• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.483-489
• /
• 2020

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been known to possess many ginsenosides. These ginsenosides are used for curing cardiovascular problems. The present study show the protective potential of KRG against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocardial dysfunction, by assessing electrocardiographic, hemodynamic, and biochemical parameters and histopathological findings. Methods: Animals were fed a standard chow and adjusted to their environment for 3 days before the experiments. Next, the rats were equally divided into five groups (n = 9, each group). The animals were administered with KRG (250 and 500 mg/kg) for 10 days and injected with DOX (20 mg/kg, subcutaneously, twice at a 24-h interval) on the 8th and 9th day. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed to study hemodynamics. Plasma levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde were measured. In addition, the dose of troponin I and activity of myeloperoxidase in serum and cardiac tissue were analyzed, and the histopathological findings were evaluated using light microscopy. Results: Administration of KRG at a dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg recovered electrocardiographic changes, ejection fraction, fractional shortening, left ventricular systolic pressure, the maximal rate of change in left ventricle contraction (-dP/dt_max), and left ventricle relaxation (-dP/dt_max). In addition, KRG treatment significantly normalized the oxidative stress markers in plasma, dose dependently. In addition, the values of troponin I and myeloperoxidase were ameliorated by KRG treatment, dose dependently. And, KRG treatment showed better histopathological findings when compared with the DOX control group. Conclusion: These mean that KRG mitigates myocardial damage by modulating the hemodynamics, histopathological abnormality, and oxidative stress related to DOX-induced cardiomyopathy in rats. The results of the present study show protective effects of KRG on cardiac toxicity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.46 no.12
• /
• pp.1274-1278
• /
• 2003

Syncope in children and adolescents have a common occurrence according for up to 15% before adulthood. Micturition syncope, a kind of situational syncope, can be considered a form of reflex syncope. It can typically occur in healthy young men after rising from bed in the early morning who experience sudden loss of consciousness during or immediately after urination. The mechanism of micturition syncope is not completely understood, but it has been suggested that vasovagal reflex mediated bradycardia and peripheral vasodilation and decreased venous return due to Valsalva effect and standing position lead to the decrease in cerebral blood flow resulting in syncope. The causes of syncope are variable. So complete history taking, physical examination, electrocardiography, exercise stress test, echocardiography, head-up tilt table test, electroencephalography(EEG), brain magnetic resonance image and urodynamic study should be required for the diagnosis of micturition syncope. There were several reports about micturition syncope. However, literature of micturition syncope at the pediatric age has rarely been reported in Korea so far. Therefore, we report a case of a 9-year-old boy with micturition syncope with typical EEG findings of high amplitude delta wave and flattening during syncope.