Korean J Vet Res.  2011 Jun;51(2):159-164.

Korean red ginseng prevents ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in isolated perfused rat liver

• Park HM
• Kim SJ
• Go HK
• Kim GB
• Kim SZ
• Kim JS
• Kang HS

Abstract

Alcohol abuse and its medical and social consequences are a major health problem in many areas of the world. Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been traditionally used for the treatment of liver disease. This study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of KRG against hepatotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with ethanol (EtOH). Administration of EtOH for 20 days induced significant changes in serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and glucose) accompanied by histological changes in the liver tissue. Treatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH inhibited the EtOH-induced biochemical and histological changes of the liver. In perfused rat livers, administration of EtOH caused an increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the perfusate and activated the pro-apoptotic Bax protein but inhibited the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Pretreatment with KRG prior to administration of EtOH decreased the EtOH-induced LDH release and inhibition of Bcl-2 protein. These results suggest that KRG exerts anti-apoptotic effects and alleviated EtOH-induced liver injury in rats.

Keyword

ethanol; ginseng; liver; liver perfusion; rat

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Alcoholism
Animals
bcl-2-Associated X Protein
Ethanol
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
Liver
Liver Diseases
Panax
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Alanine Transaminase
Ethanol
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
bcl-2-Associated X Protein