The Effects of Ginseng Saponin on Rabbit Cavernosal Smooth Muscle Relaxation in vitro

Kim, Hyung Jee; Lee, Gil Ho; Kim, Je Jong

Abstract

PURPOSE: Ginseng saponin, the active ingredients extracted from Panax ginseng, has been used as aphrodisiacs in oriental country, however the exact action mechanism of ginseng saponin still remains uncertain. This study was undertaken to see if ginseng crude saponin(GCS) induce the L-arginine/Nitric oxide(NO) pathway related the corpus cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation, and to obtain the fundamental data for clinical application.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Isometric tension changes of rabbit corpus cavernosal strip to various drugs and electrical stimulation in an organ chamber(volume:30m1) were recorded with a pressure transducer.
RESULTS
GCS(0.2-8.0mg) relaxed the smooth muscle of rabbit corpus cavernosum (SMRCC) precontracted with phenylephrine(10(-5)M) in dose-dependent manner GCS at the concentration of 0.75mg significantly enhanced the relaxation of corpus cavernosum induced by the electrical field stimulation. GCS(0.2-8.0mg)-induced relaxation was significantly attenuated by atropine(10(-6)M), methylene blue(10(-4)M) and L-NAME(10(-5)M), but there was no significant change of GCS-induced relaxation of SMRCC by adding VIP antagonist or indomethacin. In addition, the inhibition of GCS-induced relaxation of SMRCC by methylene blue or L-NAME was greater than that by atropine.
CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that GCS, as a NO donor, induces the relaxation of SMRCC through the L-arginine/NO pathway. For the clinical application of GCS, further studies should be needed to clarify the subfraction of GCS.