Ginseng in white and red processed forms: Ginsenosides and cardiac side effects

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Cardiovascular Biology
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a traditional East Asian medicinal and functional food.
• White ginseng (WG) and red ginseng (RG) differ in processing and potentially ginsenoside composition.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for assessing their physiological effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the ginsenoside profiles of WG and RG.
• To evaluate the biological effects of WG and RG on the hearts of healthy rats.
• To investigate the impact on cardiac function, histology, and signaling pathways.

Main Methods:

• Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for ginsenoside profiling.
• Electrocardiography and biochemical assays to assess cardiac function and injury markers.
• Cardiac tissue histology and analysis of calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathways (p-CaMKII, PPARδ, SERCA2a).

Main Results:

• RG exhibited a higher total ginsenoside content (1.8x) and a distinct profile compared to WG, with unique ginsenosides identified in each.
• Both WG and RG treatments did not significantly alter electrocardiography or heart histology.
• Mild cardiac injury was suggested by increased cardiac collagen and creatine kinase levels; however, RG demonstrated a lesser effect than WG.

Conclusions:

• RG and WG possess different ginsenoside compositions, with RG having a higher proportion of low-polar ginsenosides.
• Both WG and RG may induce mild cardiac injury and alter cardiac contractility signaling pathways in healthy rats.
• RG appears to have a less pronounced effect on the heart compared to WG in this study.