title: Cytoprotective effect of American ginseng in a rat ethanol gastric ulcer model.
abstract: Panax quinquefolium L. (American Ginseng, AG) is one of the most popular herbal medicines in the World. We aimed to investigate whether chronic (28-day) supplementation with AG could protect against ethanol-induced ulcer in gastric tissue. Furthermore, we investigated the possible molecular mechanisms leading to AG-mediated gastric mucosal protection. We randomized 32 male Wistar rats into four groups for treatment (n=8 per group): supplementation with water (vehicle) and low-dose (AG-1X), medium-dose (AG-2X) and high-dose (AG-5X) AG at 0, 250, 500, and 1250 mg/kg, respectively. In the first experiment, animals were fed vehicle or AG treatments for 4 weeks. At day 29, 75% ethanol was given orally to each animal at 10 mL/kg to induce gastric ulceration for 2 h. In a second experiment, animals were pretreated orally with each treatment for 1 hr before a single oral administration of ethanol (70%, 10 mL/kg). Trend analysis revealed that AG treatments inhibited ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage. AG supplementation dose-dependently decreased the pro-inflammatory levels of interleukin 1β and cyclooxygenase 2 and the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins tBid, cytochrome C, and caspases-9 and -3 and increased the levels of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and p-Bad. AG could have pharmacological potential for treating gastric ulcer.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Dean-Chuan
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Chao
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wan-Teng
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Sports Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan. meichich@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mei-Chich
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2