Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been used frequently in traditional oriental medicine and is popular globally. Ginsenosides, which are the saponins in ginseng, are the major components having pharmacological and biological activities, including anti-diabetic and anti-tumor activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of total saponin from Korean red ginseng (TSKRG) on thrombin-produced thromboxane A2 (TXA2), an aggregating thrombogenic molecule, and its associated microsomal enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and TXA2 synthase (TXAS). Thrombin (0.5 U/mL) increased TXA2 production up to 169 ng/10(8) platelets as compared with control (0.2 ng/10(8) platelets). However, TSKRG inhibited potently TXA2 production to the control level in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the strong inhibition of COX-1 and TXAS activities in platelet microsomes having cytochrome c reductase activity. The results demonstrate TSKRG is a beneficial traditional oriental medicine in platelet-mediated thrombotic diseases via suppression of COX-1 and TXAS to inhibit production of TXA2.
Keywords: Cyclooxygenase 1; Thromboxane A2 synthase; Total saponin from Korean red ginseng.