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Lipid-Soluble Extracts as the Main Source of Anticancer Activity in Ginseng and Ginseng Marc

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

The anticancer activity of ginseng originated mainly from lipid-soluble components. The hexane extract of ginseng marc (HEGM) showed a potent inhibitory activity on human hepatoma (HepG2, GI50 = 41.7 μg/ml) and breast (MCF-7, GI50 = 54.4 μg/ml) cancer cell proliferation in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner as did the hexane extract of ginseng (HEG), with GI50 values of 21.1 μg/ml in HepG2 and 41.2 μg/ml in MCF-7. The water extract of ginseng (WEG) possessed a low anticancer activity against both cancer cell lines, but the hexane-soluble fraction of WEG (HSF/WEG) showed a potent anticancer activity against HepG2 (GI50 = 38.7 μg/ml) and MCF-7 cells (GI50 = 51.1 μg/ml). The hexane extraction in ginseng was a very promising protocol for the maximum recovery of the anticancer active components in high concentrations. Also the adoption of hexane extraction after water extraction of ginseng was successful in the effective utilization of the residual lipid-soluble anticancer active components in ginseng marc.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Korea University Grant (K0716161) and an Academic Research Fund of Hoseo University (20070132).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 136-703, Korea

    Sung Dong Lee

  2. Department of Food and Biotechnology, Center for Food Function and Safety, Hoseo University, Asan, 336-795, Korea

    Guijae Yoo & Hee Jeong Chae

  3. Department of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Chungwoon University, Hongseong, 350-701, Korea

    Man-Jin In & Dong Chung Kim

  4. Department of Food Science and Technology, Kongju National University, Yesan, 340-802, Korea

    Nam-Soon Oh

  5. Department of Food Science, Suwon Women’s College, Hwasung, 445-895, Korea

    Yoon Kyung Hwang

  6. Department of Biochemistry, Medical College, Korea University, Seoul, 136-701, Korea

    Woo Ik Hwang

  7. Institute of Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746, Korea

    Dong Chung Kim

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  1. Sung Dong Lee
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  2. Guijae Yoo
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  3. Hee Jeong Chae
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  4. Man-Jin In
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  5. Nam-Soon Oh
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  8. Dong Chung Kim
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Correspondence to Dong Chung Kim.

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Lee, S.D., Yoo, G., Chae, H.J. et al. Lipid-Soluble Extracts as the Main Source of Anticancer Activity in Ginseng and Ginseng Marc. J Am Oil Chem Soc 86, 1065–1071 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-009-1460-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-009-1460-x

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