Ginsenosides attenuate the 3-nitropropioic acid-induced rat striatal degeneration in an age-dependent manner

The number of reporting the effects on ginseng's physiological, pharmacological, and behavioral effects has been increased every year. Major active components of Panax ginseng, are the ginsenosides, which are mainly triterpenoid dammarane derivatives. 3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) is blown to induce cellular energy deficit and oxidative stress related neurotoxicity via an irreversible inhibition of the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Intraperitoneal injection of 3-NP produces striatal degeneration. Aged animals was more vulnerable to 3-NP than young animal. We used three different ages of 5-, 8-, and 26-week-old rats. 3-NP alone treatment induced striatal lesion and increased lesion volume with age-dependent manner in 5-, 8-, and 26-week-old rats by $30.2{\pm}5.8$, $v$, and $51.3{\pm}8.4mm^3$, respectively. However, pretreatment of GTS (100 mg/kg/day) before 3-NP reduced striatal lesion in 5-,8-, and 26-week-old rats by $3.15{\pm}6.1$, $8.89{\pm}1.9$, and $27.3{\pm}5.6mm^3$, respectively. Pretreatment of GTS also significantly increased survival rate in 5-week-old rats (3-NP alone: GTS +3-NP = $40.4{\pm}6.3$: $72.5{\pm}9.5\%$) than 8-week-old rats (3-NP alone: GTS + 3-NP : $13.5{\pm}5.2\%$ : $45.1{\pm}3.1\%$). In 26-week-old rats, 3-NP alone treated group died on day 18, whereas GTS +3-NP-treated group prolonged lifespan to 30 days. Thus, pretreatment of GTS before administration of 3-NP extended lifespan in all ages. The present results indicate that aged animals are more vulnerable to 3-NP and GTS pretreatment protected 3-NP-induced striatal damage in different ages of animals.