Antioxidant effects of ginsenoside Re in cardiomyocytes

Jing Tian Xie, Zuo Hui Shao, Terry L. Vanden Hoek, Wei Tien Chang, Jing Li, Sangeeta Mehendale, Chong Zhi Wang, Chin Wang Hsu, Lance B. Becker, Jun Jie Yin, Chun Su Yuan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

169 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that American ginseng berry extract exhibited significant protection against oxidant-mediated injury in cardiomyocytes. To extend this work, we sought to investigate the antioxidant effects of Re, a protopanaxatriols-type and single chemical integrant present in American ginseng berry extract, using the same chick cardiomyocyte model of oxidant injury as well as ESR spectroscopy in a cell-free chemical system. In cells exposed to 2 h of H2O2 (0.5 mM), pretreatment with Re (0.05, 0.1, or 0.5 mg/ml for 2 h) significantly attenuated 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) fluorescence by 51% (from 1345 ± 67 to 658 ± 46 a.u., P < 0.001), and remarkably reduced cell death (from 51.5 ± 3.0% to 11.8 ± 1.5%, P < 0.001, compared to the control). Similar results were also observed in cells exposed to antimycin A (100 μM), a mitochondrial electron transport chain site III inhibitor which increases endogenous oxidative stress. In the ESR study, however, Re failed to reduce the formation of the superoxide/DMPO adduct and DPPH radicals. These results suggest that ginsenoside Re functions as an antioxidant, protecting cardiomyocytes from oxidant injury induced by both exogenous and endogenous oxidants, and that its protective effects may be mostly attributed to scavenging H2O2 and hydroxyl radicals.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)201-207
Number of pages7
JournalEuropean Journal of Pharmacology
Volume532
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 27 2006
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Antimycin A
  • Antioxidant effect
  • Cardiomyocyte
  • ESR spectroscopy
  • Ginsenoside Re
  • HO
  • Ischemia and reperfusion damage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

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