• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.152-158
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• 2005

For several thousand years, Korea ginseng has been used as medicinal herb in the oriental countries. Korea is the ginseng suzerain and, for that reason, tile ginseng as a special crop In Korea has been exported to the World market since the era of the three Kingdoms. However, recently, the intermational market share of Korea ginseng products has been significantly reduced due to the mass production of ginseng from China and Canada. Besides, America with aggressive marketing strategy take the leadership in the international ginseng market. Therefore, it is necessary for Korea to know and understand world ginseng market mood and situation. The object of this study is to identify the actual consumption conditions and consumer perception of ginseng at the major consumptive countries in tile world. The findings of this study mean that the consumer behavior and perception of ginseng is difficult depending on country. At the result, it is expected that this study will be used to apply ginseng in various fields.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.243-257
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• 2010

This study was conducted to search the health food intake behavioral intentions of male workers. The health-related behavior of 150 subjects were compared(smoke, alcohol drink, breakfast, BMI, sleep, exercise and health check). On the basis of the Theory of Planned Behavior, the factors health-food intake behavior were evaluated; there were normative beliefs, motivation for compliance, subjective norms, social influence factors, and barriers as perceived behavior control. The results were showed with five points by the Likert scale and Significance by t-test. The most frequently consumed health food was tea(3.40/4points) followed by healthy drinks(2.49/4). As behavioral beliefs, if consumption of 'nutritional supplements'(3.61/5) and 'fatigue recovery'(3.62/5) received the highest scores. As a result, the idea of 'nutritional supplements'(3.94/5) and 'fatigue recovery'(4.06/5) were the important aspects, but others were also positively evaluated. As a sub-factor of subjective norms on normative beliefs, The highest social groups to encourage consumption of health food were parents (3.93/5), and the lowest were doctors (3.02/5). The most influential people were doctors (3.67/5) and spouses (3.65/5). Barriers to consumption health food were side effects (1.09/5) and price (2.08/5). Taking Ginseng products and other processed foods (juice, honey, bamboo, etc.) were correlated with health concern (p<0.05). Taking traditional stamina foods was correlated with dietary habit recognition (p<0.05). Mineral intake was positively correlated with age. Healthy drinks was negative (p<0.05). Minerals and supplement consumption were correlated with the practice of healthy behavior (p<0.01).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.151-158
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• 2017

Background: Chong-Myung-Tang (CMT) extract is widely used in Korea as a traditional herbal tonic for increasing memory capacity in high-school students and also for numerous body ailments since centuries. The use of CMT to improve the learning capacity has been attributed to various plant constituents, especially black ginseng, in it. Therefore, in this study, we have first investigated whether black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts affected spatial learning using the Morris water maze (MWM) test. Their molecular mechanism of action underlying improvement of learning and memory was examined in vitro. Methods: We used two types of black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts, designated as CM-1 and CM-2, and evaluated their efficacy in the MWM test for spatial learning behavior and their anti-inflammatory effects in BV2 microglial cells. Results: Our results show that both black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts improved the learning behavior in scopolamine-induced impairment in the water maze test. Moreover, these extracts also inhibited nitric oxide production in BV2 cells, with significant suppression of expression of proinflammatory cytokines, especially inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and $interleukin-1{\beta}$. The protein expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ pathway factors was also diminished by black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts, indicating that it not only improves the memory impairment, but also acts a potent anti-inflammatory agent for neuroinflammatory diseases. Conclusion: Our research for the first time provides the scientific evidence that consumption of black ginseng-enriched CMT extract as a brain tonic improves memory impairment. Thus, our study results can be taken as a reference for future neurobehavioral studies.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.62-70
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• 2022

Background: Maternal Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection during pregnancy has been associated with various mental illnesses in the offspring. Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is a major bioactive compound obtained from ginseng that has an anti-T. gondii effect and attenuates microglial activation through toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. GRh2 also alleviated tumor-associated or lipopolysaccharide-induced depression. However, the effects and potential mechanisms of GRh2 on depression-like behavior in mouse offspring caused by maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy have not been investigated. Methods: We examined GRh2 effects on the depression-like behavior in mouse offspring, caused by maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy, by measuring depression-like behaviors and assaying parameters at the neuronal and molecular level. Results: We showed that GRh2 significantly improved behavioral measures: sucrose consumption, forced swim time and tail suspended immobility time of their offspring. These corresponded with increased tissue concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine, and attenuated indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase or enhanced tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the prefrontal cortex. GRh2 ameliorated neuronal damage in the prefrontal cortex. Molecular docking results revealed that GRh2 binds strongly to both TLR4 and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that GRh2 ameliorated the depression-like behavior in mouse offspring of maternal T. gondii infection during pregnancy by attenuating the excessive activation of microglia and neuroinflammation through the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. It suggests that GRh2 could be considered a potential therapy in preventing and treating psychiatric disorders in the offspring mice of mothers with prenatal exposure to T. gondii infection.