Dammarane triterpenes from the leaves of Panax ginseng enhance cellular immunity

Bioorg Med Chem. 2014 Jan 1;22(1):499-504. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.11.002. Epub 2013 Nov 12.

Abstract

In our search for immune stimulating materials from natural source, bioassay-guided fractionation of a methanol extract of Panax ginseng leaves led to the isolation of three dammarane triterpenes (1-3), including two previously unknown compounds 27-demethyl-(E,E)-20(22),23-dien-3β,6α,12β-trihydroxydammar-25-one (1) and 3β,20(S)-dihydroxydammar-24-en-12β,23β-epoxy-20-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, chemical transformation, and by the comparison with those of literature data. Compounds 1-3 significantly increased interleukin-12 expression in LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophage at a concentration of 100 ng/mL. Furthermore, compound 1 strongly increased the Th1 response-mediated cytokine IL-2, and decreased Th2 response-mediated cytokines IL-4 and IL-6 expression at 100 ng/mL on ConA-activated splenocytes. This study indicated that compound 1 showed a better effect on cellular immunity, and provided new chemical entities as promising lead compounds for the treatment of cellular immunity-related diseases.

Keywords: Araliaceae; Cellular immunity; Dammarane triterpenes; IL-12; Panax ginseng.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Dammaranes
  • Female
  • Immunity, Cellular
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Panax / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / analysis
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Triterpenes / chemistry*
  • Triterpenes / immunology
  • Triterpenes / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Triterpenes