Ginsenoside Rh2 reduces ischemic brain injury in rats.
Ginseng was incubated under mildly acidic conditions and its inhibitory effect on a rat ischemia-reperfusion model was investigated. When ginseng was treated with 0.1% hydrochloric acid at 60 degrees C, its protopanaxadiol saponins were transformed to diasteromeric ginsenoside Rg3 and Delta20-ginsenoside Rg3. When the transformed ginseng extract, of which the main component was ginsenosides Rg3, was treated with human intestinal microflora, the main metabolite was ginsenoside Rh2. Orally administered acid-treated ginseng (AG) extract and ginsenoside Rh2 potently protect ischemia-reperfusion brain injury. The ginsenoside Rh2 also inhibited prostaglandin-E2 synthesis in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, but showed no in vitro antioxidant activity. These results suggest that AG and ginsenoside Rh2 can improve ischemic brain injury.
College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi, Dongdaemun-ku, Seoul, Korea.
Eun-Kyung
EK
Park
Min-Kyung
MK
Choo
Jin Kyung
JK
Oh
Jong Hoon
JH
Ryu
Dong-Hyun
DH
Kim
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D036145:Ginsenosides; C055305:ginsenoside Rh2; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid