Anti-neuroinflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 microglial cells upon treatment with methanol extract of Panax ginseng root

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-neuroinflammatory properties of Panax ginseng (P. ginseng) root by measuring the levels of nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia cells. METHODS: Maximal non-toxic dose (MNTD) of methanol extract of P. ginseng root culture on BV2 microglia cells was first determined via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, followed by treatment and LPS stimulation of cells, and the measurement of NO using Griess assay and TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-10 using ELISA assay. RESULTS: The MNTD of P. ginseng root extract was determined to be (587 +/- 57) mu g/mL. Following that, NO and IL-6 levels were found to be insignificantly reduced by 6.88% and 0.14% respectively in stimulated cells upon treatment with MNTD. Treatment with 1/2 MNTD yielded similar insignificant result, with only a reduction of 3.58% and 0.08% in NO and IL-6 levels respectively. However, TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels were significantly downregulated by 15.64% and 34.96% respectively upon treatment with P. ginseng root extract at MNTD. CONCLUSION: Methanol extract of P. ginseng root culture did not show any significant anti-inflammatory effects on NO and IL-6 levels, but might potentially possess both anti-neuroinflammatory and pro-neuroinflammatory properties through the downregulation of TNF-alpha and IL-10 respectively. (C) 2021 JTCM. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The methanol extract of P. ginseng root culture did not demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory effects on NO and IL-6 levels, but it may have potential anti-neuroinflammatory and pro-neuroinflammatory properties by downregulating TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels respectively.