Transcriptional activation of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase and catalase genes by panaxadiol ginsenosides extracted from Panax ginseng.

摘要: Superoxide dismutase (SOD) converts superoxide radical to H 2 O , which is in turn broken down water and oxygen by catalase. Thus, SOD catalase constitute the first coordinated unit of defence against reactive species. A wide variety chemical environmental factors are known induce these antioxidant enzymes. Here, we examined effect ginseng saponins on induction gene expression. To explore this possibility, upstream regulatory promoter region Cu/Zn (SOD1) genes were linked chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) structural introduced into human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Total saponin panaxatriol did not activate transcription SOD1 but panaxadiol increased about 2-3 fold. Among ginsenosides, Rb subfraction appeared be a major inducer genes. The specificity was further confirmed time course- dose-dependent experiments. These results suggest that fraction its ginsenosides could enzymes important for maintaining cell viability lowering level generated from intracellular metabolism.