Physical and Chemical Properties | White crystalline powder, soluble in methanol, ethanol, DMSO and other organic solvents, derived from ginseng rhizome, Gynostemma pentaphyllum. |
In vitro study | Ginsenoside C-K, a bacterial metabolite of G-Rb1, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects mainly by reducing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and proinflammatory cytokines. Ginsenoside C-K suppresses the expression of proinflammatory cytokines by downregulating the activities of IRAK-1, MAPKs, IKK-α, and NF-κB in LPS-treated murine peritoneal macrophages. Ginsenoside C-K also suppresses the expression of iNOS and COX-2 by inhibiting NF-κB signaling in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In zymosan-treated bone-marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and RAW264.7 cells, Ginsenoside C-K inhibits inflammatory responses by negatively regulating the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, the activation of MAPKs, and the generation of ROS. In addition, anti-inflammatory activity of Ginsenoside C-K has been observed in LPS-stimulated microglial cells. Ginsenoside C-K hinders inflammatory responses by controlling both the generation of ROS and the activities of MAPKs, NF-κB, and AP-1. Ginsenoside C-K, a major metabolite of ginsenosides in the gastrointestinal tract, inhibits NF-κB signaling in a PXR-dependent manner. Ginsenoside C-K is shown to promote recovery of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) -induced colitis by suppressing NF-κB activation. Ginsenoside C-K significantly reduces TNF-α-induced upregulation of IL-1β and iNOS mRNA levels, and restores the mRNA levels of PXR and CYP3A4 in LS174T cells. Ginsenoside C-K, one of the intestinal metabolites of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol derivatives, exhibits an inhibition against the activity of CYP2C9 in human liver microsomes with an IC 50 value of 32.0±3.6 μM, a weak inhibition against the activity of CYP2A6 in human liver microsomes with an IC 50 value of 63.6±4.2 μM, and an even weaker inhibition against the activity of CYP2D6 in human liver microsomes with an IC 50 value of more than 100 μM. |