Differences in immunomodulating effects between wild and cultured Panax ginseng.

The different effects between wild and cultured Panax ginseng on immunological activity were investigated. The extracts of hot water soluble fraction from wild Panax ginseng showed the mitogenic activity to lymphocytes but that from cultured Panax ginseng did not. The mitogenic activity of wild Panax ginseng (100 micrograms/well) was almost equal to Concanavalin A (0.1 microgram/well) which was well-known as one of T cell mitogens. The percentages of Thy 1.2-(pan T cells), L3T4-(helper T cells) and Lyt2-(cytotoxic T cells) positive cell population were significantly increased in the mice orally administered hot water soluble fraction from wild Panax ginseng as compared to control by 31.2, 17.9 and 30.1 percent, respectively.