Res Vestib Sci.  2020 Sep;19(3):79-88. 10.21790/rvs.2020.19.3.79.

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng on Early Vestibular Function Restoration after Unilateral Labyrinthectomy

• Lee J
• Kim MJ
• Han GC

• KMID: 2506575
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21790/rvs.2020.19.3.79

Abstract

Objectives
Vertigo is a common condition. Definitive treatment is to induce vestibular compensation. Currently, no medications have been discovered that enhance vestibular functional restoration. The current study was conducted to evaluate the ability of ordinary Korean red ginseng (KRG) to induce vestibular compensation.
Methods
Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. Five rats (KRG group) were fed KRG extract (100 mg/kg) for 2 weeks before undergoing unilateral labyrinthectomy (ULx). The remaining seven rats (control group) were untreated before ULx. After surgery, all animals were housed in the same environment without being fed additional extract. To evaluate vestibular function, gain of the horizontal nystagmus to 0.2 Hz with a peak velocity of 100°/second sinusoidal rotation was compared and analyzed before ULx as well as 3 and 7 days after surgery.
Results
Before the operation, gain of the control and KRG group were 0.81±0.05 and 0.88±0.08, respectively, with 0.2-Hz stimulation. This value decreased to 0.43±0.08 and 0.53±0.08, respectively on 3 days after operation (p=0.047), and it was 0.40±0.06 and 0.68±0.11, respectively on 7 days after surgery. The difference of gain between the two groups was statistically significant at each 3 and 7 days (p＜0.05). By confirming c-Fos protein expression in medial vestibular nuclei, the functional effect of KRG causing vestibular modulation was confirmed.
Conclusions
Rats treated with KRG showed more rapid and complete recovery after acute vestibular loss compared to untreated animals. Therefore, KRG could be one of candidate for the useful medication of vestibular diseases.

Keyword

Compensation; Ginseng; Vertigo; Vestibule; 보상; 홍삼; 어지럼; 전정