The Effects of Red Ginseng Extracts on Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Lipid Peroxidation of the Kidney in ${\gamma}$-Postirradiated Mice

감마선 조사전 홍삼추출물 투여가 생쥐 신장에서 항산화 효소활성과 지질과산화 수준에 미치는 영향

The effects of red ginseng extracts (5.5 mg/mouse: i.p.) on the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) and lipid peroxidation were studied in the cytosol fraction of kidney. The experiments were carried out with whole-body irradiated (6.0 Gy, $^{60}Co$) and non-irradiated ICR mice. In the red ginseng extract-treated and irradiated mice, the activities of Cu, Zn- SOD, Mn-SOD, catalase and peroxidase were significantly enhanced by 27.8, 31.9, 17.9 and 15.0%, respectively, but the contents of malondialdehyde were considerably decreased (81.OfS) after 21 days, compared with those of non-treated mice. The enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes inhibited the increase of malondialdehyde product resulted from the ionizing radiation. These results suggest that red ginseng extracts probably play an important role in radioprotective effect. Key words Red ginseng, SOD, catalase, peroxidase, lipid peroxidation.