Ginsenosides mitigate multi-organ aging: mechanistic insights from a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis

Ginsenosides are triterpenoid saponins and the main active compounds in Panax ginseng. They are key bioactives contributing to ginseng's antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-aging effects, supporting their role in functional foods and targeted therapies. Current anti-aging research often focuses on individual organs, neglecting the interconnected nature of aging across multiple organs. We aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the effects and mechanisms of ginsenosides on multi-organ aging. We conducted a systematic search of five databases for studies published until 31 December 2025, focusing on ginsenosides in D-galactose-induced aging murine models. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using SYRCLE's risk of bias tool, with subgroup analyses to explore heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses for robustness. 45 studies were included in the analysis. The results revealed significant changes in aging-related protein markers (P53, P21, P16), oxidative stress indicators (GSH-Px, MDA, SOD, CAT), and representative aging markers in various organs. Subgroup analysis indicated that the D-galactose-induced modeling approach had a certain influence on MDA and SOD levels. Therefore, meta-analysis of preclinical evidence suggests that ginsenosides may slow down multi-organ aging through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fibrotic, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. Future large-scale, long-term, high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm efficacy and safety.