Recently, ginseng total saponin has been used as an ingredient of cosmetic agents and soap.
It is very important but difficult to evaluate the sensitizing capacity of new chemical products and predict contact allergic reaction. It is especially so with cosmetic agents which will be used by many people for prolonged period.
In this study, the sensitizing capacity of ginseng total saponin was estimated using´ Kligman´s maximization test.
A panel of 25 healthy adult subjects was used. The age ranged from 21 to 31. For induction procedure, 5 % sodium lauryl sulfate and 250/6 ginseng total saponin . in van-base was applied occlusively for 48 hours five times with 24 hours intervals in between. The challenge test was performed 2 weeks later, pre-treating the skin with 0.4m1 of 1001o aqueous sodium lauryl sulfate for one hour and 48 hours patch test with 10% ginseng total saponin in van-base. For the control patch, van-basewas used.
Distinctly stronger reaction on test site was observed in 2 subjects. The most of subjects (22 subjects) showed weaker reactions on test sites than control sites,. suggesting antiinflammatory effect of ginseng total saponin.
According to Kligman´s maximization grading, ginseng total saponin ranks as grade 1, a weak sensitizer.
It is suggested that if ginseng total saponin is to be used as. an ingredient of cos metic agents or soap, a low concentration should be used.
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