Recent research has increasingly focused on the potential role of white ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer, PGC) in alleviating psychological conditions. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PGC in reducing stress and tension over a 12-week period, employing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design. A total of 86 participants reporting stress-related symptoms were randomized to receive either PGC (n = 42) or a placebo (n = 44). Stress levels were assessed using a composite stress index, which was derived from self-reported measures, skin conductance response, and heart rate variability, at baseline, week 6, and week 12. Additionally, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted at the same time points. PGC treatment resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the composite stress index compared to placebo (P for interaction = 0.006). Furthermore, the PGC group demonstrated a more pronounced decrease in default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity than the placebo group (P for interaction = 0.002). A significant positive correlation was observed between the degree of reduction in DMN functional connectivity and a lower composite stress index at week 12 within the PGC group (r = 0.410, P = 0.025). PGC was well tolerated, with no significant differences in the incidence of adverse events (P = 0.308) or in dropout rates (P = 0.511) between the two groups. The findings of this study suggest that PGC has the potential to mitigate stress and tension, potentially through the modulation of DMN functional connectivity.

Studies on the use of natural products to treat cancer are ongoing, and turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), a medicinal crop, is known for various effects including anticancer activity. In this study, the inhibitory effect of C. longa and demethoxycurcumin on cancer cell growth in a colorectal cancer cell line (HCT116) was investigated by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolomics. For this analysis, HCT116 cells were treated with doxorubicin (positive control), C. longa extract, or demethoxycurcumin (20, 40, and 60 μM). In the NMR spectra of the HCT116 cell extract, 45 metabolites were identified and quantified. The quantified metabolites were analyzed by biomarker analysis, and significantly changed metabolites were filtered by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Multivariate statistical analysis of NMR spectra was conducted to confirm the distribution among groups. Through an S-line plot, it was possible to identify metabolites that contributed to the differences seen in the OPLS-DA score plot. Taken together, the results reveal that C. longa extract induces oxidative stress and changes the energy metabolism in HCT116 cells, and that demethoxycurcumin inhibits the energy metabolism strategy for the survival of cancer cells, escape from immune cells, and cancer cell proliferation, thereby enabling the survival of HCT116 cells.

Lee JH, et al. Investig Clin Urol. 2025 Oct;66:e53. https://doi.org/10.4111/icu.20250025

In this study, we sought to evaluate the potential availability of 30% ethanol extract of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus fruit (ASE) as a prebiotic and compare the immune enhancement effect of ASE and its fermented products, which were fermented with three probiotic bacteria, namely, Lactobacillus plantarum (ASE-LPF), Streptococcus thermophilus (ASE-STF), and Lactobacillus helveticus (ASE-LHF). RAW264.7 and BV2 cells were treated with various concentrations of ASE and its fermented products. The level of nitric oxide was evaluated using a Griess reagent, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines were determined through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot analysis was employed to determine the expression of various proteins related to immune responses. Our results show that fermentation with ASE significantly improved the probiotic growth of S. thermophilus and L. helveticus. Compared with ASE, treatment with only ASE-LHF increased the level of nitric oxide. Compared with ASE, treatment with ASE-LHF augmented the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and the production of inflammatory cytokines. It was confirmed that these enhancement effects were due to the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B and extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Additionally, secondary metabolite profiling of ASE and its fermented products was performed using UPLC-QTOF/MS to identify ASE’s promising compounds. Through metabolomic analysis, 23 metabolites showing significant differences between ASE and its fermented products were compared. Therefore, this study demonstrates the possibility of ASE-LHF as a potential material for immune-enhancing agents.