Protective roles of ginseng against bacterial infection

Abstract

Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that plays a protective role against microbial attack. Several studies have revealed its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulatory effects. Ginseng contains several components that vary according to the year of cultivation and the processing method used, such as heating, drying, and steaming, which induce different degrees of pharmacological activities. This review discusses the antibacterial effects of ginseng against pathogenic bacterial infections. We describe how ginseng regulates pathogenic factors that are harmful to the host and discuss the therapeutic potential of ginseng as a natural antibacterial drug to combat bacterial infectious disease, which is a global public health challenge. The components of ginseng could be novel alternatives to solve the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and toxicity.

Figure 1. FIGURE 1: General structure of the saponin.

Saponins are glucosides with foaming characteristics. Saponins consist of a polycyclic aglycones attached to one or more sugar side chains. The aglycone part, which is also called sapogenin, is either a steroid (C₂₇) or a triterpene (C₃₀). The foaming ability of saponins is caused by the combination of a hydrophobic (fat-soluble) sapogenin and a hydrophilic (water-soluble) sugar part (R₁, R₂, R₃: -sugar or -H group).

Figure 2. FIGURE 2: The main types of antibacterial activities of Panax ginseng.

P. ginseng shows various antibacterial activities against infectious agents. P. ginseng convers antimicrobial therapy via various mechanisms, including bactericidal activity, immunomodulatory effects, inhibition of pathogen-induced hemagglutination, anti-adhesive activity, and anti-quorum sensing activity.