Effect of Panax ginseng on morphine- and steroids-induced immunosuppression

Effects of Panax ginseng were tested on morphine-and steroids-induced immunosuppression, focusing on mechanism and identification of active components. To investigate overall effects of morphine and ginseng total saponin (GTS) on immune system, body weight and lymphoid organ weight were measured. Morphine significantly reduced body weight, spleen/body weight, and thymus/body weight ratio. GTS, at 100mg/kg (oral), restored spleen/body weight ratio. Because morphine is known to increase corticosterone level, serum corticosterone level was measured by radioimmunoassay. Serum corticosterone was increased by morphine and it was restored to the control level by GTS 100mg/kg (oral). In vitro proliferation studies were also conducted to study the effects of ginseng on steroids-induced immunosuppression. While ginsenoside Rg$_1$ and ginseng alkaloids were effective on proliferation and dexamethasone-induced death of thymocytes, 50% ginseng ethanol extract and polysaccharides were effective on splenocytes. In vivo mprohine-induced apoptosis of thymus was partly protected by GTS.