Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Ginsenoside Rg3 and Ginsenoside Rh2 after Oral Administration of Ginsenoside Rg3 in Normal and Walker 256 Tumor‑bearing Rats

Background: Ginseng is Chinese traditional herbal medicine, and the ginsenoside Rg3 is the main bioactive ingredient for the anti‑tumor effect. However, there is no study on pharmacokinetics (PKs) of ginsenoside Rg3 and its main metabolite after oral ginsenoside Rg3 in tumor‑bearing plasma. The aim of this study was to investigate the PK profiles of ginsenoside Rg3 and ginsenoside Rh2 after oral administration of pure ginsenoside Rg3 were administered, and compare the difference of the PK profiles between normal and Walker 256 tumor‑bearing rats. Materials and Methods: The concentrations of two ginsenosides in plasma were determined by using a simple and rapid high‑performance liquid chromatography. All the rats were divided randomly into two groups (Walker 256 tumor‑bearing and normal groups). Each group received oral administration of 50 mg/kg ginsenoside Rg3. Results: The results showed that ginsenoside Rh2, possibly as a glycosylation hydrolysis product of ginsenoside Rg3, were found in plasma after oral administration of ginsenoside Rg3 to rats. Ginsenoside Rg3 had shown better absorption than ginsenoside Rh2, whether the oral administration of ginsenoside Rg3, normal rats showed better absorption than tumor‑bearing rats. Discussion and Conclusion: The PKs properties of the ginsenoside Rg3 and ginsenoside Rh2 differed between tumor‑bearing rats and normal rats, including area under the plasma level/time curve and concentration maximum (P < 0.05).