title: Protective effect of ginseng saponins against impaired brain growth in neonatal rats exposed to ethanol.
abstract: This study was performed to determine the active constituents of the root of Panax ginseng C. A. Mayer in the amelioration of ethanol-induced impediment of brain growth in the neonatal stage. To establish an animal model of the brain growth impediment caused by ethanol, ethanol (6 g/kg s.c.) was administered to rat pups on postnatal day 6, which corresponded to the third trimester of pregnancy for humans. Brain weight, especially cerebellar weight, was significantly reduced in the ethanol-exposed pups. In contrast, neither separation from dams nor pentobarbital treatment affected brain weight. A saponin fraction of ginseng extract prevented this ethanol-induced reduction of brain weight. Some ginseng saponins including ginsenosides Rg1, Rb2, Rd, Rf and Re effected stimulated a potent recovery of cerebellum growth in this animal model.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuyama University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akaike
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012503:Saponins; D000431:Ethanol