Ginsenosides are potent and selective inhibitors of some calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase isozymes.

The effects of various ginsenosides on calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase isozymes have been investigated. Ginsenosides were found to be potent inhibitors of bovine heart calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase and the 60-kDa isozyme of bovine brain calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase but not of the 63-kDa isozyme of bovine brain calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase. Since the inhibition of phosphodiesterase by ginsenosides was overcome by increasing the concentration of calmodulin, this suggests that ginsenosides act specifically and reversibly against the action of the calmodulin. These compounds therefore should be valuable tools to investigate the diverse physiological roles of distinct phosphodiesterase isozymes.