The role of ginsenoside-Rd in cisplatin-induced acute renal failure

Ginsenoside-Rd has been proved to decrease the severity of renal injury ind uced by cisplatin, in which proximal urinaferous tubules represent the main site of injury. When ginsenoside-Iid was given orally at a dose of 1 or 5 mg/kg body weight/day for 30 consecutive days prior to cisplatin injection, the activities of the antioxidation enzymes superoxide dismutase and catal ase were higher, while malondialdehyde levels in serum and renal tissue wer e lower in the treated rats than in the controls. The levels of urea nitrog en and creatinine in serum were decreased in rats given ginsenoside-Rd. Dec reased urinary levels of glucose, sodium and potassium reflected a protecti ve action against the renal dysfunction caused by cisplatin. In addition, i t was demonstrated that ginsenoside-Iid affected cultured proximal tubule c ells exposed to cisplatin.