Biol. Pharm. Bull., 30(11),2126-2134, November 2007

Regular Articles

Effects of Ginsenosides, Active Ingredients of Panax ginseng, on Development, Growth, and Life Span of Caenorhabditis elegans

Joon-Hee LEE,^a,# Sun-Hye CHOI,^b,# Oh-Seung KWON,^c Tae-Joon SHIN,^b Jun-Ho LEE,^b Byung-Hwan LEE,^b In-Soo YOON,^b Mi Kyung PYO,^b Hyewhon RHIM,^c Yoong-Ho LIM,^d Yhong-Hee SHIM,^d Ji-yun AHN,^e Hyoung-Choon KIM,^f David Joseph CHITWOOD,^g Sang-Mok LEE,^*,b and Seung-Yeol NAH^*,b

^a Department of Physical Therapy, Daebul University; 526-702, Korea: ^b Ginsentology Research Laboratory and Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine; 143-701, Korea: ^c Bioanalysis/Biotransformation Research Center and Life Science Division, KIST; Seoul 136-791, Korea: ^d Bio/Molecular Informatics Center, Konkuk University; Seoul 143-701, Korea: ^e Food Function Research Division, Korea Food Research Institute; 483-746, Korea: ^f Neurotoxicology Program, College of Pharmacy, Kangwon National University; Chunchon 200-701, Korea: and ^g Nematology Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; Beltsville, MD 20705, U.S.A. * To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: synah@konkuk.ac.kr; smlee@konkuk.ac.kr

The backbone structure of ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, is similar with that of sterol, especially cholesterol. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is one of free living nematodes and is well-established animal model for biochemical and genetic studies. C. elegans cannot synthesize de novo cholesterol, although cholesterol is essential requirement for its growth and development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) on the average brood size, growth, development, worm size, and life span of C. elegans in cholesterol-deprived and -fed medium. Cholesterol deprivation caused damages on normal growth, reproduction, and life span of worms throughout F1 to F3 generations. GTS supplement to cholesterol-deprived medium restored the growth, reproduction, and life span of worms as much as cholesterol alone-fed medium. GTS co-supplement to cholesterol-fed medium not only promoted worm reproduction but also induced bigger worms and faster growth than cholesterol-fed medium. In study to identify which ginsenosides are responsible for life span restoring effects of GTS, we found that ginsenoside Rc supplement not only restored life span of worms grown in cholesterol-deprived medium but also prolonged life span of worms grown in cholesterol-fed medium. Worms grown in medium supplemented with ginsenoside Rb₁ or Rc to cholesterol-deprived medium exhibited strong filipin staining, in which filipin forms tight and specific complexes with 3β-hydroxy sterols. These results show a possibility that ginsenosides could be utilized by C. elegans as a sterol substitute and further indicate that ginsenoside Rc is the component of Panax ginseng that prolongs the life span of C. elegans.

Key words Panax ginseng; sterol; Caenorhabditis elegans; reproduction; life span; ginsenoside Rc