Korean J Urol.  2006 Aug;47(8):888-894. 10.4111/kju.2006.47.8.888.

Effects of Korean Red Ginseng on the Vaginal Blood Flow and Structure in Female Castrated Rats

• Kim SO
• Lee M
• Xui Y
• Ahn KY
• Hong HD
• Kim SS
• Park K

• KMID: 2294120
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/kju.2006.47.8.888

Abstract

PURPOSE: Ginseng is a traditional Asian remedy for sexual dysfunction. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on the vaginal blood flow and tissue structure in female castrated rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Female Spague-Dawley rats (200-210gm) were divided into 4 groups: the control (n=20), castration (n=30), and castration plus oral administration of KRG extracts (50 and 100mg/kg/day, n=15 and n=15, respectively). After 1 month of treatment, the serum estrogen and total cholesterol levels were measured. The vaginal blood flow was measured using laser Doppler flowmeter before and after pelvic nerve stimulation (PNS). The vaginal tissue was processed for Masson's trichrome stain, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.
RESULTS
The serum estrogen level was significantly decreased in the castration group (0.8+/-1.9ng/ml); however, it increased up to the control level (2.2+/-1.3ng/ml) in both the KRG administration groups (p<0.05). The PNS-induced vaginal blood flow tended to improve in the KRG treatment groups. On the histology, the vaginal epithelial layer and submucosal microvasculature showed improvement in the KRG treatment groups. The expression of estrogen receptor increased in the KRG treatment groups compared to the castration group.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that KRG extracts seem to have an estrogenic effect on castrated female rats. This implies that the KRG extracts may have an ameliorating effect on sexual function in menopausal woman.

Keyword

Ginseng; Sexual dysfunction; Menopause; Vagina

MeSH Terms

Administration, Oral
Animals
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Blotting, Western
Castration
Cholesterol
Estrogens
Female*
Flowmeters
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Menopause
Microvessels
Panax*
Rats*
Vagina
Cholesterol
Estrogens

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Hemodynamic study of rat vagina in the control, oophorectomy and oophorectomy plus Korea red ginseng (50mg/kg and/or 100mg/kg) groups.

• 

  Fig. 2 Masson's trichrome stain of the vaginal tissue from animals of the control (A), oophorectomy (B), and Korea red ginseng treatment groups (C). (A) Note the normal mucosa and the normal distribution of smooth muscle and connective tissue and the normal microvasculature. (B) Note the thinned vaginal epithelial layers and the decreased vaginal submucosal vasculature in the oophorectomized animal. (C) Note the increased epithelial layer and submucosal vasculature compared to (B) (×90).

• 

  Fig. 3 Expression of estrogen receptor in the animals of the control (A), oophorectomy (B), and Korea red ginseng treatment (C) groups (×90).

• 

  Fig. 4 Expression of TGF-β1 in the animals of the control (A), oophorectomy (B), and Korea red ginseng treatment (C) groups (×90).

• 

  Fig. 5 Expression of TGF-β1 and estrogen receptor in rat vagina. A: control, B: oophorectomy, C: Korea red ginseng treatment group. 1, 2: control, 3, 4: oophorectomy, 5, 6: Korea red ginseng treatment group. a, b, c: control, d, e, f: oophorectomy, g, h, i: red ginseng treatment group.

Reference

1. Goldstein MK, Teng NN. Gynecologic factors in sexual dysfunction of the older woman. Clin Geriatr Med. 1991. 7:41–61.

2. Sadeghi-Nejad H, Moreland RB, Traish AM, Nehra A, Azadzoi KM, Goldstein I. Preliminary report on the development and characterization of rabbit clitoral smooth muscle cell culture. Int J Impot Res. 1998. 10:165–169.

3. Sarrel PM. Sexual dysfunction: treat or refer. Obstet Gynecol. 2005. 106:834–839.

4. Sarrel PM. Ovarian hormones and vaginal blood flow: using laser Doppler velocimetry to measure effects in a clinical trial of post-menopausal women. Int J Impot Res. 1998. 10:Suppl 2. S91–S93.

5. Park K, Goldstein I, Andry C, Siroky MB, Krane RJ, Azadzoi KM. Vasculogenic female sexual dysfunction: the hemodynamic basis for vaginal engorgement insufficiency and clitoral erectile insufficiency. Int J Impot Res. 1997. 9:27–37.

6. Tarcan T, Park K, Goldstein I, Maio G, Fassina A, Krane RJ, et al. Histomorphometric analysis of age-related structural changes in human clitoral cavernosal tissue. J Urol. 1999. 161:940–944.

7. Woo J, Lau E, Ho SC, Cheng F, Chan C, Chan AS, et al. Comparison of Pueraria lobata with hormone replacement therapy in treating the adverse health consequences of menopause. Menopause. 2003. 10:352–361.

8. Choi YD, Rha KH, Choi HK. In vitro and in vivo experimental effect of Korean red ginseng on erection. J Urol. 1999. 162:1508–1511.

9. Jung HC, Yu JW, Park JM, Shin HS, Moon KH, Kim WJ, et al. Effect of ginseng on penile erection: a combined in vitro and in vivo study. Korean J Androl. 2001. 19:57–61.

10. Kim SW, Paick JS. Clinical efficacy of Korea red ginseng on vasculogenic impotent patients. Korean J Androl. 1999. 17:23–28.

11. Jung HC, Suh JK. Effect of total saponin on penile erection: a combined in vitro and in vivo study. Korean J Urol. 1997. 38:866–872.

12. Cho J, Park W, Lee S, Ahn W, Lee Y. Ginsenoside-Rb1 from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer activates estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta, independent of ligand binding. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004. 89:3510–3515.

13. Kronenberg F, Fugh-Berman A. Complementary and alternative medicine for menopausal symptoms: a review of randomized, controlled trials. Ann Intern Med. 2002. 137:805–813.

14. Duda RB, Zhong YZ, Navas V, Li MZ, Toy BR, Alavarez JG. American ginseng and breast cancer therapeutic agents synergistically inhibit MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth. J Surg Oncol. 1999. 72:230–239.

15. Chan RY, Chen WF, Dong A, Guo D, Wong MS. Estrogen-like activity of ginsenoside Rg1 derived from Panax notoginseng. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002. 87:3691–3695.

16. Lee Y, Jin Y, Lim W, Ji S, Choi S, Jang S, et al. A ginsenoside-Rh1, a component of ginseng saponin, activates estrogen receptor in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2003. 84:463–468.

17. Chen X, Gillis CN, Moalli R. Vascular effects of ginsenosides in vitro. Br J Pharmacol. 1984. 82:485–491.

18. Kang SY, Schini-Kerth VB, Kim ND. Ginsenosides of the protopanaxatriol group cause endothelium-dependent relaxation in the rat aorta. Life Sci. 1995. 56:1577–1586.

19. Chen X, Lee TJ. Ginsenosides-induced nitric oxide-mediated relaxation of the rabbit corpus cavernosum. Br J Pharmacol. 1995. 115:15–18.

20. Choi YD, Xin ZC, Choi HK. Effect of Korean red ginseng on the rabbit corpus cavernosal smooth muscle. Int J Impot Res. 1998. 10:37–43.

21. Hong B, Ji YH, Hong JH, Nam KY, Ahn TY. A double-blind crossover study evaluating the efficacy of Korean red ginseng in patients with erectile dysfunction: a preliminary report. J Urol. 2002. 168:2070–2073.

22. Park KS, Kim GS, Kim SO, Kim DS, Kim MK, Park JK, et al. Effects of ginsenosides on relaxation of rabbit vaginal smooth muscle. Korean J Androl. 2003. 21:98–102.

23. Kang HJ, Ansbacher R, Hammoud MM. Use of alternative and complementary medicine in menopause. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2002. 79:195–207.

24. Huntley AL, Ernst E. A systematic review of herbal medicinal products for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Menopause. 2003. 10:465–476.

25. Park KS, Ryu SB, Park YI, Ahn KY. Effects of estrogen deprivation on the rabbit clitoral cavernosal fibrosis. Korean J Urol. 2001. 41:885–891.

26. Teki T. "The clinical effects of korean ginseng, a clinical experimental study". 1993. 1st ed. Seoul: Korea Ginseng and Tobacco Research Institute;157–163.

27. Grodin JM, Siiteri PK, MacDonald PC. Source of estrogen production in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1973. 36:207–214.

28. Azadzoi KM, Krane RJ, Saenz de Tejada I, Goldstein I, Siroky MB. Relative roles of cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide synthase pathways in ischemia-induced increased contraction of cavernosal smooth muscle. J Urol. 1999. 161:1324–1328.