Ginseng for Liver Injury: Friend or Foe?

Panax sp., including Panax ginseng Meyer, Panax quiquifolius L., or Panax notoginseng (Burk.) FH Chen, have been used as functional foods or for traditional Chinese medicine for diabetes, inflammation, stress, aging, hepatic injury, and cancer. In recent decades, a number of both in vitro and in vivo experiments as well as human studies have been conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of various types of ginseng samples and their components. Of these, the hepatoprotective and hepatotoxic effects of ginseng and their ginsenosides and polysaccharides are reviewed and summarized.

• Publication year

  2016

• Venue

  Medicines

• Publication date

  2016-12-01

• Fields of study

  Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/medicines3040033PMID 28930143PMCID 5456240
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Herbal Hepatotoxicity: Clinical Characteristics and Listing Compilation

  2016cited by this paper
• Oral subchronic toxicity evaluation of a novel antitumor agent 25-methoxydammarane-3, 12, 20-triol from Panax notoginseng in Sprague-Dawley rats.

  2016cited by this paper
• Hepatobiliary and pancreatic: Comparison between Chinese herbal medicine and Western medicine‐induced liver injury of 1985 patients

  2016cited by this paper
• Ginsenoside Rc from Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) Attenuates Inflammatory Symptoms of Gastritis, Hepatitis and Arthritis.

  2016cited by this paper
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Herbal Hepatotoxicity: RUCAM and the Role of Novel Diagnostic Biomarkers Such as MicroRNAs

  2016cited by this paper
• Administration of polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng prolonged the survival of H22 tumor-bearing mice

  2016cited by this paper
• Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity: a Comprehensive Update

  2016cited by this paper
• Hepatoprotective effect of fermented ginseng and its major constituent compound K in a rat model of paracetamol (acetaminophen)‐induced liver injury

  2015cited by this paper
• The Safety Evaluation of Salvianolic Acid B and Ginsenoside Rg1 Combination on Mice

  2015influential reference
• Evidence chain-based causality identification in herb-induced liver injury: exemplification of a well-known liver-restorative herb Polygonum multiflorum

  2015cited by this paper
• Molecular mechanisms governing different pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides and potential for ginsenoside‐perpetrated herb–drug interactions on OATP1B3

  2015cited by this paper
• [Effect and mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1 as an alcoholic hepatitis treatment in a rat model].

  2015cited by this paper
• [Effect of ginsenoside total saponinon on regulation of P450 of livers of rats after γ-ray irradiation].

  2015cited by this paper
• Chemical constituents and bioactivities of Panax ginseng (C. A. Mey.).

  2015cited by this paper
• Ginsenoside Rg1 protects mouse liver against ischemia-reperfusion injury through anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis properties.

  2014cited by this paper
• Panaxatriol saponin ameliorated liver injury by acetaminophen via restoring thioredoxin‐1 and pro‐caspase‐12

  2014cited by this paper
• Detoxifying effect of fermented black ginseng on H2O2-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells.

  2014influential reference
• 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg3 is a novel inhibitor of autophagy and sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma to doxorubicin

  2014cited by this paper
• Korean Red Ginseng attenuates ethanol-induced steatosis and oxidative stress via AMPK/Sirt1 activation

  2014cited by this paper
• Primary graft dysfunction after liver transplantation.

  2014cited by this paper
• [Effect of American Ginseng Capsule on the liver oxidative injury and the Nrf2 protein expression in rats exposed by electromagnetic radiation of frequency of cell phone].

  2014cited by this paper
• Nrf2 pathway activation contributes to anti-fibrosis effects of ginsenoside Rg1 in a rat model of alcohol- and CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis

  2014cited by this paper
• Hepatoprotective activity of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng adventitious roots against carbon tetrachloride treated hepatic injury in rats.

  2014cited by this paper
• Compound K-induced apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC97-H cells in vitro.

  2014cited by this paper
• Ginseng extract and ginsenoside Rb1 attenuate carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats

  2014cited by this paper
• Causes and Outcomes of Acute Liver Failure in China

  2013cited by this paper
• Hepatotoxic botanicals - an evidence-based systematic review.

  2013cited by this paper
• [Effect of notoginseng radix on expression quantity of TGF-beta1/ Smads and CTGF mRNA in rats with alcoholic liver disease].

  2013cited by this paper
• Protective effects of Korean red ginseng extract on cadmium-induced hepatic toxicity in rats

  2013cited by this paper
• [Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on expressions of MMP-13 and TIMP-1 in rats with hepatic fibrosis].

  2013influential reference
• Protective effects of ginseng total saponins against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in experimental obstructive jaundice rats

  2013cited by this paper
• Ginsenoside Rd inhibits the expressions of iNOS and COX-2 by suppressing NF-κB in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and mouse liver

  2013influential reference
• Subacute Oral Toxicity Study of Korean Red Ginseng Extract in Sprague-Dawley Rats

  2013cited by this paper
• The Amelioration of N-Acetyl-p-Benzoquinone Imine Toxicity by Ginsenoside Rg3: The Role of Nrf2-Mediated Detoxification and Mrp1/Mrp3 Transports

  2013cited by this paper
• Aflatoxins as a cause of hepatocellular carcinoma.

  2013cited by this paper
• Red ginseng extract protects against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis

  2013cited by this paper
• A formulated red ginseng extract upregulates CHOP and increases TRAIL-mediated cytotoxicity in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

  2013cited by this paper
• Reduction of hepatitis A virus on FRhK-4 cells treated with Korean red ginseng extract and ginsenosides.

  2013cited by this paper
• [Effect of Panax notoginseng saponins on cytokines in liver fibrosis rats].

  2013cited by this paper
• Korean red ginseng extract prevents APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity through metabolic enzyme regulation: The role of ginsenoside Rg3, a protopanaxadiol

  2013cited by this paper
• Effect of Korean red ginseng extract on liver damage induced by short-term and long-term ethanol treatment in rats

  2013cited by this paper
• Panax ginseng exerts antiproliferative effects on rat hepatocarcinogenesis.

  2013cited by this paper
• Cytoprotective Effect of 20(S)-Rg3 on Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced DNA Damage

  2012cited by this paper
• Korean red ginseng and its primary ginsenosides inhibit ethanol-induced oxidative injury by suppression of the MAPK pathway in TIB-73 cells.

  2012cited by this paper
• Elevated liver enzymes resulting from an interaction between Raltegravir and Panax ginseng: a case report and brief review

  2012cited by this paper
• Pharmacological Effects of Ginseng on Liver Functions and Diseases: A Minireview

  2012cited by this paper
• Dietary honey and ginseng protect against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatonephrotoxicity in rats.

  2012cited by this paper
• Chemical Diversity of Panax ginseng, Panax quinquifolium, and Panax notoginseng

  2012cited by this paper
• Sensitization of TRAIL-Induced Cell Death by 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg3 via CHOP-Mediated DR5 Upregulation in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

  2012cited by this paper
• Reactive oxygen species mediated ginsenoside Rg3- and Rh2-induced apoptosis in hepatoma cells through mitochondrial signaling pathways.

  2012influential reference
• [Effect of notoginseng extracts and their components on lipopolysaccharide and galactosamine mixture-induced impaired hepatic function in mice].

  2012cited by this paper
• Dietary supplementation with whey protein and ginseng extract counteracts oxidative stress and DNA damage in rats fed an aflatoxin-contaminated diet.

  2011influential reference
• Protective Effect of Korean Red Ginseng against Aflatoxin B1-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rat

  2011influential reference
• Prevention of cadmium bioaccumulation by herbal adaptogens

  2011cited by this paper
• AMP-activated protein kinase: A potential target for ginsenosides?

  2011cited by this paper
• Protective effect of Panax ginseng against serum biochemical changes and apoptosis in liver of rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4).

  2011cited by this paper
• Epidemiology of liver failure.

  2011cited by this paper
• 25-OCH3-PPD induces the apoptosis of activated t-HSC/Cl-6 cells via c-FLIP-mediated NF-κB activation.

  2011cited by this paper
• Amelioration of Radiation-Induced Hematological and Biochemical Alterations in Swiss Albino Mice by Panax ginseng Extract

  2011cited by this paper
• Ginsenoside Rb1 Inhibits Cell Activation and Liver Fibrosis in Rat Hepatic Stellate Cells

  2011cited by this paper
• Management of Radiation Injuries by Panax ginseng Extract

  2011cited by this paper
• The antidiabetic effect of ginsenoside Rb2 via activation of AMPK

  2011cited by this paper
• Intestinal metabolite compound K of ginseng saponin potently attenuates metastatic growth of hepatocellular carcinoma by augmenting apoptosis via a Bid-mediated mitochondrial pathway.

  2010influential reference
• Saponins from Panax japonicus protect against alcohol-induced hepatic injury in mice by up-regulating the expression of GPX3, SOD1 and SOD3.

  2010cited by this paper
• Red ginseng extract protects against aflatoxin B1 and fumonisins-induced hepatic pre-cancerous lesions in rats.

  2010cited by this paper
• Ginsenoside Compound K Attenuates Metastatic Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, which Is Associated with the Translocation of Nuclear Factor-κB p65 and Reduction of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2/9

  2010cited by this paper
• Mobile phone radiation-induced free radical damage in the liver is inhibited by the antioxidants n-acetyl cysteine and epigallocatechin-gallate

  2010cited by this paper
• Imatinib and Panax Ginseng: A Potential Interaction Resulting in Liver Toxicity

  2010cited by this paper
• Protective action of the immunomodulator ginsan against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury via control of oxidative stress and the inflammatory response.

  2010influential reference
• The effects of Panax ginseng and Spirulina platensis on hepatotoxicity induced by cadmium in rats.

  2009cited by this paper
• Anxiolytic-like Effects of Ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2 from Red Ginseng in the Elevated Plus-Maze Model

  2009cited by this paper
• Asian ginseng enhances the anti-proliferative effect of 5-fluorouracil on human colorectal cancer: Comparison between white and red ginseng

  2009cited by this paper
• Role of Panax ginseng as an antioxidant after cadmium-induced hepatic injuries.

  2009cited by this paper
• Relationship between anti-fibrotic effect of Panax notoginseng saponins and serum cytokines in rat hepatic fibrosis.

  2009cited by this paper
• Antioxidant and Apoptotic Effects of Korean White Ginseng Extracted with the Same Ratio of Protopanaxadiol and Protopanaxatriol Saponins in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells

  2009cited by this paper
• Synergistic immunostimulating activity of pidotimod and red ginseng acidic polysaccharide against cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression

  2008cited by this paper
• A new triterpenoid from Panax ginseng exhibits cytotoxicity through p53 and the caspase signaling pathway in the HepG2 cell line

  2008cited by this paper
• Anti-tumor activity of the ginsenoside Rk1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells through inhibition of telomerase activity and induction of apoptosis.

  2008cited by this paper
• Therapeutic potential of heat-processed Panax ginseng with respect to oxidative tissue damage.

  2007cited by this paper
• Effect of sun ginseng methanol extract on lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in rats.

  2007cited by this paper
• Anti‐proliferation and apoptosis induced by a novel intestinal metabolite of ginseng saponin in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

  2007cited by this paper
• The potent protective effect of wild ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) against benzo[alpha]pyrene-induced toxicity through metabolic regulation of CYP1A1 and GSTs.

  2007cited by this paper
• Preventive effect of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 against lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic and renal injury in rats

  2007influential reference
• Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, and Schizandra chinensis extract on liver injury in rats.

  2007cited by this paper
• Ginseng (Panax ginseng).

  2006cited by this paper
• Hepatoprotective effect of 20(S)-ginsenosides Rg3 and its metabolite 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2 on tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced liver injury.

  2005cited by this paper
• A Korean herbal medicine, Panax notoginseng, prevents liver fibrosis and hepatic microvascular dysfunction in rats.

  2005cited by this paper
• G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle by a ginseng metabolite, compound K, in U937 human monocytic leukamia cells

  2005cited by this paper
• Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibits novel ginseng metabolite-mediated apoptosis.

  2005cited by this paper
• Hepatoprotective effect of ginsenoside Rb1 and compound K on tert‐butyl hydroperoxide‐induced liver injury

  2005influential reference
• Panax notoginseng saponins preconditioning protects rat liver grafts from ischemia/reperfusion injury via an antiapoptotic pathway.

  2005cited by this paper
• Aβ(25–35)-Induced Memory Impairment, Axonal Atrophy, and Synaptic Loss are Ameliorated by M1, A Metabolite of Protopanaxadiol-Type Saponins

  2004cited by this paper
• Wild ginseng prevents the onset of high-fat diet induced hyperglycemia and obesity in icr mice

  2004cited by this paper
• Protective effect of fermented Red ginseng on a transient focal ischemic rats

  2004cited by this paper
• The effect of Korean red ginseng on liver regeneration after 70% hepatectomy in rats.

  2004influential reference
• Radioprotective Effects of Ginsan, an Immunomodulator

  2003cited by this paper
• Hepatotoxicity and Mechanism of Action of Haloalkanes: Carbon Tetrachloride as a Toxicological Model

  2003cited by this paper
• Experimental and epidemiological evidence on non-organ specific cancer preventive effect of Korean ginseng and identification of active compounds.

  2003influential reference
• A ginseng saponin metabolite-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells involves a mitochondria-mediated pathway and its downstream caspase-8 activation and Bid cleavage.

  2003cited by this paper
• Protection by hot water extract of Panax notoginseng on chronic ethanol‐induced hepatotoxicity

  2003cited by this paper

• Ginsenoside Rg1 Loaded Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS): Preparation, Characterization and In-vivo Toxicity Study

  2025cites this paper
• Developing a Screening Strategy to Identify Hepatotoxicity and Drug Interaction Potential of Botanicals

  2024influential citation
• Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced chronic liver damage by activating Nrf2 signaling and inhibiting inflammasomes in hepatic cells.

  2024cites this paper
• Ginsenosides in cancer: Targeting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

  2023cites this paper
• Natural Compounds as Oriental Therapy for Liver Protection against Inflammatory and Carcinogenic Mechanisms: from Induction to Molecular Biology Advancement.

  2022cites this paper
• Synergistic effects of black ginseng and aged garlic extracts for the amelioration of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in mice

  2021cites this paper
• Do we really need nutraceutical liver support? Experimental effectiveness, risks and proven clinical benefits

  2021cites this paper
• Characterization of hyperglycemia due to sub-chronic administration of red ginseng extract via comparative global proteomic analysis

  2021cites this paper
• Nutraceuticals in hepatic diseases

  2021cites this paper
• Liver protection: ancient empirical roots, marketing oversimplifications and novel molecular-biology-endowed compounds

  2020cites this paper
• Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of NRL/2019/Nl in Liver Disorder Patients with Abnormal Liver Function Test: A Randomized, Parallel Arm, Interventional, Prospective Clinical Study

  2020cites this paper
• Healthy Liver Support: A Summing Up Glance on What’s Working in the Mist of Marketing Claims? Francesco International Journal of Hepatology & Gastroenterology

  2020cites this paper
• Benefits and harms of ginseng supplementation on liver function? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

  2020cites this paper
• Panax ginseng is superior to vitamin E as a hepatoprotector against cyclophosphamide-induced liver damage.

  2019cites this paper
• Antidiabetic herbal medicines rebranded as dietary supplements

  2019cites this paper
• An unwanted complement: Rare case of potential liver injury induced by an interaction between ginseng and atorvastatin

  2019cites this paper