Effects of red ginseng total saponin on Menadione-induced hepatotoxicity in the rat

Menadione에 의해 유발된 간독성에 미치는 홍삼사포닌의 영향

  • Jang, Bong-jun (Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Husbandry, Kon-Kuk University) ;
  • Bae, Chun-sik (Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Husbandry, Kon-Kuk University) ;
  • Cho, Yong-seong (Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Husbandry, Kon-Kuk University) ;
  • Cha, Yong-ho (Sang-Ju National Polytechnique University) ;
  • Park, Chang-won (Korea Food and Drug Administration) ;
  • Cho, Tae-hyun (Korea Food and Drug Administration) ;
  • Chang, Kyung-jin (Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Husbandry, Kon-Kuk University)
  • 장봉준 (건국대학교 축산대학 수의학과) ;
  • 배춘식 (건국대학교 축산대학 수의학과) ;
  • 조용성 (건국대학교 축산대학 수의학과) ;
  • 차용호 (상주산업대학교) ;
  • 박창원 (식품의약품안전본부) ;
  • 조대현 (식품의약품안전본부) ;
  • 장경진 (건국대학교 축산대학 수의학과)
  • Received : 1997.04.22
  • Published : 1997.09.25

Abstract

It is known that 2-methyl-1,4-naphtoquinone(menadione, MD) induces hepatotoxicities both in vivo and in vitro. These toxic effects are believed to result from oxidative damages to hepatocytes by "active oxygen" species via one-electron reduction of the naphtoquinone. The ginsenoside(GS) is a complex mixture of individual ginsenosides which is known to produce a range of effects on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In particular, GS has an antioxidant effect. In this experiment we studied the effect of GS from red panax ginseng(red ginseng total saponin, RGTS) on free radical-induced liver injuries by MD. Administration of MD($150{\mu}M$) caused an increase in aspartate aminotransferase(AST) activities and lipid peroxidation, decrease in alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activities and total bilirubin levels in blood, caused depletion of GSH and changes of antioxidant enzyme(superoxide dismutase, catalase) activities are shown in liver tissue. Administration of RGTS restored the AST levels that increased by MD, but catalase showed no significant changes. RGTS also had an effect of restoring the GSH level and had some synergistic effects with SOD. These data suggest that RGTS may have some protective effects on liver injury which is related with the oxygen free radical.

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