Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-11-26
pubmed:abstractText
North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) root extract (NAGE) with known ginsenosides composition was examined for its affinity to stimulate human tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Case studies were conducted in three donors, one that was diagnosed with an atopic allergy and two that were normal, healthy subjects. Cultured mononuclear cells were incubated with varying concentrations of NAGE for up to 72 h and culture media were tested for TNF-alpha concentration. Direct stimulation of mononuclear cell TNF-alpha production in vitro by NAGE occurred as early as 6 h with 200 microg NAGE/mL. The stimulation of TNF-alpha production was confirmed by TNF-alpha mRNA gene expression. These interesting results show the immunostimulating activity of NAGE components in reference to TNF-alpha production. This observation requires further investigation with more subjects to determine the affinity of ginseng in stimulating the human immune system. Moreover, the method of evaluating this response is very useful for standardizing ginseng extracts to a known bioactivity.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:author
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1030-3
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:articleTitle
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell production of TNF-alpha in response to North American ginseng stimulation.
pubmed:affiliation
Food, Nutrition, and Health, Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of British Columbia, 6650 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.