Reduction of cyclophosphamide-induced DNA damage and apoptosis effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on mouse bone marrow cells and peripheral blood leukocytes

The present study investigated the protective effects of ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1) against genotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide (CP). Single cell gel electrophoresis, flow cytometry assay with annexin V-FITC/propidine iodide (PI) and acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) staining assay were employed to measure DNA damage and cell apoptosis, respectively. The activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content were also investigated by a number of colormetric methods. The results showed that the CP produced significant DNA damage and cell apoptosis in mouse bone marrow cells or peripheral blood leukocytes, markedly inhibited the activities of T-SOD and GPx, and markedly increased the MDA content. GRb1 significantly inhibited DNA damages and cell apoptosis in mouse bone marrow cells or peripheral blood leukocytes induced by CP and antagonized the reduction of CP-induced T-SOD and GPx activities, and inhibited the increase in MDA content induced by CP. The anti-tumor study of GRb1 showed that GRb1 did not affect the anti-tumor activities of CP. In conclusion, GRb1 had significant protective effects against DNA damage and apoptosis induced by CP.