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To investigate the effects of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng on mitogenic responses in macrophages and splenocytes from murine, we examined the effects of representative protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol ginsenosides (Rb1, Rb2, Re and Rg1) on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-(alpha) production in murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7 cells) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and T cell proliferation in splenocytes stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A). Among the ginsenosides tested, protopanaxadiol ginsenosides (Rb1 and Rb2) significantly inhibited TNF-alpha production in a dose-dependent manner. However, protoppanaxatriol ginsenosides (Re and Rg1) showed little inhibitory activity. The molar concentrations of Rb1 and Rb2 producing 50% inhibition (IC50) of TNF-alpha production were 55.8mcg/ml (48.0mcM) and 31.8mcg/ml (27.9mcM), respectively. As a positive control, prednisolone also exhibited inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 21.7mcM. In T cell proliferation, Rg1, was not effective but Rb1 and Re or Rb2 significantly increased or inhibited at high concentration, 75 and 100mcg/ml. In contrast, prednisolone showed potent inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 6.1nM. These results suggest that ginsenosides may take part in the mitogen-induced signaling pathway for TNF-alpha production and T cell proliferation from macrophages and splenocytes.
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