title: Korean red ginseng extract rejuvenates testicular ineffectiveness and sperm maturation process in aged rats by regulating redox proteins and oxidative defense mechanisms.
abstract: Distortion of intracellular oxidant and antioxidant balances appears to be a common feature that underlies in age-related male sexual impairment. Therefore regulating oxidative defense mechanisms might be an ideal approach in improving male sexual dysfunctions. In the present study, the effect of Korean red ginseng aqueous extract (KRG) on age-induced testicular dysfunction in rats was investigated. KRG (200mg/kg) mixed with regular pellet diet was administered orally for six months and the morphological, spermatogenic and antioxidant enzyme status in testis of aged rats (18months) were evaluated. Data indicated a significant change in morphology and decrease in spermatogenesis-related parameters in aged rats (AC) compared with young rats (YC). Sperm number, germ cell count, Sertoli cell count and Sertoli cell index were significantly (p<0.05) restored in KRG-treated aged rat groups (G-AC). Further the increased lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde (p<0.05), and altered enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase and catalase) and non-enzymatic (reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol) antioxidants (p<0.05) were attenuated by KRG treatment in aged rats to near normal levels as in YC groups. Furthermore, proteomic analysis demonstrated differential expression of selected proteins such as phosphatidylinositol transfer protein, fatty acid binding protein-9, triosephosphate isomerase-1 and aldehyde (aldose) reductase-1in aged rats was significantly (p<0.05) protected by KRG treatment. In conclusion, long-term administration of KRG restored aging-induced testicular ineffectiveness in rats by modulating redox proteins and oxidative defense mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Spandana Rajendra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kopalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Science and Industry, Daejeon University, Daejeon 300-716, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seock-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Botanical Drug Laboratory, Korea Ginseng Research Institute, Korea Ginseng Corporation, Daejeon 300-716, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Kyun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 463-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Yup
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 380-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: skkim@kku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Si-Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D005894:Panax; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Aging; Glutathione; Panax ginseng; Proteomics; Spermatogenesis; Testis