Ginsenoside Rp1, a ginsenoside derivative, blocks lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-1beta production via suppression of the NF-kappaB pathway.

Ginsenoside Rp1 (G-Rp1) is a ginseng saponin derivative with chemopreventive and anti-cancer activities. In this study, we examined the regulatory activity of G-Rp1 on the production of interleukin (IL)-1beta, a pro-inflammatory cytokine managing acute or chronic inflammatory diseases such as septic shock and rheumatoid arthritis, from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. G-Rp1 dose-dependently inhibited IL-1beta production from LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells without altering cell viability. This compound suppressed both mRNA and protein levels of IL-1beta. In particular, this compound was found to down-regulate phosphorylation of the inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB) kinase (IKK)/IkappaBalpha, and consequent activation of NF-kappaB, but not the activation of its upstream signaling enzymes such as mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and p85, a regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Therefore, these results suggest that G-Rp1 may act as an inhibitor of IL-1beta production by inhibiting the NF-kappaB pathway.