Preventive effects of Korean red ginseng on experimentally induced colitis and colon carcinogenesis

Abstract

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) exerts chemopreventive effects on experimentally induced carcinogenesis through multiple mechanisms. In this study, we investigated effects of KRG on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and azoxymethane (AOM) plus DSS-induced colon carcinogenesis in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed diet containing 1% KRG or a standard diet throughout the experiment. The mouse colitis was induced by administration of 3% DSS in drinking water for 1 week. DSS caused body weight loss, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and colon length shortening, and all these symptoms were ameliorated by KRG treatment. KRG inhibited DSS-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by suppressing activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activation of transcription 3 (STAT3). In another experiment, colon carcinogenesis was initiated by single intraperitoneal injection of AOM (10 mg/kg) and promoted by 2% DSS in drinking water. KRG administration relieved the symptoms of colitis and reduced the incidence, the multiplicity and the size of colon tumor. The up-regulation of COX-2, iNOS, c-Myc and Cyclin D1 by AOM plus DSS was attenuated in KRG fed mice which was associated with suppression of NF-κB and STAT3 activation. These results suggest that KRG is a potential candidate for chemoprevention of inflammation-associated cancer in the colon.

Pharmacological effects of ginseng and ginsenosides on intestinal inflammation and the immune system

“…Previous studies have found that probiotics supplementation could restore the structure of gut microbiota, thus enhancing intestinal mucosal barrier function and reducing gastrointestinal infection ( 88 ). Recent studies further proposed that restoring unbalanced gut microbiota was able to prevent the progression of IBD and intestinal cancer ( 89 ). Ginseng and ginsenosides are closely related to the role of gut microbiota, and various non-widespread initial ginsenosides have to be processed and transformed by gut microbiota before they get good biological activity ( 90 , 91 ).…”

Gut Microbiota: Therapeutic Targets of Ginseng Against Multiple Disorders and Ginsenoside Transformation

“…Therefore, restoring the structure of gut microbiota is an important mechanism for the treatment of colitis. Ginseng has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects ( Lee et al., 2019 ) and it could prevent the colitis and related cancer induced by dextran sodium sulfate ( Shin et al., 2020 ). In the studies of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced SD rats, ginseng polysaccharides can significantly up-regulate the relative abundance of probiotics, reduce the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria, and inhibit a variety of inflammatory signal pathways ( Shen et al., 2018 ; Wang et al., 2021 ).…”