Acute and chronic effects of ginseng total saponin and amphetamine on fixed-interval performance in rats

Planta Med. 1999 Mar;65(2):162-4.

Abstract

The effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on amphetamine (AMPH)-induced disruption of fixed-interval (FI) responding in rats was examined. GTS (50 mg/kg) significantly improved the temporal responding impaired by 2 mg/kg of AMPH. A higher dose of 100 mg/kg GTS disrupted performance when given alone; this disruption was reversed by a low dose of AMPH (0.5 mg/kg) and tolerance developed to the effects of GTS with its repeated administration. Neurochemical analysis revealed that GTS (50 mg/kg) attenuated the increase in striatal dopamine caused by AMPH leading to the conclusion that brain dopamine may partially mediate the behavioral effects of GTS.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Amphetamines / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Male
  • Panax / chemistry*
  • Plants, Medicinal*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Saponins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Amphetamines
  • Saponins
  • Dopamine