Effect of Korean Red Ginseng on Plasma Ceramide Levels in Postmenopausal Women with Hypercholesterolemia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Yu-Jin KwonGyung-Min LeeKwang-Hyeon LiuDong Hyuk JungPublished in: Metabolites (2021)
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a crucial cause of death in postmenopausal women. Plasma ceramide concentrations are correlated with the development of atherosclerosis and are significant predictors of CVD. Here, we conducted a 4-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical pilot study to investigate the effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on serum ceramide concentrations in 68 postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n = 36) received KRG and the control (n = 32) group received placebo, 2 g each, once daily. Serum ceramides were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at baseline and study completion, with changes in serum ceramide levels as the primary end point. We detected significantly greater mean changes in C16 ceramide levels (d18:1/16:0: -6.4 ± 6.3 pmol/mL vs. 14.6 ± 6.8 pmol/mL, respectively, p = 0.040; d18:1/22:0: -20.8 ± 24.4 pmol/mL vs. 71.1 ± 26.2 pmol/mL, respectively, p = 0.020). Additionally, changes in the median C16 (d18:1/16:0) and C22 (d18:1/22:0) ceramide levels were significantly greater in KRG-group subjects with metabolic syndrome than those without. Therefore, we found that KRG decreases the serum levels of several ceramides in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia, suggesting it may be beneficial for preventing CVD in these individuals.
Keyphrases
- bone mineral density
- postmenopausal women
- cardiovascular disease
- liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
- randomized controlled trial
- metabolic syndrome
- study protocol
- placebo controlled
- end stage renal disease
- cardiovascular events
- newly diagnosed
- ejection fraction
- simultaneous determination
- type diabetes
- chronic kidney disease
- physical activity
- body composition
- double blind
- ms ms
- squamous cell carcinoma
- insulin resistance
- high resolution
- coronary artery disease
- patient reported outcomes
- mass spectrometry
- liquid chromatography
- low density lipoprotein
- open label