Preventive Effects of Korean Red Ginseng on Dextran Sulfate Sodium-induced Colitis and Colon Carcinogenesis in C57BL/6J Mice

Abstract

Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) exerts chemopreventive effects on experimentally induced carcinogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unresolved. In this study, we investigated effects of KRG on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and azoxymethane (AOM) plus DSS-induced colon carcinogenesis in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed diet containing 1% KRG or a standard diet more than one week before and throughout the experiment. The mouse colitis was induced by administration of 3% DSS in drinking water for 1 week. DSS caused body weight loss, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and colon length shortening, and all these symptoms were ameliorated by KRG treatment. KRG inhibited DSS-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by suppressing activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activation of transcription 3 (STAT3). In another experiment, colon carcinogenesis was initiated by single i.p. injection of AOM (10 mg/kg) and promoted by 2% DSS. KRG administration relieved the symptoms of acute colitis and reduced the incidence, the multiplicity and the size of colon tumor. The up-regulation of COX-2, iNOS, cMyc and cyclin D1 by AOM plus DSS was inhibited by KRG treatment through prevention of NF-κB and STAT3 activation. These results suggest that KRG is a potential candidate for chemoprevention of inflammation-associated disorders in the colon.