Acute and genetic toxicity of GS-E3D, a new pectin lyase-modified red ginseng extract

Korean red ginseng and its extract have been used as traditional medicines and functional foods in countries worldwide. Pectin lyase-modified red ginseng extract (GS-E3D) was newly developed as a dietary supplement for obesity, diabetes-related renal dysfunction, etc. In this study, the safety of GS-E3D on acute toxicity and genotoxicity was evaluated. For acute study, Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated by oral gavage at a dose of 5000 mg/kg GS-E3D. To evaluate genotoxicity of GS-E3D, we conducted three-battery tests, which are Ames test using Escherichia coli (WP2uvrA pKM101) and Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537), chromosomal aberration test -using Chinese hamster lung cells, and micronucleus test using ICR mice. In acute toxicity studies, there were no dead animals or abnormal necropsy findings in the control group and GS-E3D (5000 mg/kg) treated group. GS-E3D did not induce mutagenicity in the bacterial test, chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster lung cells and micronuclei in bone marrow cells of mice. Conclusively, the approximate lethal dose of GS-E3D was greater than 5000 mg/kg bw and GS-E3D has no genotoxic potential in the three-battery tests on genotoxicity.