Ginsenoside Rh2

Ginsenoside Rh₂ is a steroid glycoside found in plants of the genus Panax that has diverse biological activities. It inhibits release of β-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells (IC₅₀ = 100 μM) and inhibits the IgE-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in mice at a dose of 25 mg/kg. It inhibits growth of HRA ovarian and BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, ginsenoside Rh₂ decreases immobility time in the forced swim test in a mouse model of colorectal carcinoma. Ginsenoside Rh₂ also reduces infarct volume in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion-induced brain injury.

White solid

20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 is a bioactive metabolite of the ginsenoside component of Panax ginseng that has been shown to exhibit antibacterial effects in vitro.

ChEBI: A ginsenoside found in Panax species that is dammarane which is substituted by hydroxy groups at the 3beta, 12beta and 20 pro-S positions, in which the hydroxy group at position 3 has been converted to the corresponding beta-D-glucopyranoside, and in which a double bond has been introduced at the 24-25 position.

Ginsenoside-Rh2, a plant glycosidewith a dammarane skeleton, has been shown to induce apoptosis in a caspase 3,8-dependent manner or the activation of cyclinA-Cdk2 by caspase 3-mediated cleavage of p21(WAF1/CIP1). Also, ginsenoside-Rh2 was shown to inhibit proliferation by inducing the protein expression of p21 and reducing the protein levels of cyclin D, which resulted in the downregulation of cyclin/Cdk complex kinase activity, a reduction in phosphorylation of pRb and the inhibition of E2F release or modulation of MAP kinases in various cancer cells[1].

[1] EUN-KYUNG PARK. Antiallergic activity of ginsenoside Rh2.[J]. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin, 2003, 26 11: 1581-1584. DOI: 10.1248/bpb.26.1581
[2] EUN-KYUNG PARK. Ginsenoside Rh2 reduces ischemic brain injury in rats.[J]. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin, 2004, 27 3: 433-436. DOI: 10.1248/bpb.27.433
[3] Y KIKUCHI. Inhibition of human ovarian cancer cell proliferation in vitro by ginsenoside Rh2 and adjuvant effects to cisplatin in vivo.[J]. Anti-Cancer Drugs, 1991, 2 1: 63-67. DOI: 10.1097/00001813-199102000-00009
[4] XI-PING TANG. Effects of ginsenoside Rh2 on growth and migration of pancreatic cancer cells.[J]. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2013, 19 10: 1582-1592. DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i10.1582
[5] JIA WANG. Ginsenoside Rh2 alleviates tumor-associated depression in a mouse model of colorectal carcinoma.[J]. American journal of translational research, 2016, 8 5: 2189-2195.