Red Ginseng Extract Attenuates Kainate-Induced Excitotoxicity by Antioxidative Effects

Abstract

This study investigated the neuroprotective activity of red ginseng extract (RGE, Panax ginseng, C. A. Meyer) against kainic acid- (KA-) induced excitotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. In hippocampal cells, RGE inhibited KA-induced excitotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner as measured by the MTT assay. To study the possible mechanisms of the RGE-mediated neuroprotective effect against KA-induced cytotoxicity, we examined the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and [Ca2+]i in cultured hippocampal neurons and found that RGE treatment dose-dependently inhibited intracellular ROS and [Ca2+]i elevation. Oral administration of RGE (30 and 200 mg/kg) in mice decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) level induced by KA injection (30 mg/kg, i.p.). In addition, similar results were obtained after pretreatment with the radical scavengers Trolox and N, N′-dimethylthiourea (DMTU). Finally, after confirming the protective effect of RGE on hippocampal brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) protein levels, we found that RGE is active compounds mixture in KA-induced hippocampal mossy-fiber function improvement. Furthermore, RGE eliminated 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, and the IC50 was approximately 10 mg/ml. The reductive activity of RGE, as measured by reaction with hydroxyl radical (•OH), was similar to trolox. The second-order rate constant of RGE for •OH was 3.5–4.5 × 109 M−1·S−1. Therefore, these results indicate that RGE possesses radical reduction activity and alleviates KA-induced excitotoxicity by quenching ROS in hippocampal neurons.

Protective effect of resveratrol on arsenic trioxide-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

“…Our study also showed that, after arsenic exposure, ROS-induced oxidative damage increased MDA and GSSH production in the kidney, which is consistent with the results of previous studies [18]. However, the intrinsic antioxidant defenses of cells play a crucial role in the elimination of free radicals, including enzymatic antioxidant and non-enzymatic systems [19]. Both SOD and GPx are important endogenous antioxidant enzymes that destroyed the superoxide anion radical through dismutation and generated H2O2.…”

Co-administration of ginseng and ciprofloxacin ameliorates epididymo-orchitis induced alterations in sperm quality and spermatogenic cells apoptosis following infection in rats

“…Previously, it has been shown that KRG increased sperm concentration, motility and morphology under different experimental conditions in 2, 3, 7, 8‐tetrachlorodaibenzo‐p‐dioxin‐exposed rats (Park et al., ), aged rats (Hwang, Sohn & Wee, ), intact rats (Park et al., ) and dioxin‐exposed guinea pigs (Hwang, Kim, Wee, Choi & Kim, ). The protective effect of KRG on sperm parameters could most likely be attributed to its antioxidant effects, scavenging ROS and enhancement of the antioxidative defence system to attenuate free radical‐induced damage that resulted from UPEC (Han et al., ; Jang, Lee, Shin, Lee & Ernst, ). Park et al.…”

Korean Red Ginseng Extract Exhibits Neuroprotective Effects through Inhibition of Apoptotic Cell Death

“…[14][15][16][17] In addition, KRG extract has been shown to protect SK-N-SH cells 19) and hippocampal cells 18) against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress and kainateinduced neurotoxicity, respectively, implying its additional beneficial actions in the CNS. We observed in this study that KRG extract inhibited glutamate-or NMDA-induced excitotoxicity as well as A β -induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured rat cortical cells.…”