title: The antistress effect of ginseng total saponin and ginsenoside Rg3 and Rb1 evaluated by brain polyamine level under immobilization stress.
abstract: The present study aims to demonstrate the ability of ginseng total saponin (GTS), ginsenosides Rg3 and Rb1 to reduce brain polyamine levels in immobilization-stressed gerbil mice. A previous study reported that ginsenosides had an anti-stress property. So, we tested the anti-stress effect of ginseng by investigating the brain level of polyamine, a well-known stress stimuli marker. We determined the brain polyamine levels under 30-min immobilization stress in pretreating GTS (100 mgkg(-1), oral), ginsenosides Rg3 and Rb1 (10 mgkg(-1), oral, respectively). Then, we compared polyamine levels between the non-stressed mouse and the stressed mouse which had taken saline orally to check the placebo effect. Putrescine (PUT) levels were significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the stressed condition, but it was reduced in pretreatment of GTS, ginsenosides Rg3 (P < 0.01, respectively) and Rb1 (P < 0.001) under 30-min immobilization stressed-mouse. However, other polyamine levels did not change regardless of stressed condition or GTS-, ginsenosides Rg3- and Rb1-treated stressed condition. These results mean that only PUT could be a marker for stress and GTS, ginsenosides Rg3 and Rb1 administration lead to an anti-stress effect. Thus, our studies indicate that GTS, ginsenosides Rg3 and Rb1 may play a neuroprotective role in the immobilization-stressed brain.
authors.affiliation: Bioanalysis and Biotransformation Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 131, Cheongryang, Seoul 130-650, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung Hwa
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sun Yeou
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eunjoo H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bong Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005849:Gerbillinae; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D011073:Polyamines / Q000032:analysis; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099228:Diamine N-Acetyltransferase
chemical_list: D000123:Acetyltransferases; D003345:Corticosterone; D036145:Ginsenosides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011073:Polyamines; D012503:Saponins; D000099228:Diamine N-Acetyltransferase; C097367:ginsenoside Rg3; C442759:ginsenoside Rb1