The Effect of Ginseng Saponin on the Mouse Immune System

생쥐의 면역계에 미치는 인삼 사포닌의 영향

To detect the effect of ginseng saponin on the immune response, mice were immunized with a protein antigen (gamma-globulin of chick). Blood was then drawn from them twice, after 10 days of the first immunization and after 10 days of the second immunization respectively, and measurements were made by ELISA method of the antibody titer in antiserum. In addition, mice that has been immunized with the same antigen were treated with immunosuppressor to suppress the immune system of the mice. After the immune system was suppressed, the effect of ginseng saponin on the recovery of immune response was measured by the same method. The experimental groups those were given ginseng saponin (10 mg/kg/day) showed a little variance between-individuals, however showed much higher antibody titer than the control groups those were given the saline solution. Moreover, there was a little recovery from the immune suppression. Although the mechanism of the effect of ginseng saponin on immune response was not well loom, it is believed that ginseng saponin has the effect of increasing the synthesis of serum protein together with its action as one of the immunostimulators.

인삼 saponin이 면역작용에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 생쥐에 단백질 항원(암닭의 ${\gamma}$-globulin)으로 면역시킨 후 1차 면역후 10일, 2차 면역후 10일에 각각 채혈하여 혈청내의 항체가를 ELISA(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) method로 측정하였고, 또한 같은 항원으로 면역시킨 생쥐에 면역억제제를 사용하여 생쥐의 면역제를 억제시킨 후 그 회복에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 같은 방법으로 항체가를 측정하였다. 인삼 saponin을 투여한 실험군(10mg/ kg/day)은 개체에 따라 약간의 차이는 있었으나 같은 조건의 생리식염수 투여군보다 각각 훨씬 높은 항체가를 나타내었고, 면역억제제에 의한 면역억제의 회복에 있어서도 유의성있는 회복효과를 나타내었다. 따라서 면역작용에 미치는 인삼saponin의 영향은 정확한 기작은 밝혀지지 않았으나 인삼 saponin이 혈청단백질 합성을 증가시키는 효과와 함께 일종의 면역자극제(immunostimulator)로 작용하고 있는 것으로 생각된다.