Effects of ginseng saponin administered intraperitoneally on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in mice

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 343; no. 1; pp. 62 - 66
• Main Authors: Kim, Do-Hoon, Moon, Yoo-Sun, Jung, Jun-Sub, Min, Sung-Kil, Son, Bong-Ki, Suh, Hong-Won, Song, Dong-Keun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 29.05.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Corticosterone; Corticosterone - blood; Drug Combinations; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Hormone interactions. Hormone actions on several organ systems. Adaptive reactions; Ginseng saponin; Ginsenoside Rc; Ginsenosides - administration & dosage; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - drug effects; Immobilization stress; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Panax - metabolism; Pituitary-Adrenal System - drug effects; Reference Values; Restraint, Physical; Saponins - administration & dosage; Saponins - biosynthesis; Stress, Psychological - metabolism; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Ginseng saponin; Adrenocorticotropic hormone; Ginsenoside Rc; Corticosterone; Immobilization stress; Intraperitoneal administration; Hypothalamohypophysoadrenal axis; Rodentia; Immobilization; Glucocorticoid; Stress; Saponin; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Adenohypophyseal hormone; Mouse; Adrenal hormone; Ginseng
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(03)00300-8

Intraperitoneal injection of ginseng total saponin (GTS; 5 and 20 mg/kg) raised plasma corticosterone levels in mice. However, interestingly, pretreatment of animals with the same doses of GTS (5 and 20 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the immobilization stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels. Of the ginsenosides Rb 1, Rb 2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg 1, 20(S)-Rg 3, and 20(R)-Rg 3 injected intraperitoneally at doses of 0.1–2 mg/kg, Rc (2 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the immobilization stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels. GTS and Rc administered intraperitoneally did not affect the immobilization stress-induced elevation of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level. Pretreatment with GTS and Rc significantly attenuated the increase in plasma corticosterone levels induced by intraperitoneal injection of ACTH (30 μg/kg). These results suggest that GTS and Rc inhibit the immobilization stress-induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels by blocking ACTH action in the adrenal gland. Ginseng may be proposed to be useful for treatment of stress related disorders.