title: Red ginseng extract improves coronary flow reserve and increases absolute numbers of various circulating angiogenic cells in patients with first ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: The effects of red ginseng extract on circulating angiogenic cell mobilization and improvement of microvascular integrity were evaluated in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients during 8-month follow-up. AMI patients (n = 50) were randomly assigned to the red ginseng group (3 g/day, n = 25) or the placebo group (n = 25) after coronary stenting. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was measured at baseline and at 8 months with an intracoronary Doppler wire. Serial changes in the absolute numbers of circulating angiogenic cells such as CD34(+) , CXCR4(+) , CD117(+) , CD133(+) and C-met(+) were measured at baseline, 1 day, 5 days and at 8 months. CFR were similar between the two groups at baseline, and CFR was significantly higher in the red ginseng group than in the placebo group (2.80 ± 0.91 and 2.56 ± 0.77, p < 0.05, respectively) after 8 months of red ginseng administration. The absolute numbers of circulating CD34(+) , CXCR4(+) and CD117(+) cells were significantly higher in the red ginseng group at 1 and 5 days after stenting. Significant positive correlations were found between the numbers of circulating angiogenic cells at day 1 and the changes from baseline in CFR for CD34(+) , CXCR4(+) , CD117(+) and C-met(+) cells. Red ginseng extract increased CD34(+) , CXCR4(+) and CD117(+) circulating angiogenic cell mobilization and decreased inflammation in AMI patients, thereby improving CFR during the 8-month follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Soon Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Seung Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jae Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Do-Sun
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts