Cytoprotective effect of American ginseng in a rat ethanol gastric ulcer model

Molecules. 2013 Dec 27;19(1):316-26. doi: 10.3390/molecules19010316.

Abstract

Panax quinquefolium L. (American Ginseng, AG) is one of the most popular herbal medicines in the World. We aimed to investigate whether chronic (28-day) supplementation with AG could protect against ethanol-induced ulcer in gastric tissue. Furthermore, we investigated the possible molecular mechanisms leading to AG-mediated gastric mucosal protection. We randomized 32 male Wistar rats into four groups for treatment (n=8 per group): supplementation with water (vehicle) and low-dose (AG-1X), medium-dose (AG-2X) and high-dose (AG-5X) AG at 0, 250, 500, and 1250 mg/kg, respectively. In the first experiment, animals were fed vehicle or AG treatments for 4 weeks. At day 29, 75% ethanol was given orally to each animal at 10 mL/kg to induce gastric ulceration for 2 h. In a second experiment, animals were pretreated orally with each treatment for 1 hr before a single oral administration of ethanol (70%, 10 mL/kg). Trend analysis revealed that AG treatments inhibited ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage. AG supplementation dose-dependently decreased the pro-inflammatory levels of interleukin 1β and cyclooxygenase 2 and the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins tBid, cytochrome C, and caspases-9 and -3 and increased the levels of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and p-Bad. AG could have pharmacological potential for treating gastric ulcer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ethanol / adverse effects
  • Gastric Mucosa / drug effects
  • Gastric Mucosa / metabolism
  • Gastric Mucosa / pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Male
  • Panax / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Stomach Ulcer / chemically induced
  • Stomach Ulcer / genetics
  • Stomach Ulcer / metabolism
  • Stomach Ulcer / pathology
  • Stomach Ulcer / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Plant Extracts
  • Ethanol
  • Cyclooxygenase 2