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-α, IL-6, and IL-10 using ELISA assay.
RESULTS: The MNTD of P. ginseng root extract was determined to be (587 ± 57) µg/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 MNTD yielded similar insignificant result, with only a reduction of 3.58% and 0.08% in NO and IL-6 levels respectively. However, TNF-α 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-α and IL-10 respectively.