Panax ginseng Meyer has been shown to be effective in mitigating various diseases. Protopanaxadiols (PPD) and protopanaxatriols (PPT), which are the main constituents of ginseng, have been shown to impact obesity. Therefore, we selected several important ginsenosides to perform our docking study and determine if they had binding affinity with the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARg), which is a major transcription factor in adipocytes. Among them, only a few ginsenosides demonstrated binding affinity with PPARg. Other than ginsenoside F2 rest of them were previously reported by the researchers in experimental study in case of obesity cell line 3T3-L1 adipocyte. In few recent studies, it was reported that F2 has protective effects on malignant brain tumors as well as anti-cancer activity in breast cancer. Therefore, we felt it was important to focus on F2 when considering obesity. Our study focused on this ginsenoside and analyzed its impact on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Following the molecular interaction studies, further experimental studies were carried out and demonstrated that ginsenoside F2 when treated with different doses reduces the level of lipid accumulated by the 3T3-L1 cell line during adipogenesis. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR results showed reduction in PPARg and perilipin gene expression levels compared to that of differentiated adipocytes without any treatment. So considering the binding with a major adipocyte transcription factor and the performed experiments, we suggest that ginsenoside F2 may reduce obesity via the inhibition of adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 cell line.

BackgroundAdipocytes, which are the main cellular component of adipose tissue, are the building blocks of obesity. The nuclear hormone receptor PPARγ is a major regulator of adipocyte differentiation and development. Obesity, which is one of the most dangerous yet silent diseases of all time, is fast becoming a critical area of research focus.MethodsIn this study, we initially aimed to investigate whether the ginsenoside Rf, a compound that is only present in Panax ginseng Meyer, interacts with PPARγ by molecular docking simulations. After we performed the docking simulation the result has been analyzed with several different software programs, including Discovery Studio, Pymol, Chimera, Ligplus, and Pose View. All of the programs identified the same mechanism of interaction between PPARγ and Rf, at the same active site. To determine the drug-like and biological activities of Rf, we calculate its absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxic (ADMET) and prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) properties. Considering the results obtained from the computational investigations, the focus was on the in vitro experiments.ResultsBecause the docking simulations predicted the formation of structural bonds between Rf and PPARγ, we also investigated whether any evidence for these bonds could be observed at the cellular level. These experiments revealed that Rf treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes downregulated the expression levels of PPARγ and perilipin, and also decreased the amount of lipid accumulated at different doses.ConclusionThe ginsenoside Rf appears to be promising compound that could prove useful in antiobesity treatments.

The major ginseng leaf saponins are transformed into the more pharmacologically active minor ginsenosides by recombinant β-glucosidase enzyme bgp1. Ginseng leaves contain six major ginsenosides: Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd. Among these Rg1, Re and Rd are the most abundant. Within 3 H of incubation, all dominant major ginsenosides found in ginseng leaf had decomposed and been converted into the more active minor ginsenosides (i.e., 100% of Rg1, Re, and Rd were decomposed and converted into Rh1, Rg2, and Rg3, respectively). The recombinant β-glucosidase enzyme (bgp1) hydrolyzed all glucose moieties attached to the C-20 position of the ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rd, and F1. The transformed product contains pharmacologically active minor ginsenosides Rh1, Rg2, Rg3, F1, and protopanaxatriol. This transformed product was used to investigate the effects on the 3T3-L1 adipocyte cell line. The cytotoxicity assay did not show any toxicity, even when used at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. Adipogenesis was shown to decrease in response to bioconverted leaf saponin in a dose-dependent manner.

Background:Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic syndrome exaggerated by stress conditions. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) impairs the insulin signaling pathway making the diabetic conditions worsen. Pharmacological agents are supplied externally to overcome this malfunction. Ginsenosides from Panax ginseng C.A Meyer possesses many pharmacological properties and are used for the treatment of diabetes.Objective:To investigate the effects of the Rk1 +Rg5 complex on the amelioration of insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 cells under endoplasmic reticulum stress conditions.Materials and Methods:Heat-processed ginseng extracts are found to contain many pharmacologically active ginsenosides. Among them Rk1 +Rg5 is found to be present in higher concentrations than the other minor ginsenosides. The Rk1 +Rg5 complex was tested for its effect in the 3T3-L1 insulin-resistant model and subjected to the MTT assay, glucose oxidase assay and gene expression studies using RT-PCR and real-time PCR under endoplasmic reticulum stress conditions.Results:Rk1 +Rg5 treatment is found to increase the glucose uptake into the cells when compared to that of a positive control (tunicamycin treatment group, TM). Further we have analyzed the role at gene expression level. The Rk1 +Rg5 complex was found to show an effect on the IGF 2R receptor, CHOP-10, and C/EBP gene at a particular treated concentration (50 μM). Moreover, stress condition (about 50% decreases) was overcome by the ginsenoside treatments at 50 μM.Conclusion:The present results showed that under endoplasmic reticulum stress conditions Rk1 +Rg5 complex exhibits a potential protective role in insulin-resistant 3T3-L1 cells.

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