title: [Effects and mechanisms of ginsenoside Rb3 on glutamate excitotoxic injury in cultured neurons of rat hippocampus].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe protective effects of ginsenoside Rb3 on glutamate excitotoxic injury in cultured hippocampal neurons and involved mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  On cultured rat hippocampal neurons treated with glutamate at toxic concentration, we made the following investigations: by using MTT assay, LDH leakage detection, tests of total NOS, iNOS and cNOS activity, and the protective effects of ginsenoside Rb3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ginsenoside Rb3 can enhance the hippocampal neuronal viability, decrease the LDH leakage, elevate the viability of cNOS, and in the same time weaken iNOS's viability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ginsenoside Rb3 has the significant protective effects on glutamate excitotoxic injury. The involved mechanism may include antagonizing the injury of neuron membrane, inhibiting the viability of iNOS, and increasing the activity of cNOS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nautical Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zheng-Lin
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao-Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D036145:Ginsenosides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C044463:ginsenoside Rb3; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat