Hypoglycemic Action of Red Ginseng Components (II). Investigation of the Effect of Fat Soluble Fraction from Red Ginseng on Enzymes Related to Glucose Metabolism in Cultured Rat Hapatocytes

홍삼 성분의 혈당강하작용 연구 (ll) :쥐의 배양 간세포의 당대사 관련 효소 활성에 미치는 홍삼 지용성 분획의 영향 조사

  • 이현아 (강원대학교 자연과학대학 생명과학부) ;
  • 심희선 (강원대학교 자연과학대학 생명과학부, 한국인삼연초연구원)
  • Published : 1998.03.01

Abstract

In this study, rat hepatocytes known to have active glucose metabolism were obtained to investigate the hypoglycemic action of fat soluble fraction of red ginseng by using the liver perfusion technique and incubated in two different media-one containing insulin and glucagon (control group), and the other containing glucagon only The activities of main regulating enzymes, such as glucokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenate, and glucose 6-phosphatase, related to metabolic pathways of glucose in these two kinds of hepatocytes were compared between these two groups and the effects of addition of fat soluble fraction ($10^1$~$10^4$%) from red ginseng to these two groups on these enzymes were also detected. The results were as follows. The specific activity of enzymes such as glucokinase, flucorse 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase related to glucose-consuming pathways of insulin-deficient group was much less than control one. However, their decreased activity was recovered after the addition of fat-soluble fraction at all range of concentrations. The specific activity of these enzymes after the addition of ginseng components to the control group was also increased. On the other hand, the specific activity of glucose 6-phosphatase related to glucose-producing pathway of insulin-deficient group was much higher than control one, but their increased activity was decreased obviously after the addition of fat soluble fraction at all range of concentrations. The same results were observed after the addition of fat-soluble fraction to the control group. These results suggest that the red ginseng saponin components might be effective on diabetic hyperglycemia by regulating the activity of enzymes related to glucose metabolism directly and/or indirectly. The effects of fat-soluble fraction ($10^2$%) and ginsenosides (mixture, $Rb_1$ and $Rg_1$, $10^4$%) on hypoglycemic action were compared. As a result, they showed considerable effect on hyperglycemia, but the best eff ect on the activities of glucokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was appeared by ginsenoside $Rb_1$ and that of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and glucose 6-phosphatase was by ginsenoside mixture.

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