Korean red ginseng extract increases apoptosis by activation of the noxa pathway in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Background: Although the anticancer activity of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been known in various cancers, the mechanism of KRG-induced apoptosis is unknown in colorectal cancer (CRC). In our study, we examined whether KRG induces apoptosis in CRC cells. Methods: In the cell viability assay, the concentration of the appropriate KRG extracts was fixed at 2.5 mg/mL in numerous CRC cells. This fixed concentration was in other experiments, and it was confirmed that the KRG extracts induce apoptosis in CRC cells. Results: We found that KRG induced Noxa activation and apoptosis and increased endoplasmic reticulum stress via reactive oxygen species production. This indicated that KRG efficiently enhanced cell death in CRC cells. Conclusion: Our results show that KRG can be used as a possible anticancer drug for patients with CRC.