Korean red ginseng saponins with low ratios of protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol saponin improve scopolamine-induced learning disability and spatial working memory in mice

Citation
Sh. Jin et al., Korean red ginseng saponins with low ratios of protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol saponin improve scopolamine-induced learning disability and spatial working memory in mice, J ETHNOPHAR, 66(2), 1999, pp. 123-129
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
ISSN journal
03788741 → ACNP
Volume
66
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
123 - 129
Database
ISI
SICI code
0378-8741(199908)66:2<123:KRGSWL>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
The effects of two ginseng saponins having a different ratio of protopanaxa diol (PD) and protopanaxatriol saponins (PT on the learning impairment indu ced by scopolamine, and learning and memory in mice were investigated in a passive avoidance task and a Morris water maze task. The ratio of PD and PT was 1.24 and 1.46, respectively. Before training, the ginseng saponins wer e administered intraperitoneally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. The two sapo nins improved the scopolamine-induced learning impairment at different dosa ges in mice, 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. However, the two saponins did not show a favorable effect on]learning and memory in normal mice. Korean r ed ginseng saponin with a low PD/PT ratio had an improving effect on spatia l working memory, but the saponin with a high PD/PT ratio did not. This fin ding suggests that the PD/PT ratio of the ginseng saponins may be an import ant factor in the pharmacological role of red ginseng as a medicinal herb. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.