Effect of Ginseng Saponin on the Integrity of Lysosomes

인삼사포닌이 Lysosome의 안정성에 미치는 영향

The effect of ginseng saponin on acid phosphatase (AP) activity in liver Iysosomes was investigated and the mechanism by which ginseng saponin may function on the integrity of Iysosomes was discussed. The experimental results obtained are summarized as follows; 1, A very marked increase in the AP activity was observed in the supernatant of hypotonic medium, as compared with that of isotonic medium, indicating that the hypoosmotic shock per so results in activation through osmotic Iysis of particles. 2. Ginseng saponin had no effect on the activity of AP if once released from Iysosomes when Iysed in the hypotonic medium, suggesting that ginseng saponin has no effect on the enzyme molecules per se. 3. The AP activity in isotonic medium suspensions was decreased at the concentrations of 10-6, 10-5 and 10-4% of ginseng saponin, but increased at 10-2 and 10-1%. It's suggested that ginseng saponin enhances the integrity of Iysosomes at 10-6, 10-5 and 10-4%, but decreases it at 10-2 and 10-1%. 4. Suspending particles in distilled water resulted in no correlation of AP activity with treatment with ginseng saponin. 5, The AP activity was decreased in the presence of ATP, showing the possible significance of ATP as a Iysosomal stabilizer and the possibility that ginseng saponin may affect a membrane bound ATPase system by which Iysosomal AP release may be controlled.