title: Study of the neuroprotective effect of ginseng on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels in experimental diffuse head trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of ginseng on antioxidant enzyme levels in brain damage following experimental diffuse head trauma in rats. The neuroprotective effect of ginseng was also studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, rats were divided into four groups, and the rats in group 1 received no intervention. In group 2, the rats were administered 50 mg/kg ginseng, injected intraperitoneally at 1, 24 and 48 h, and the effect of ginseng on normal tissues was studied. No drugs were administered to the rats in group 3 who had previously experienced diffuse head trauma using Feeney's falling weight method. In group 4, rats underwent Feeney's falling weight method, leading to diffuse head trauma, and they were given 50 mg/kg ginseng intraperitoneally 1, 24 and 48 h after head trauma. Rats were killed 72 h after head trauma and their brain tissues extracted for histopathological and biochemical studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histopathological study of brain cross sections in the trauma group demonstrated neurons in the trauma region and surrounding area, which generally had a dark-colored eosinophilic cytoplasm and a pyknotic nucleus, while the nuclei of neurons were located peripherally. However, brain cross sections in group 4 from rats given ginseng after head trauma showed fewer neurons with eosinophilic cytoplasm, pyknotic and peripheral nuclei in the trauma region and surrounding area. No statistically significant difference in the tissue SOD level was observed; however, the GSH Px level in group 4 was significantly reduced compared to that in group 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After affecting the GSH Px level and reducing histopathological scores, ginseng was found to display antioxidant and neuroprotective activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ipekyolu State Hospital, 65300, Van, Turkey. i.demir2006@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Nejmi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiymaz
authors.forename: Burhan Oral
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Gudu
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Turkoz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.forename: Zumrut
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Sezin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirtas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005894:Panax; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase