title: Korean Red Ginseng protects dopaminergic neurons by suppressing the cleavage of p35 to p25 in a Parkinson's disease mouse model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ginseng is known to have antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. The present study investigated a possible role of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) in suppressing dopaminergic neuronal cell death and the cleavage of p35 to p25 in the substantia nigra (SN) and striatum (ST) using a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with 30 mg/kg of MPTP at 24-h intervals for 5 d, and then administered KRG (1 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, or 100 mg/kg) once a day for 12 consecutive days from the first injection. Pole tests were performed to assess the motor function of the mice, dopaminergic neuronal survival in the SN and ST was evaluated using tyrosine hydroxylase-immunohistochemistry, and the expressions of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), p35, and p25 in the SN and ST were measured using Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MPTP administration caused behavioral impairment, dopaminergic neuronal death, increased Cdk5 and p25 expression, and decreased p35 expression in the nigrostriatal system of mice, whereas KRG dose-dependently alleviated these MPTP-induced changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that KRG can inhibit MPTP-induced dopaminergic neuronal death and suppress the cleavage of p35 to p25 in the SN and the ST, suggesting a possible role for KRG in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ye Lee
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Hwan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Dongsoo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sungtae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seungtae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP); Cdk5; Panax ginseng; p25; p35