Influence of Long-term Supplementation with Korean Red Ginseng on in vivo Antioxidant Capacities in Rats

  • Lim, Heung-Bin (Department of Food Science and Technology, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Lee, Dong-Wook (Department of Industrial Plant Science and Technology, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Lee, Jun-Soo (Laboratory of Biochemistry, KT&G Central Research Institute)
  • Published : 2009.02.28

Abstract

Effects of ginseng on in vivo antioxidant capacities with age were studied in rats. All rats were reared in the conventional system. Ginseng-treated rats were supplied with ginseng water extracts (25 mg/kg/day) continuously from 6 weeks of age to spontaneous death. None of the rats showed any discernible adverse effects of treatment with ginseng-containing water. There was no significant difference in body weight (BW) gains with age between treated and control groups. However, ginseng extracts did cause a decrease in the level of serum low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, glucose, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the treated rats. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in liver cytosol decreased with age in the control group. However, these enzyme activities were well maintained in the ginseng-treated rats and, especially, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were consistently higher than in control rats. The levels of total sulfhydryl group (T-SH) and glutathione reductase (GR) were unchanged, and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activity gradually decreased with age in both groups. There were no differences in T-SH, GR, or GST between the control and treatment groups. These results indicate that long-term administration of ginseng retards age-related deterioration in some biochemical parameters such as cholesterol, glucose, and lactate dehydrogenase in serum and it has an enhancing effect on antioxidant capacity in the liver.

Keywords

References

  1. Harman D. Aging: A theory based on free radical and radiation chemistry. J. Gerontol. 11: 298-300 (1956) https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/11.3.298
  2. Heffner JE, Repine JE. Pulmonary strategies of antioxidant defense. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 140: 531-554 (1989) https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/140.2.531
  3. Shin HJ, Kim YS, Kwak YS, Song YB, Kim YS, Park JD. Enhancement of antitumor effect of paclitaxel (taxol) in combination with red ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP). Planta Med. 70:1033-1038 (2004) https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-832643
  4. Kang SY, Kim SH, Schini VB, Kim ND. Dietary ginsenosides improve endothelium-dependent relaxation in the thoracic aorta of hypercholesterolemic rabbit. Gen. Pharmacol. 26: 483-487 (1995) https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-3623(95)94002-X
  5. Reay JL, Kennedy DO, Scholey AB. Single doses of Panax ginseng (G115) reduce blood glucose levels and improve cognitive performance during sustained mental activity. J. Psychopharmacol. 19: 357-365 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881105053286
  6. Han SK, Song JY, Yun YS, Yi SY. Ginseng improved Th1 immune response inhibited by gamma radiation. Arch. Pharm. Res. 28: 343-350 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02977803
  7. Lin CF, Wong KL, Wu RS, Huang TC, Liu CF. Protection by hot water extract of Panax ginseng on chronic ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Phytother. Res. 17: 1119-1122 (2003) https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1329
  8. Ali MB, Hahn EJ, Paek KY. $CO_2$-induced total phenolics in suspension cultures of Panax ginseng C.A. Mayer roots: Role of antioxidants and enzymes. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 43: 449-457 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2005.03.005
  9. Seog HM, Jung CH, Choi IW, Park YK, Cho HY. Identification of phenolic compounds and quantification of their antioxidant activities in roasted wild ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) leaves. Food Sci. Biotechnol. 16: 349-354 (2007)
  10. Kim JS, Yoon KS, Lee YS. Antioxidant activity of main and fine roots of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) extracted with various solvents. Food Sci. Biotechnol. 17: 46-51 (2008)
  11. Han BH. Studies on ginseng components. Rev. Biochem. 1: 255-270 (1968)
  12. Suematsu T, Kamada T, Abe H, Kikachi S, Yaki K. Serum lipoperoxide levels in patients suffering from liver disease. Clin. Chim. Acta 79: 267-270 (1977) https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-8981(77)90486-7
  13. Laganiere S, Yu BP. Effect of chronic food restriction in aging rats II. Liver cytosolic antioxidants and related enzymes. Mech. Ageing. Dev. 48: 221-230 (1989) https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-6374(89)90084-5
  14. McCord JR, Colby MD, Fridovich I. Superoxide dismutase, enzymatic function for erythrocuprein (hemocuprein). J. BioI. Chem. 231: 6049-6055 (1972)
  15. Aebi H. Catalase. Vol. 3, pp. 273-286. In: Methods of Enzymatic Analysis. Bergmeyer HU (ed). Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, Germany (1983)
  16. Flohe L, Gunzler WA. Assay of glutathione peroxidase. Method Enzymol. 105: 114-121 (1984) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(84)05015-1
  17. Racker E. Glutathione reductase from baker's yeast and beef liver. J. BioI. Chem. 217: 855-865 (1955)
  18. Habig WH, Pabst MJ, Jakoby WB. Glutathione-s-transferase. The first enzymatic step in mercapturic acid formation. J. BioI. Chem. 249: 7130-7139 (1974)
  19. Sedlak J, Lindsay RH. Estimation of total, protein-bound, and nonprotein sulfhydryl groups in tissue with Elman's reagents. Anal. Biochem. 25: 192-205 (1968) https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(68)90092-4
  20. Lowey OH, Rosebrough HJ, Farr AL, Rand RJ. Protein measurement with the Folin-phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193:265-275 (1951)
  21. Aphale AA, Chhibba AD, Kumbhakarna NR,. Mateenuddin M, Dahat SH. Subacute toxicity study of the combination of ginseng (Panax ginseng) and ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in rats: A safety assessment. Indian J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 42: 299-302 (1998)
  22. Coon JT, Ernst E. Panax ginseng: A systematic review of adverse effects and drug interaction. Drug Safety 25: 323-344 (2002) https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200225050-00003
  23. Dey L, Xie JT, Wang A, Wu J, Maleckar SA, Yuan CS. Antihyperglycemic effects of ginseng: Comparison between root and berry. Phytomedicine 10: 600-605 (2003) https://doi.org/10.1078/094471103322331908
  24. Park MY, Lee KS, Sung MK. Effects of dietary mulberry, Korean red ginseng and banaba on glucose homeostasis in relation to PPAR-alpha: PPAR-gamma, and LPL mRNA expressions. Life Sci. 12: 3344-3354 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2005.05.043
  25. Yokozawa T, Oura H. Facilitation of protein biosynthesis by ginsenoside-$Rb_2$ administration in diabetic rats. J. Nat. Prod. 53:1514-1518 (1990) https://doi.org/10.1021/np50072a018
  26. Kim SH, Park KS. Effects of Panax ginseng extract on lipld metabolism in humans. Pharmacol. Res. 48: 511-513 (2003) https://doi.org/10.1016/S1043-6618(03)00189-0
  27. Rho MC, Lee HS, Lee SW, Chang JS, Kwon OE, Chung MY, Kim YK. Polyacetylenic compounds, ACAT inhibitors from the roots of Panax ginseng. J. Agr. Food Chem. 53: 919-922 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1021/jf040370x
  28. Kang J, Lee Y, No K, Jung E, Sung J, Kim Y, Nam S. Ginseng intestinal metabolite-I (GIM-I) reduces doxorubicin toxicity m the mouse testis. Reprod. Toxicol. 16: 291-298 (2002) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-6238(02)00021-7