title: Supplementation of Korean Red Ginseng improves behavior deviations in animal models of autism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders that primarily display social and communication impairments and restricted/repetitive behaviors. ASD prevalence has increased in recent years, yet very limited therapeutic targets and treatments are available to counteract the incapacitating disorder. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a popular herbal plant in South Korea known for its wide range of therapeutic effects and nutritional benefits and has recently been gaining great scientific attention, particularly for its positive effects in the central nervous system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Thus, in this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of KRG in alleviating the neurobehavioral deficits found in the valproic acid (VPA)-exposed mice models of ASD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Starting at 21 days old (P21), VPA-exposed mice were given daily oral administrations of KRG solution (100 or 200 mg/kg) until the termination of all experiments. From P28, mice behaviors were assessed in terms of social interaction capacity (P28-29), locomotor activity (P30), repetitive behaviors (P32), short-term spatial working memory (P34), motor coordination (P36), and seizure susceptibility (P38).
  
  
  RESULTS
  VPA-exposed mice showed sociability and social novelty preference deficits, hyperactivity, increased repetitive behavior, impaired spatial working memory, slightly affected motor coordination, and high seizure susceptibility. Remarkably, long-term KRG treatment in both dosages normalized all the ASD-related behaviors in VPA-exposed mice, except motor coordination ability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a food and herbal supplement with various known benefits, KRG demonstrated its therapeutic potential in rescuing abnormal behaviors related to autism caused by prenatal environmental exposure to VPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|Neuroscience Research Center, IABS, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Edson Luck T
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Hygiene, Hanseo University, Seosan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|Neuroscience Research Center, IABS, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Darine Froy N
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Mabunga
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|Neuroscience Research Center, IABS, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Woon
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|Neuroscience Research Center, IABS, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mee Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|Neuroscience Research Center, IABS, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Suk
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Geon Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Minha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|Neuroscience Research Center, IABS, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.|KU Open Innovation Center, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea; chanyshin@kku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chan Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shin
keywords: Korean Red Ginseng; Panax ginseng; autistic behaviors; nutraceutical; prenatal VPA exposure
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