Differential Physiological Activity in Different Ages of Panax ginseng
2011
Chon, S.U., Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea | Kim, Y.M., Dongshin University, Naju, Republic of Korea
Panax ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for several centuries in Korea. A laboratory experiment using methanol extracts of freeze-dried leaves and roots in the different ages of P. ginseng was conducted to determine the content of phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity. The results indicate that the total phenolics level [mg ferulic acid equivalents (FAE) kg-¹ DW] was higher in leaves (22.0 to 76.3 mg kg-¹) than roots (19.0 to 28.3 mg kg-¹) of P. ginseng. The total content of phenolics in roots increased with increase in age of P. ginseng from one to six years. However, the content of phenolics in P. ginseng leaf decreased with the increase in age. Total flavonoid [mg naringin equivalents kg-¹ DW] was more detected in the leaves (30.3 to 138.6 mg kg-¹) than in the roots (0.0 to 10.6 mg kg-¹) of P. ginseng. The total flavonoid level in leaves decreased with increase in age of P. ginseng. The antioxidant potential of the methanol extracts from the plants dose-dependently increased. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was higher in leaves (36.9 to 82.8%) than in roots (14.8 to 39.4%), and in young plants than in old ones. According to 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the methanol extracts from 5 year-root part showed the highest cytotoxicity against Calu-6, followed by 2 year- and 3 year-roots. However, the methanol extracts from 6 year- and 4 year-roots had lower cytotoxicity. Total phenolics content in both leaves and roots was highly correlated with the DPPH radical scavenging (r²=0.7366 to 0.7870) and nitrite scavenging (r²=0.5604 to 0.8794) activities, suggesting that they contribute to the antioxidant properties of the P. ginseng plants.
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