Protective effect of ginsenosides, active ingredients of Panax ginseng, on kainic acid-induced neurotoxicity in rat hippocampus.
Ginsenosides are known to attenuate glutamate-induced cell injuries in vitro. We investigated the in vivo effect of ginsenosides on kainic acid (KA)-induced neurotoxicity in rat hippocampus using the methods of acid fuchsin (AF) staining and heat-shock protein-70 (HSP-70) immunoreactivity to detect neuronal death and stress, respectively. Pretreatment of ginsenosides (50 or 100 mg/kg for 7 days) via intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration significantly attenuated KA (10 mg/kg i.p.)-induced cell death by decreasing AF-positive neurons in both CA1 and CA3 regions of rat hippocampus compared with KA treatment alone. Pretreatment of ginsenosides (50 or 100 mg/kg for 7 days) via i.p. administration also significantly suppressed KA-induced induction of HSP-70 in both regions of rat hippocampus. These results show that ginsenosides are effective in protecting hippocampal CA1 and CA3 cells against KA-induced neurotoxicity.
Lee
Jong-Hwan
JH
Department of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Kwangju 500-757, South Korea.
Kim
Se-Ra
SR
Bae
Chun-Sik
CS
Kim
Donghou
D
Hong
Hea- Nam
H
Nah
Seung- Yeol
S
D000818:Animals; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents; D036145:Ginsenosides; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D004396:Coloring Agents; D036145:Ginsenosides; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D012503:Saponins; C086337:acid fuchsin; D007608:Kainic Acid