Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2013 Aug;17(4):283-289. 10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.4.283.

Korean Red Ginseng Induced Cardioprotection against Myocardial Ischemia in Guinea Pig

• Lim KH
• Kang CW
• Choi JY
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2285462
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.4.283

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in isolated guinea pig heart. KRG has been shown to possess various ginsenosides, which are the major components of Panax ginseng. These components are known naturally occurring compounds with beneficial effects and free radical scavenging activity. The heart was induced to ischemia for 60 min, followed by 120 min reperfusion. The hearts were randomly allocated into five groups (n=8 for each group): normal control (N/C), KRG control, I/R control, 250 mg/kg KRG group and 500 mg/kg KRG group. KRG significantly increased hemodynamics parameters such as aortic flow, coronary flow and cardiac output. Moreover, KRG significantly increased left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), the maximal rate of contraction (+dP/dtmax) and maximal rate of relaxation (-dP/dtmax). Also, treatment of KRG ameliorated electrocardiographic index such as the QRS, QT and RR intervals. Moreover, KRG significantly suppressed the lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase-MB fraction and cardiac troponin I and ameliorated the oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde and glutathione. KRG was standardized through ultra performance liquid chromatograph analysis for its major ginsenosides. Taken together, KRG has been shown to prevent cardiac injury by normalizing the biochemical and oxidative stress.

Keyword

Antioxidant; Cardioprotection; Hemodynamics; Ischemia and reperfusion injury; Korean red ginseng

MeSH Terms

Animals
Blood Pressure
Cardiac Output
Contracts
Creatine
Electrocardiography
Ginsenosides
Glutathione
Guinea
Guinea Pigs
Heart
Hemodynamics
Ischemia
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
Malondialdehyde
Myocardial Ischemia
Oxidative Stress
Panax
Relaxation
Reperfusion
Troponin I
Creatine
Ginsenosides
Glutathione
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
Malondialdehyde
Troponin I

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Experimental protocol. The hearts were divided into normal control group (N/C), KRG control, I/R control, 250KRG+I/R, which received administration of 250 mg/kg KRG before ischemia and 500KRG+I/R, which received 500 mg/kg KRG before ischemia.

• 

  Fig. 2 Effects of 250 and 500 mg/kg KRG between aortic flow (A), coronary flow (B), cardiac output changes (C) and average percents for 120 min reperfusion on these hemodynamics (D). Each histogram represents the mean±SD (n=8). *p<0.05, **p<0.01 compared with the I/R group, respectively.

• 

  Fig. 3 Effects of 250 and 500 mg/kg KRG on left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP). LVSP was estimated at 30 min intervals throughout the 120 min reperfusion period. Results were representative of eight independent experiments. Values are expressed as mean±SD. *p<0.05, **p<0.01 compared with the I/R.

• 

  Fig. 4 Effects of 250 and 500 mg/kg KRG on the maximal rate of change in left ventricular contraction (+dP/dtmax) (A) and the maximal rate of change in left ventricular relaxation (-dP/dtmax) (B). Results were representative of eight independent experiments. Values are expressed as mean±SD. *p<0.05, **p<0.01 compared with I/R.

• 

  Fig. 5 Effects of 250 and 500 mg/kg KRG on representative electrocardiogram tracings. Enlarged ECG patterns such as QRS complex, QT and RR intervals are shown (the part shown in circle area on ECG of NC) (A). Namely, each group represents normal control (N/C), KRG only treated group (KRG control), I/R control (I/R), 250KRG+I/R, indicating ischemia and reperfusion treated 250 mg/kg KRG and 500KRG+I/R, indicating ischemia and reperfusion treated 500 mg/kg KRG. These pictures were representative ECG patterns in each group. Also, influence of 250 and 500 mg/kg KRG on QRS (B), QT (C) and RR intervals (D) was shown. Values are expressed as mean±SD for eight independent experiments in each group. *p<0.05, **p<0.01 compared with I/R.

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