title: Hepatoprotective activity of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng adventitious roots against carbon tetrachloride treated hepatic injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) has a beneficial role in the treatment of various diseases including liver disorders like acute/chronic hepatotoxicity, hepatitis, hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue culture raised mountain ginseng adventitious root (TCMGARs) extract with ginsenosides in abundance was used as an experimental material. 'Sprague-Dawley' male rats were used as experimental systems and were fed with TCMGARs extracts at doses of 30, 100, 300mg/kg body weight for two weeks to test the effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced acute liver damage. Field cultivated Korean ginseng root extract fed rats (100mg/kg) were used as positive control. Plasma enzyme levels, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed. Glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TCMGARs extracts remarkably prevented the elevation of ALT, AST, ALP and liver peroxides in CCl4-treated rats. Hepatic glutathione levels were significantly increased by the treatment with the extracts in experimental groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TCMGARs rich in varied ginsenosides can afford protection against CCl4-induced hepatocellular injury.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for the Development of Advanced Horticultural Technology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Republic of Korea; Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad 580003, India. Electronic address: nmurthy60@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Hosakatte
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niranjana Murthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad 580003, India.
authors.forename: Vijayalaxmi S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Dandin
authors.affiliation: Research Center for the Development of Advanced Horticultural Technology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: paekky@chungbuk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoeup Paek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D036145:Ginsenosides
keywords: Ginsenosides; Glutathione; Hepatoprotective activity; Lipid peroxidation; Mountain ginseng