Ginsenoside Rg3

Ginsenosides are pharmacologically active natural constituents of ginseng and other plants of the genus Panax. Structurally, they are steroid glycosides derived from the triterpene squalene. Ginsenoside Rg₃ is a panaxadiol found in white and red P. ginseng. This ginsenoside has diverse in vitro and in vivo effects, including anti-cancer, neuroprotective, anti-hypertensive, and anti-inflammatory actions. Ginsenoside Rg₃ induces apoptosis and inhibits angiogenesis in a variety of cancer models. Notably, this ginsenoside can be produced by heating other ginsenosides, leading to elevated levels in steamed or dried ginseng preparations.

Ginsenoside Rg3 shows a synergistic antitumor effect with cisplatin in cisplatin-resistant bladder tumor cell lines and is considered to be an anti-tumor agent.

Ginsenoside Rg3 is a natural product isolated from Panax ginseng. Similar to other ginsenosides it exhibits cardio protective effects. Ginsenoside Rg3 enhances cardiac, hERG (IKr) and KCNQ (Iks), channel currents by interaction with the channel pore entryway. It also inhibits the palmitate-induced apoptosis of MIN6N8 mouse insulinoma beta-cells through modulating p44/42 MAPK activation. Ginsenoside Rg3 increases the level of the transcription factor Nrf2 and induces the mRNA levels of multidrug resistance-associated protein (Mrp) 1 and Mrp3. Rg3 modulate neuroinflammation by attenuating the activation of microglia in response to systemic LPS treatment. It activates AMPK in HepG2 cells and reduces the lipid accumulation thereby decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease due to dyslipidemia.