R-type ginsenoside Rg3 attenuates cisplatin-induce intestinal injury via restoring autophagy flux blockade
Xufei Gao1, Junjie Zhang1, Junnan Hu1
1College of Chinese Medicinal Materials, Jilin Provincial International Joint Research Center for the Development and Utilization of Authentic Medicinal Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China.
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines
|April 22, 2026
Summary
R-ginsenoside Rg3 (R-Rg3) protects against cisplatin-induced intestinal damage by alleviating oxidative stress and restoring autophagic flux. This study highlights R-Rg3
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Gastroenterology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cisplatin chemotherapy causes significant gastrointestinal mucosal damage, leading to intestinal injury in most patients.
- The anti-tumor efficacy of R-ginsenoside Rg3 (R-Rg3) is established, but its protective effects against cisplatin-induced intestinal toxicity are under-investigated.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying R-Rg3's protective role is crucial for mitigating chemotherapy side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of R-ginsenoside Rg3 (R-Rg3) against cisplatin-induced intestinal toxicity.
- To explore the potential molecular targets and mechanisms of R-Rg3 in mitigating cisplatin-induced intestinal injury.
- To evaluate R-Rg3's impact on oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and autophagy in the context of cisplatin chemotherapy.
Main Methods:
- In vivo studies involved treating rats with R-Rg3 followed by cisplatin administration.
- In vitro studies utilized the IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell line, pretreated with R-Rg3 before cisplatin exposure.
- Autophagy inhibitors (3-methyladenine and Bafilomycin A1) were used to confirm R-Rg3's mechanism of action.
Main Results:
- R-Rg3 treatment significantly alleviated cisplatin-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in rats.
- R-Rg3 suppressed excessive autophagy and reduced intestinal damage in vivo.
- In IEC-6 cells, R-Rg3 inhibited mitophagy, restored lysosomal function, and alleviated gastrointestinal dysfunction by resolving cisplatin-induced autophagic flux blockade.
Conclusions:
- R-ginsenoside Rg3 (R-Rg3) demonstrates a significant protective role against cisplatin-induced intestinal injury.
- R-Rg3 mitigates cisplatin toxicity by modulating the mitochondria-lysosome axis, reducing oxidative stress, and restoring autophagic flux.
- Pharmacological intervention with R-Rg3 offers a potential strategy to manage chemotherapy-related gastrointestinal side effects.
