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This article review recent basic and clinical studies of ginseng, particularly the anti-cancer effects and the potential chemopreventive actions by activating the transcriptional factor, Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 factor 2 (Nrf2) anti-oxidative stress / anti-inflammatory pathways.
Nrf2 is a novel target for cancer prevention as it regulates the antioxidant responsive element (ARE), a critical regulatory element in the promoter region of genes encoding cellular phase II detoxifying and anti-oxidative stress enzymes. The studies on the chemopreventive effects of ginseng or its components/products showed that Nrf2 could also be a target for ginseng’s actions.
A number of papers also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of ginseng which could be related to the Nrf2 signalling pathway. Targeting Nrf2 pathway is a novel approach to the investigation of ginseng’s cancer chemopreventive actions, including some oxidative stress / inflammatory conditions responsible for the initiation, promotion and progression of carcinogenesis.
Conclusion
Reference
Anti-cancer and potential chemopreventive actions of ginseng by activating Nrf2 anti-oxidative stress/anti-inflammatory pathways
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Published in Chinese Medicine 2010, 5:37 doi:10.1186/1749-8546-5-37
by Constance Lay-Lay Saw (constancesaw@gmail.com),Qing Wu (qwu@vip.sina.com), Ah-Ng Tony Kong (kongt@pharmacy.rutgers.edu)
Open Access pdf: http://www.cmjournal.org/content/pdf/1749-8546-5-37.pdf
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