title: Ginsenoside Rg1 protects primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons from cell apoptosis induced by β-amyloid protein.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Estrogen is known to prominently benefit neuronal syndromes and neurodegenerative diseases. Ginsenoside Rg1, an active ingredient found in a Chinese plant, ginseng root, was previously demonstrated to exert estrogen-like activity. This study was performed to assess the neuroprotective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 against apoptosis induced by β-amyloid protein 25-35 (Aβ(25-35)) in primary cultured rat hippocampal neuronal cells as well as in the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We first measured cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. After that, the inhibition effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on neuronal cell apoptosis were evaluated with flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, western blot analysis was used for detecting the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2, Bax, and active caspase 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that ginsenoside Rg1 could increase neuronal viability and reduce LDH release; rescue cell apoptosis induced by Aβ(25-35); decrease the expression of caspase 3, increase the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax at the protein levels compared with the cells only treated with Aβ(25-35).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results indicate that the apoptosis induced by Aβ(25-35) could be reversed by ginsenoside Rg1. Furthermore, this neuroprotective effect is probably mediated by up-regulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax that activates caspase 3.
authors: Department of Traditional Chinese Integrated Western Medicine Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Gong
authors: Shu-Ling
authors: SL
authors: Li
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019610:Cytoprotection; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000633:toxicity; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D036145:Ginsenosides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C074636:amyloid beta-protein (25-35); D053148:Caspase 3; C035054:ginsenoside Rg1