Regulatory Effect of Inflammatory Cytokines Secretion and Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1α Activation by <i>Panax ginseng</i>

Zo, Chul-won; Lee, Seung-hee; Kim, Dong-woung; Lee, Seong-kyun; Song, Bong-keun

The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine > Volume 27(4); 2006 > Article

Original Article

The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine 2006;27(4): 864-872.

Regulatory Effect of Inflammatory Cytokines Secretion and Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1α Activation by Panax ginseng

Chul-won Zo, Seung-hee Lee, Dong-woung Kim, Seong-kyun Lee, Bong-keun Song

Departmentof Oriental Internal Medicine, College of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University

Correspondence

Bong-keun Song ,Tel: 062-670-6422, Email: songbk@wonkwang.ac.kr

Published online: December 30, 2006.

ABSTRACT

Purpose:
Panax ginseng(PG) is considered to have salutary effects and stimulant actions on physical capacity. However, the effects of PG on the inflammatory cytokine secretion and hypoxia condition are still not understood. This study wasto elucidate the effect of PG on inflammatory cytokine secretion such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Also, the effects on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) were measured.

Methods :
The water extract of PG was administrated to HMC-1 cells before phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)+A23187 treatment. IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, GM-CSF, and VEGF secretion were measured by a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HIF-1 activation was measured by transcription factor enzyme-linked immunoassay (TF-EIA).

Results:
PG significantly decreased secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and GM-CSF in PMA+A23187-induced HMC-1 cells. VEGF secretion was not changed but HIF-1 activation was decreased by the treatment of PG.

Conclusions:
PG inhibited the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, which impliesPG might contribute to treatment of mast cell-mediated inflammatory disease. Also, PG inhibited PMA+A23187-induced HIF-1αactivation and DNA-binding activity for HIF-1. Therefore, these data demonstrate that PG modulates inflammatory cytokines through inhibition of HIF-1α activation.

Key words: Panax ginseng, inflammatory cytokines secretion, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)α, anti-inflammatory.