Anticancer effects of black ginseng extract on human gastric cancer in a xenograft mouse model

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the potential of black ginseng extract (BGE) to prevent and treat gastric cancer by evaluating its effects on the proliferation of human gastric cancer cells and the growth of human gastric tumors implanted in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antitumor effects of BGE on gastric cancer were evaluated by assessing its cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity in AGS and KATO III gastric cancer cells. Additionally, in a nude mouse model with AGS cell xenografts, tumor volume, weight, size, and body weight were analyzed following oral administration of BGE, red ginseng extract (RGE), or no treatment. Subsequently, the liver and spleen were weighed, and histopathological analysis was performed to assess the non-toxicity of BGE to non-cancerous cells. RESULTS: , oral administration of RGE and BGE to nude mice with AGS cell xenografts resulted in no increase in tumor volume or body weight, while both tumor weight and size were significantly reduced. Notably, the group treated with BGE had significantly smaller tumors and weight than the RGE-treated group. Furthermore, following oral BGE, no significant differences were observed in the weights of the liver and spleen, and no histopathological abnormalities were detected in the organs of the AGS cell xenograft mice. CONCLUSIONS: BGE exhibited anticancer activity against gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, with no toxicity observed in the major organs.