Ginseng extract scavenges hydroxyl radical and protects unsaturated fatty acids from decomposition caused by iron-mediated lipid peroxidation.
This study was conducted to investigate whether or not the antioxidation effect of ginseng extract directly inhibits decomposition of unsaturated fatty acid caused by iron and hydrogen peroxide-induced lipid peroxidation, and whether this effect involves a hydroxyl radical-scavenging mechanism. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), gas chromatography, and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer were used to measure lipid peroxidation, unsaturated fatty acid, and hydroxyl radical. The results showed TBARS formed and the loss of arachidonic acid during lipid peroxidation, and that hydroxyl radical formed by the Fenton reaction were completely inhibited by ginseng extract. This antioxidant effect of ginseng may be responsible for its wide pharmacological actions in clinical practice by a free radical reaction-inhibition mechanism.
Department of Pathology, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
D
D
Zhang
T
T
Yasuda
Y
Y
Yu
P
P
Zheng
T
T
Kawabata
Y
Y
Ma
S
S
Okada
D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology*; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005894:Panax / Q000378:metabolism*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013113:Spin Labels; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis
D002457:Cell Extracts; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D013113:Spin Labels; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; C017245:5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxide; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007501:Iron; D009571:Nitrilotriacetic Acid; C020326:ferric nitrilotriacetate