Journal of Ginseng Research

The Korean Society of Ginseng (고려인삼학회)
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Prospective Study for Korean Red Ginseng Extract as an Immune Modulator following a Curative Surgery in Patients with Advanced Colon Cancer

  • Boo, Yoon-Jung (Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Joong-Min (Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Jin (Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Suh, Sung-Ock (Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine)
  • Published : 2007.03.31
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Abstract

In this paper, we present evidence that the Korean red ginseng extract shows the immunomodulatory activities during postoperative chemotherapy after curative surgery in patients with advanced colon cancer. We measured the circulating interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-8 (IL-8)and interleukin-10 (IL-10) as a immune modulator to evaluate the effect of Korean red ginseng. The mean preoperative value of IL-2 was similar in the non-RG group and the RG group (5.72 pg/ml versus 6.87 pg/ml, p>0.05). The mean value of IL-2 was compared with IL-2 from healthy control group, there was no significant difference (14.89 pg/ml versus 14.22 pg/ml, p>0.05). The mean preoperative value of IL-8 was higher in the non-RG group comparing with the RG group (30.92 pg/ml versus 36.25 pg/ml, p < 0.05). At postoperative 3 month, the mean values of IL-8 from non-RG and RG group down to 24.56 pg/ml and 21.46 pg/ml respectively. The IL-8 of RG group at 3 month showed no difference with that of HC group(21.46 pg/ml versus 16.31 pg/ml, p>0.05). The preoperative mean value of IL-10 of non-RG, RG and HC group was 11.56 pg/ml, 10.8 pg/ml, and 3.68 pg/ml respectively. At postoperative 3 month, the mean values of IL-10 from non-RG and RG group down to 8.45 pg/ml and 5.04 pg/ml respectively. In spite of decreasing IL-10 levels of both cancer Patients group with time, there was still significant difference with that of HC group (non-RG versus HC group, p=0.00, RC versus HC group, p=0.04). The results of this study suggest that the red ginseng extract may have some immunomodulatory properties associated with IL-2, IL-8 and IL-10 activity in patients with advanced colorectal cancer during postoperative chemotherapy. We think to need the further studies and a larger sample size to fully evaluate the antitumor effect of ginseng and need to establish this mechanism of action as well as identify the active components associated with antitumor activity and immunomodulation in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

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