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Table 2 Roles and mechanisms of various major types of ginsenosides

From: Effects of ginsenosides on bone remodelling for novel drug applications: a review

Saponin

Osteogenesis

Osteoclastogenesis

In vitro

In vivo

Cells, effect and mechanism

Cells

Effect and mechanism

Animal model

Effect and mechanism

1. Ginsenoside Rb1

hAPDSCs (ALP activity, calcium mineralization↑)

Dose-dependently promote the osteogenic activity of hADSCs (0.5–6.0 μmol/L) [53]

  

RAW264.7 cells (RANKL↓, TRAP staining and activity ↓); inhibit osteoclast differentiation [61]

rMSCs(ALP activity↑, Runx-2, OCN, OPN, ALP expression↑)

Dose-dependently promote the osteogenic activity of rMSCs (0.01–1 μmol/L) [62]

OVX rats (serum analysis, mechanical testing, Masson Goldner trichrome staining, bone histomorphometry analysis)

No obvious effect on OVX rats [62]

Raw264.7 cells (c-Fos and NFATc1↓); inhibit osteoclast differentiation through JNK, p38 MAPKs and the NF-κB pathways [74]

2. Ginsenoside Rb2

MC3T3-E1 (ALP activity↑, calcium mineralization, mRNA expressions of ALP, Col-1, OCN and OPN↑)

Promote the differentiation of osteoblasts and resist oxidative damage caused by H2O2 [54]

OVX rats (ROS measurement, Van Gieson staining)

BMD↑, MDA↓, GSH↑, Rb2 may partially improve the microstructure and bone mass of trabecular OVX mice, prevent and treat osteoporosis [54]

MC3T3-E1(RANKL↓, IL-6↓) [48]; RAW264.7 cell, inhibit osteoclast differentiation through NF-κB-STAT3 signalling pathways↓ [75]

3. Ginsenoside Rc

    

RAW264.7 cells (RANKL↓, TRAP staining and activity ↓ ) [61]

4. Ginsenoside Rd

MC3T3-E1 (ALP activity, calcium mineralization↑, BMP-2 secretion↑, ALP, OCN, Col-1, BMP-2 expression↑)

Promotes osteogenesis through the AMPK-BMP-2 -smad signalling pathway [63]

  

BMMs (TRAP activity↓) inhibit osteoclast differentiation but cytotoxic [76]

5. Ginsenoside Re

MC3T3-E1 (ALP staining and activity, Runx-2, Col-1, OCN, OPN expression↑)

Promote osteoblast differentiation [64]

Zebrafish scales (Alizarin red S staining)

Promote mineralization of zebrafish scales [64]

RAW264.7 cells (RANKL↓, TRAP staining and activity ↓) [61] BMMs and zebrafish scales (TRAP staining and activity↓) inhibit osteoclast differentiation through ERK and RANKL-induced signalling pathway [76]

6. Ginsenoside Rf

    

RAW264.7 cells (RANKL↓, TRAP staining and activity ↓) [61]

7. Ginsenoside Rg1

BMSCs (ALP staining↑, calcification↑ BMP-2, Runx2, OCN, Col-1 and ALP expression↑)

Promote the osteogenesis through GR-dependent BMP/Smad signalling pathway [55]

Rat tibial fracture model (Micro-CT scanner HE, Safranin-O/Fast Green and immunohistochemical staining)

Promoted the transformation from the fibrous callus to osteogenic callus, increased bone strength and accelerated fracture healing [55]

RAW264.7 cells (RANKL↓, TRAP staining and activity ↓) [61]

hPDLSCs (ALP activity↑, Runx-2, Col-1, OCN, OPN expression ↑)

Enhance osteogenic differentiation [56]

   

hDPCs (ALP activity↑ mineralized calcium nodules↑)

Enhance osteogenic differentiation [57]

   

hDPSCs (BMP-2, FGF-2 secretion↑, DSPP, ALP, OCN, BPM-2 and FGF2 mRNA↑)

The Roche Nimblegen Whole Human Genome Expression profile microarray; seven statistically significant pathways, gene expressions of DSPP↑ and DMP1↑ [58]

   

8. Ginsenoside Rh1

MC3T3-E1 (ALP activity↑, Runx-2, Col-1, OCN expression↑, mineralized calcium nodules↑, glutathione contents↑)

Promote osteogenic differentiation and inhibit AMA-enhanced ROS [59]

   

9. Ginsenoside Rh2(S)

MC3T3-E1 (ALP staining, calcification↑ ALP, Runx2, OSX, OCN, OPN and Col-1 expression↑)

Stimulated the differentiation and the mineralization through PKD/p38 MAPK and PKD/AMPK signalling pathway [70, 71]

   

10. C-K

MC3T3-E1 (ALP activity, Col-1 content, and mineralization ↑ ALP, Runx2 and Col-1 expression↑)

Inhibited H2O2-induced ROS NO production and inflammation; stimulated osteoblast differentiation [72]

   

MC3T3-E1 (ALP activity, ALP, Col-1, and Runx2 expression↑)

Induce osteogenic differentiation through WNT signalling pathway [73]

   

11. Rg5:Rk1

MC3T3-E1ALP activity↑, calcification↑ BMP-2, Runx2 and Col-1 expression↑

They speculated that osteogenesis-promoting effect is achieved through the BMP-2/Runx2 pathway [60]

   

12. Ginseng water extract: 1.19% Rb1, 0.12% Rb2, 0.57% Rg1, 0.07% Rc, 0.64% Re, and 0.04% Rf

  

OVX (µ-CT, Bone histomorphometric analysis)

Ginseng can prevent bone loss and trabecular microstructure deterioration caused by OVX. Ginseng may be a good drug for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis [61]

RAW264.7 cells (RANKL↓, TRAP staining and activity ↓) The ginseng water extract and the five ginsenosides except Rb2 can inhibit osteoclast differentiation [61]

  1. ↑: up-regulation ↓: down-regulation