• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2012

Objectives : This experimental study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects of combination with Korean red ginseng and Gastrodia rhizoma on vascular dysfunction in high-fat/cholesterol diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with 7.5% cocoa butter and 1.25% cholesterol for 10 weeks, with Panax ginseng (PG), and mixtures of Panax ginseng and Gastrodia rhizoma (PGM), respectively. Results : Chronic treatment with PG and PGM significantly decreased body weight. The aortic expression of cell adhesion molecules such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin were markedly increased in hyperlipidemia rats. Interestingly, PGM significantly decreased cell adhesion molecules expression. However, there was no significant decrease in PG group. In addition, PG and PGM group inhibited high-fat/cholesterol diet-induced cytokine such as monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) mRNA expression. Furthermore, PG and PGM group significantly decreased c-reactive protein protein (CRP) level. Especially, PGM significantly accentuated the decrease of MCP-1 mRNA expression and CRP level. Conclusions : the present study provides an evidence that combination with Panax ginseng and Gastrodia rhizoma enhances anti-vascular protective effects through suppression of vascular inflammation in hyperlipidemic rats.