Abstract
Panax-ginseng saponin has been known to exert various pharmacological effects on cellular metabolism. This study was performed to determine the effect of ginseng saponin on gap junction channel-mediated intercellular communication, using an establishedin vitro system of reconstituted gap junction channels. Gap junction channels are a specialized plasma membrane fraction, which are permeable to relatively large water-soluble molecules. The sucrose permeable property of reconstituted gap junction channels was completely inhibited with 0.1% (w/v) of ginseng saponin. We also compared the effect of ginseng saponin with that of Triton X-100, a nonionic detergent, on the same system. Triton X-100 showed significantly different effect on sucrose-permeability of gap junction channel from that was affected by ginseng saponin. The structures of liposomes containing gap junction channels was significantly destroyed by Triton X-100.
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Hong, E.J., Huh, K. & Rhee, S.K. Effect of ginseng saponin on gap junction channel reconstituted with connexin32. Arch. Pharm. Res. 19, 264–268 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02976238
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02976238