title: Ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits high-voltage-activated calcium channel currents in hippocampal neurons of beta-amyloid peptide-exposed rat brain slices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) inhibits the high-voltage-activated calcium currents (ICa,HVA) via mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in hippocampal neurons in rat brain slices exposed to beta-amyloid peptide 25-35 (Aβ25-35).
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental Alzheimer disease (AD) model was prepared by exposure of rat brain slices to Aβ25-35(10 µmol/L). After treatment with Rg1 (20 µmol/L), the ICa,HVAelicited in hippocampal neurons in these rat brain slices upon depolarization from-40 to 40 mV for 200 ms was recorded by a whole-cell patch clamp to analyze the changes in the peak current density, I-V curve, activation-V curve, and inactivation-V curve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure of rat brain slices to Aβ led to a significant increase in ICa,HVA, enhancement of the voltage sensitivity of channel activation, and reduction of the voltage sensitivity of channel inactivation in neurons in the hippocampus of rat brain slices. Rg1 treatment significantly inhibited these changes. These effects of Rg1 could be effectively inhibited by the MAPK inhibitor PD98059.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rg1 can inhibit Ica,HVAvia MAPK in hippocampal neurons in Aβ-exposed rat brain slices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Qian-Kun
authors.initials: QK
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710004, China. lixi2100@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Encephalopathy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710061, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Alzheimer disease; beta-amyloid peptide; ginsenoside Rg1; high-voltage-activated calcium current; mitogen-activated protein kinase