title: Effects of Korean red ginseng extract on acute renal failure induced by gentamicin and pharmacokinetic changes by metformin in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Korean red ginseng is one of the best selling dietary supplements and its individual constituents enhance renal function. Acute renal failure (ARF) is a predisposing complication of diabetes mellitus as a result of combination drug therapy. The combination of antibiotic-antidiabetic drugs can entail toxicities and drug interactions because of the antibiotic resistance in patients with severe bacterial infection. Currently, gentamicin-metformin combination therapy is commonly prescribed for treating bacterial infections and diabetes, even though both drugs are mainly excreted via the kidney. Thus, this study was designed to investigate whether a Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) prevents renal impairment and pharmacokinetic changes by metformin in rats with renal failure induced by gentamicin.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vivo pharmacokinetics and in vitro hepatic/intestinal metabolism of metformin were assessed using control (CON), control with Korean red ginseng extract (KRG-CON), acute renal failure induced by gentamicin (ARF), and ARF with Korean red ginseng (KRG-ARF) rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacokinetic changes of metformin did not occur in KRG-ARF rats because KRG reduce the renal accumulation of gentamicin compared to ARF rats. Thus, KRG seemed to prevent acute renal failure induced by gentamicin treatment.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Dongguk University-Seoul, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yu Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Won
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Young Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008861:Microsomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D036145:Ginsenosides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D008687:Metformin
keywords: Acute renal failure; Gentamicin; Korean red ginseng extract; Metformin; Pharmacokinetics; Prevention