Inhibitory effect of ginsenoside on the mediator release in the guinea pig lung mast cells activated by specific antigen-antibody reactions.

We reported that some components of ginsenosides decreased mediator release which was evoked by the activation of mast cells caused by specific antigen-antibody reactions. This study aimed to assess the effects of ginsenoside, Rb1, which belongs to the protopanaxadiol, on the mechanism of mediator release during mast cell activation. Pretreatment of Rb1 (100 microg) significantly decreased histamine and leukotriene in a dose-dependent manner during mast cell activation. The PLD activity during mast cell activation decreased in the pretreatment of Rb1 (300 microg). The amount of DAG produced by PLC activity decreased because of Rb1 pretreatment. The amount of mass DAG decreased due to Rb1 pretreatment during mast cell activation. Rb1 (300 microg) pretreatment strongly inhibited the incorporation of the [3H]methyl moiety into phospholipids. The data suggest that Rb1, purified from Korean Red Ginseng Radix, inhibits an increase of DAG production during mast cell activation caused by antigen-antibody reactions, which is mediated via phosphatidylcholine-PLD and phosphatidylinositol-PLC systems. This is then followed by the inhibition of histamine releases. Furthermore, Rb1 reduces the phosphatidylcholine production by inhibiting the methyl-transferase I and II, and the reduction of phosphatidylcholine production inhibits leukotriene release.