TNF and adenocarcinoma: In the IL-1β-stimulated inflamed A549 cells (adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells) and human asthmatic airway epithelial tissues, ginsenoside Rg3 was shown to downregulate the NF-κB activity and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as well as other NF-κB-mediated cytokines, such as IL-4 and TNF-α [29].