title: Protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on glutamate-induced lung injury.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physiology, Xiangya medical school, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jian-Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shao-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Qun
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Hui-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D036145:Ginsenosides; D020011:Protective Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1