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Components of Panax ginseng that improve accelerated small intestinal transit

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Abstract

We previously clarified that Dai-kenchu-to, a Chinese prescription, was useful for improving carbachol-induced hyperperistalsis of the small intestine in vivo, and the efficacy of Ginseng Radix, a crude drug component of Dai-kenchu-to, was also confirmed. Ginseng Radix, the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, showed significant ameliorative effects on both the carbachol-induced and the BaCl2-induced accelerated small intestinal transit model in mice, suggesting that both an inhibitory effect on the cholinergic nervous system and direct suppressive effect on muscles were involved in the ameliorative effect of Ginseng Radix on the accelerated small intestinal transit. Ginsenoside Rb1 (4) and ginsenoside Rd (7), major components of Ginseng Radix, improved both animal models. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rb1 (4) and ginsenoside Rd (7) were representative compounds of Ginseng Radix for improving the accelerated movement of the small intestine and that these compounds partly contribute to the action of Dai-kenchu-to on small intestinal transit.

Introduction

Ginseng Radix, the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (Araliaceae), is widely used in herbal medicine, and shows a variety of biological activities, i.e. improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms, sedative and tonic (Nabata et al., 1973, Kaku et al., 1975, Takagi et al., 1972a, Takagi et al., 1972b). In addition, it is a component of Dai-kenchu-to, a Chinese prescription currently used frequently in Japan to treat abdominal symptoms such as postoperative ileus (Horie et al., 1995, Furukawa et al., 1995). We previously demonstrated that Dai-kenchu-to enhanced gastrointestinal motility under normal conditions (Murata et al., 2001), and that hydroxy β-sanshool was identified as one of the active components (Hashimoto et al., 2001). However, we have recently found that Dai-kenchu-to improves the carbachol-induced accelerated small intestinal transit, and that the aqueous extract (90 mg/kg) of Ginseng Radix possesses ameliorative effects (Satoh et al., 2001). In the present study, we attempted to determine the functional component of Ginseng Radix ameliorating the accelerated transit of the small intestine.

Section snippets

Plant material

Plant material was commercially purchased in Japan and was identified by Dr M. Higuchi in our laboratory. A voucher specimen (No. 12206980) has been deposited in our institute.

Chemical experiments

Optical rotation was measured on a JASCO DIP-360 polarimeter. EI-mass spectra were recorded on a Kratos Concept 32 1S Spectrometer at 70 eV. FAB-mass spectra were recorded on a Kratos Concept 32 1H Spectrometer using NBA as a matrix. 1H- and 13C-NMR experiments were performed with a Bruker AM-500 Spectrometer operating at

Results and discussion

On the carbachol-induced accelerated small intestinal transit model in mice, we assessed the effects of Fr. G1–G4 fractionated from aqueous extracts of Ginseng Radix at the dosage based on the yield of each fraction. Only Fr. G3 (4.0 mg/kg) showed a significant ameliorative effect (Fig. 1A). As shown in Fig. 2, seven compounds (17) were isolated as major components of Fr. G3. The activities of these components were examined at doses of 0.4, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg. Compounds 4 and 7 showed

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