Korean red ginseng saponins with low ratios of protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol saponin improve scopolamine-induced learning disability and spatial working memory in mice.
The effects of two ginseng saponins having a different ratio of protopanaxadiol (PD) and protopanaxatriol saponins (PT) on the learning impairment induced by scopolamine, and learning and memory in mice were investigated in a passive avoidance task and a Morris water maze task. The ratio of PD and PT was 1.24 and 1.46, respectively. Before training, the ginseng saponins were administered intraperitoneally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. The two saponins improved the scopolamine-induced learning impairment at different dosages in mice, 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. However, the two saponins did not show a favorable effect on learning and memory in normal mice. Korean red ginseng saponin with a low PD/PT ratio had an improving effect on spatial working memory, but the saponin with a high PD/PT ratio did not. This finding suggests that the PD/PT ratio of the ginseng saponins may be an important factor in the pharmacological role of red ginseng as a medicinal herb.
Jin
S H
SH
Department of Biochemical Pharmacology, Korea Ginseng & Tobacco Research Institute, Taejon, South Korea.
Park
J K
JK
Nam
K Y
KY
Park
S N
SN
Jung
N P
NP
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012502:Sapogenins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012503:Saponins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D012502:Sapogenins; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; C081552:protopanaxatriol; D012601:Scopolamine; C062916:protopanaxadiol