title: Black ginseng inhibits ethanol-induced teratogenesis in cultured mouse embryos through its effects on antioxidant activity.
abstract: Fetal alcohol syndrome is caused by excessive ethanol consumption during pregnancy. We investigated the effect of black ginseng (red ginseng that is subjected to 9 cycles of 95-100 degrees C for 2-3h) on ethanol-induced teratogenesis using an in vitro whole embryo culture system. Postimplantational mouse embryos at embryonic day 8.5 were exposed to ethanol (1 microl/ml) in the presence or absence of black ginseng (1, 10, and 100 microg/ml) for 2 days, and then morphological scoring and real-time PCR analysis were carried out. In ethanol-treated embryos, the total morphological score and individual scores for flexion, heart, fore-, mid-, and hindbrains, otic, optic, and olfactory systems, branchial bars, maxillary and mandibular processes, caudal neural tube, and somites were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.05). Treatment with black ginseng improved most of the morphological scores significantly as compared to ethanol-treated embryos (p<0.05). The mRNA levels of the antioxidant enzymes cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx, and selenoprotein P were significantly decreased in ethanol-treated embryos, but co-treatment with black ginseng restored the mRNA levels to those of control embryos. These results indicate that black ginseng has a protective effect on ethanol-induced teratogenesis through the augmentation of antioxidative activity in embryos.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Core Research Institute, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 361-763, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Ra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mi-Ra
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yon
authors.forename: In-Jeoung
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Chun Gui
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Beom Jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Won
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Sang-Yoon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013723:Teratogens / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013723:Teratogens; D000431:Ethanol; D010088:Oxidoreductases