic pathway (p < 0.05), suggesting cell survival. In summary, PKCOS has positive effects on promoting swine intestine cell proliferation against inflammation.

Ameliorative Effects of Korean-Red-Ginseng-Derived Polysaccharide on Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea

This study evaluated the ameliorative effects of Korean-red-ginseng-derived polysaccharide (KRG-P) on antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) induced by administering lincomycin in mice. Changes of intestinal barrier proteins, the intestinal microbiome and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) contents were investigated. Lincomycin was orally administered for 9 days to induce diarrhea; subsequently, 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg of KRG-P were administered orally for 12 days. The diarrhea was observed in the AAD group; further KRG-P administration improved the diarrhea. Analysis of changes in the intestinal microbial flora of the mice revealed that the harmful bacterial flora (such as Proteobacteria) were increased in the AAD group, whereas beneficial bacterial flora (such as Firmicutes) were decreased. However, KRG-P administration resulted in decreased Proteobacteria and increased Firmicutes, supporting the improvement of the microbial flora imbalance caused by AAD. Moreover, an analysis of the SCFAs (acetic acid, propionic acid, and butylic acid) in the caecum revealed that SCFAs' contents in the AAD group were substantially reduced but tended to increase upon KRG-P administration. Based on these results, KRG-P, which is primarily composed of carbohydrates can improve lincomycin-induced diarrhea, likely owing to the recovery of SCFA content by improving the intestinal microbial imbalance and intestinal barrier proteins.