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PP-71

Panax ginseng-derived exosomes -like nanovesicles alleviates obesity by

restoring gut microbiome diversity

1
1
1
1
Mina Boo, Hyunyoung Choi, Suhyeon An, HyunSoo Yang, Jae Heon Sim, Dong-
1
1,2
2
Hyun Youn, Hye-Lin Kim, Jinbong Park*
2

1 Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul,
Republic of Korea
2 Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul,
Republic of Korea
* E-mail: thejinbong@khu.ac.kr

Abstract
Obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide, serving as a major risk factor for metabolic and
cardiovascular diseases. Although currently available anti-obesity drugs demonstrate
therapeutic effects, their long-term use is limited due to adverse effects. Recently, plant-derived
exosome-like nanovesicles have attracted growing interest as novel agents to maximize the
pharmacological potential of medicinal plants. These vesicles show excellent biocompatibility
and low toxicity, positioning them as promising next-generation therapeutic delivery systems.
Panax ginseng, a medicinal herb traditionally used in East Asia, has been reported to provide
diverse metabolic benefits, including regulation of glucose metabolism, restoration of energy
homeostasis, and inhibition of fat accumulation. However, the anti-obesity effects of Panax
ginseng-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (GELNs) and their underlying mechanisms remain
largely unexplored. In this study, GELNs were orally administered to high-fat diet (HFD)-fed
C57BL/6J mice to investigate their effect on obesity. Changes in body weight, adiposity, blood
glucose, and gut microbiota composition were evaluated. Compared to the HFD group, GELN-
treated mice exhibited reduced body weight and a more rapid decrease in blood glucose levels
during oral glucose overload. Serum biochemical analyses revealed improvements in lipid
profiles, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein
(HDL), and triglycerides. Furthermore, gut microbiota analysis showed that GELNs treatment
ameliorated HFD-induced dysbiosis, which was associated with improved obesity-related
outcomes. Collectively, these findings suggest that GELNs represent a promising plant-based
nanotherapeutic strategy for obesity treatment through their regulatory effect on gut
microbiome.

Keywords: Panax ginseng; Panax ginseng-derived exosome-like nanovesicles; Obesity;
Metabolic diseases; Gut microbiome