Reductions in levels of the Alzheimer’s amyloid peptide after oral administration of ginsenosides

The study goal is to investigate effects of ginsenosides on Aβ levels. Ginsenosides, such asRe, Rg1, Rg3, Rb1, Rb2, panaxadiol, panaxatriol, pseudoginsenoside F11, and notoginsenoside R1, are a Chinese remedy commonly used in China to treat Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms. Ginseng has low toxicity when taken orally. In this study, they measured Aβ levels in cell and animal models. Results showed in the cell-based model system that ginseng reduced levels of Aβ in the conditioned medium. Other ginsenosides also reduced Aβ concentrations in a dose-dependent manner, especially Rg3 with an IC50 under 25 µM. In Tg2576 mice, the ginsenosides reduced brain Aβ levels after a single dose. These results imply that ginsenosides could be beneficial for AD patients.