• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.339-344
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• 1999

We studied the effects of ginsenosides in immature rats based upon the previous results that ginseng has a suppressive or anticonvulsive activity. To examine the suppressive effect of ginsenosides on kainic acid-induced seizures, the severities and frequencies were observed for 4 h after injection of kainic acid (KA; i.p., 2 mg/kg b.w.) using 10-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats ($22{\pm}2\;g$). Protopanaxadiol saponins such as ginsenoside-Rb1 (Rb1), ginsenoside-Rb2 (Rb2), ginsenoside-Rc (Rc), and ginsenoside-Rd(Rd) generally reduced the seizure activities while protopanaxatriol saponins such as ginsenoside-Rg1 (Rg1) and ginsenoside-Re (Re) rather increased stereotypic "paddling-like" movements. When vinyl-GABA (v-G) was injected together with Rb1 or Rc, KA-induced seizure severities were additionally reduced only by the injection of Rc, but not by Rb1. The level of gamma isozyme of protein kinase C (PKC-${\gamma}$) in the hippocampus increased about three times as much as that of normal rats at 4 h after KA injection. The increased level of PCK-${\gamma}$ by KA was significantly reduced to about 35% by the coinjection with v-G alone, but it was not changed by v-G together with Rb1 or Rc. The increased level of PKC-${\gamma}$ at 4 h after injection of KA was not consistent with the reduction of seizure severities between Rb1 and Rc. These results suggest that Rc and Rb1 may reduce seizure severity independent of PKC-${\gamma}$ levels, and Rc may additionally act with v-G regarding the GABA metabolism during the stage of KA-induced seizures in the immature rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.7 s.80
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• pp.1214-1218
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• 2006

The present study was performed to investigate the sedative effects of the combined administration of phenolic compounds. 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, a component of Gastrodia elnta, showing positive GABAergic neuromodulation was administered intraperitoneally together with an identical dose of 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, a potent antioxidant, to the rats and then evaluated for its effects on the convulsion, the hypnosis, the inxiety and the muscle relaxation. Combined administration of both compounds significantly reduced the pentyleneterazole-induced lethality. In addition, this mixture significantly enhanced the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time. Contrary to the anticonvulsive and sedative effects, the combined administration did not exhibit anxiolytic or muscle relaxant activities. These results indicated that the combined treatment of 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehtyde and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde with different effects leads to the anticonvulsion and/or sedation