Hepatoprotective Effect of Ultrasonication Processed Panax Ginseng Berry Extract on Chronic Alcoholic Liver Disease Model in Rats

Abstract

The composition ratio of Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng) berry extract changes after the ultrasonication process. The major compound of ginseng berry extract (GBE) is ginsenoside Re, but the main components of ultrasonication-processed ginseng berry extract (UGBE) are ginsenoside Rk1, Rg2, Rg3, Rh1, and F4. In the present study, we evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of UGBE on the alcoholic liver disease (ALD) model in rats. The rats were assigned to the following groups for the experiment: control group, ALD group, silymarin group, GBE group, and three UGBE groups (100, 250, 500 mg/kg). The male S.D. rats, except those in the control group, were treated with 40% ethanol for 6 weeks. Silymarin, GBE, and UGBE were also administered with ethanol for 6 weeks. The treatment with UGBE significantly reduced the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol indices were also improved. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) activities were maintained at high levels in the UGBE group. Furthermore, UGBE treatment reduced the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Our results, overall, showed that UGBE has hepatoprotective effects in an ethanol-induced ALD model, and this effect is thought to be due to the changes in the ratios of ginsenoside components of GBE.