Multiple Effects of Ginseng Berry Polysaccharides: Plasma Cholesterol Level Reduction and Enteric Neoplasm Prevention

The root of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) has been used for centuries in Oriental medicine to improve general well-being and to relieve various medical conditions. It is commonly understood that ginsenosides are responsible for the pharmacological activities of ginseng. Compared to the root of ginseng, studies on the berry are considerably limited. In this study, we evaluated the effects of polysaccharides from Asian ginseng berries on plasma lipid levels, chemically-induced enteric inflammation and neoplasm, and cancer chemoprevention in different experimental models. We tested two polysaccharide preparations: regular ginseng berry polysaccharide extract (GBPE) and ginseng berry polysaccharide portion (GBPP, removed MV <20,000). We first observed that both oral GBPE and oral GBPP significantly reduced plasma cholesterol and triglycerides levels in a dose-related manner in ob/ob mice, without obvious body weight changes. Then, in AOM/DSS-induced acute colitis mice, GBPE and GBPP significantly a...