title: Treatment of stress urinary incontinence by ginsenoside Rh2.
abstract: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common disorder in middle-aged women and the elderly. Although surgical treatment of SUI has progressed, there are no effective pharmacological therapies without a side effect. We studied the effect of ginsenoside Rh2 against SUI. Here, we studied the effect of ginsenoside Rh2 on the contractile force of the urethra and blood vessels in an ex vivo organ bath assay. We further investigated the mechanisms and effects of Rh2 in cell culture and animal models. Ginsenoside Rh2 dose-dependently reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW 264.7 cells. In the vaginal distension (VD)-induced SUI mouse model, ginsenoside Rh2 significantly reversed the VD-induced SUI physical signs and reduced blood pressure. The modulation of several SUI-related proteins, including myosin, survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, α-adrenergic receptor 1a (AdR1a), and superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3), may play some crucial roles in the therapeutic approaches against SUI. In conclusion, the ginsenoside Rh2 may offer therapeutic potential against SUI.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Research Center for Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan , Departments of Medical Research, Urology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yung-Hsiang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Ning
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wen-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Tsong
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Huey-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009218:Myosins; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D055533:Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein; D013552:Swine; D014521:Urethra / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C547714:Adra1a protein, mouse; D036145:Ginsenosides; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; C526472:Smn1 protein, mouse; D055533:Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C055305:ginsenoside Rh2; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C499090:Sod3 protein, mouse; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D009218:Myosins
keywords: Chinese Herbal Medicine; Ginsenoside Rh2; Leak Point Pressure; Maximum Urethral Closure Pressure; Stress Urinary Incontinence; Vaginal Distention