Protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on glutamate-induced lung injury.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the possible protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1, an active component of ginseng, on lung injury caused by glutamate in vivo.


METHODS
The lungs of mice receiving glutamate (0.5 g/kg) and/or ginsenoside Rg1 (0.03 g/kg) via intraperitoneal administration were collected. The indexes of lung wet weight/ body weight ratios (LW/BW), lung wet/dry weight ratios (W/D), heart rate (HR), and breathing rate (BR) were determined. The activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), xanthine oxidase (XOD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), the content of NO, and malondialdehyde in the lung homogenate were measured.


RESULTS
Treatment with glutamate for 2 h increased LW/BW, W/D, HR, and BR. These changes were nearly abolished by pretreatment with ginsenoside Rg1 for 30 min before glutamate injection. An analysis of the lung homogenate demonstrated the protective effect as evidenced by the inhibition of NOS (12%) and XOD (50%) inactivity, the enhanced activity of SOD (20%) and CAT (25%).


CONCLUSIONS
Ginsenoside Rg1 has a potential protective role in lung diseases associated with glutamate toxicity.
Shen
Li
L
Departments of Physiology, Xiangya medical school, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China.
Han
Jian-Zhong
JZ
Li
Chen
C
Yue
Shao-Jie
SJ
Liu
Yong
Y
Qin
Xiao-Qun
XQ
Liu
Hui-Jun
HJ
Luo
Zi-Qiang
ZQ
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D020011:Protective Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects
D000975:Antioxidants; D036145:Ginsenosides; D020011:Protective Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1