Activation of PC12 cells by lipophilic components of Panax ginseng.
The lipid soluble fraction of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been found to possess a stimulatory effect on a para-neuronal culture cell line, namely PC12 cells. Addition of the diethyl ether extract (0.025-0.1 mg/ml) of Ginseng radix to a culture medium promoted the outgrowth of neurites from cells dose-dependently as well as their ready differentiation to respond to carbachol and high KCl-evoked membrane depolarization to induce free Ca2+ accumulation in the cells within a week of culture. Effective constituents of the extract were confined to four major substances detected in the extremely lipophilic front area on silica gel TLC.
Mohri
T
T
2nd Division of the Research Laboratory for Development of Medicine, Hokuriku University School of Pharmacy, Ishikawa, Japan.
Chiba
K
K
Yamazaki
M
M
Shimizu
M
M
Morita
N
N
D000818:Animals; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
D010936:Plant Extracts