Exploring the Antioxidant Properties of \u3ci\u3ePanax quinquefolius\u3c/i\u3e and its Components

Around 93,090 cases and 49,700 deaths, resulting from colorectal cancer, were estimated for 2015 (“Cancer facts and figures 2015,” 2015). This study focused on ulcerative colitis induced colon cancer which are promoted through inflammation. The purpose of this study is to observe what component of american ginseng allows the anti-inflammatory pathway to open up. It was hypothesized that whole ginseng would decrease the number of reactive oxygen species the most, only because hexane fraction IV and panaxynol are being used. However, only based on the extracts, the panaxynol will decrease the most reactive oxygen species and the immunofluorescence will show more nrf2 outside of the nucleus of the ANA-1 cells. The study was performed by treating ANA-1 cells with whole ginseng, hexane fraction IV, and panaxynol for 0, 1, 2, or 3 hours and then irritating them with interferon gamma for 24 hours. An immunofluorescence was then conducted to observe the location of the Nrf2 for each designated treatment. In the luminescence portion of the experiment, the trend displayed was that the whole ginseng decreased the most inflammation as the time treatment increased. However, out of the extracts, the panaxynol decreased the most inflammation as the time treatment increased. The immunofluorescence portion of the experiment showed that the Nrf2 was predominantly expressed and dispersed outside the cell for the panaxynol. The purpose of this study was to observe what component of american ginseng allows the anti-inflammatory pathway to open up