Abstract
Tienchi ginseng tea (TGT) was prepared from the above-ground organs, stems and leaves, of Tienchi ginseng, which is a special product from China. Tienchi ginseng contains saponins as the main effective ingredient. In male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats, increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly inhibited by the consumption of 4% TGT solution in drinking water from a prehypertensive age (6 weeks of age). In contrast, intake of TGT had no effect on SBP or DBP in normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats. These results were evaluated using a telemetric system. Saponins were divided into two groups; the 20(s)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) group, including ginsenoside Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd that show hypotensive effects, and the 20(s)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) group, including ginsenoside Rg1 and Re that show the opposite effect to the PPD group. Furthermore, only PPD saponins were included in TGT, whereas both PPD and PPT saponins were present in the rhizome of Tienchi ginseng. Furthermore, an evaluation of safety using the Ames test and toxic potency using an acute toxicity test with the TGT extract revealed no gene mutagenicity, and the fatal dose was more than 2000 mg/kg. This study demonstrated that TGT has anti-hypertensive effects and provides better safety compared with the rhizome of Tienchi ginseng.
