Effect of Ginseng Components on the Potassium Depleted Cardiomyopathic Rats and it's Mechanism of Action

The effect of ginseng components on the potassium depleted cardiomyopathic rat heart was investigated. In the perfused heart experiment using Langendorff apparatus, the deterioration rate of contriactile force of potassium depleted rat heart (low potassium diet group) was faster than that of normal rat heart and ginseng components showed the ability to slow the deterioration rate of potassium depleted hearts. Both sialic acid contents in carcolemmal ghost and sialyltransferase activity of 40,000 * g subcellular fraction prepared from cardiac ventricular tissue of low potassium diet group were significantly decreased compared to those of normal group. The decrease of the sialic acid content and sialyltransferase activity in sarcolemma of low potassium diet group was inhibited when ginseng was concomitantly administered. Calcium uptake of sarcoplasmic reticulum prepared from low potassium diet group was significantly greaterthan that of normal group. Ginseng extract or total saponin showed the tendency to inhibit the increase of cacium uptake.