Antihepatotoxic Actions of Ginsenosides from Panax ginseng Roots1.

The antihepatotoxic effects of ginsenosides, saponins from PANAX GINSENG, and their aglycones were investigated utilizing carbon tetrachloride (CCl (4))- and galactosamine (GalN)-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Prominent protective actions were found with 20( S)-ginsenoside-Rh (2), 20( R)-ginsenoside-Rg (3) and prosapogenin of ginsenoside-Ro, 20( R)- and 20( S)-ginsenoside-Rs in CCl (4)-produced cytotoxicity, and 20( S)-ginsenoside-Rh (1) and prosapogenin of 20( S)-ginsenoside-Rs were effective in preventing GalN-induced liver cell damage. The antihepatotoxic effects of chikusetsusaponins, saponins of PANAX JAPONICUS, were also examined. The structure-activity relationship is discussed.