금 나노입자를 처리한 홍삼의 산화스트레스 완화 및 PC-12 신경세포 보호

Red ginseng prepared from fresh 6-year-old ginseng treated with colloidal gold nanoparticles was extracted using hot water to evaluate its total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity, and neuroprotective effects. Water extract of red ginseng treated with gold nanoparticles (WERGGN) had total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of 212.2 mg gallic acid equivalents/°Bx and 3.5 mg catechin equivalents/°Bx, respectively. The antioxidant capacities of WERGGN measured using ABTS, DPPH, and ORAC assays were 272.3, 141.2, and 868.4 mg vitamin C equivalents/°Bx, respectively. The WERGGN showed protective effects on the viability of neuron-like PC-12 cells against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide in a dose-dependent manner, partly because of a reduction in intracellular oxidative stress. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, which degrade the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to terminate neurotransmission, were inhibited by treatment with WERGGN. These results suggest that WERGGN is useful as a functional material to decrease oxidative stress and neuronal damage.