Hepatoprotective activity of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng adventitious roots against carbon tetrachloride treated hepatic injury in rats

Ethnopharmacological relevanceGinseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) has a beneficial role in the treatment of various diseases including liver disorders like acute/chronic hepatotoxicity, hepatitis, hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.Materials and methodsTissue culture raised mountain ginseng adventitious root (TCMGARs) extract with ginsenosides in abundance was used as an experimental material. 'Sprague-Dawley' male rats were used as experimental systems and were fed with TCMGARs extracts at doses of 30, 100, 300 mg/kg body weight for two weeks to test the effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced acute liver damage. Field cultivated Korean ginseng root extract fed rats (100 mg/kg) were used as positive control. Plasma enzyme levels, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed. Glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were also evaluated.ResultsTCMGARs extracts remarkably prevented the elevation of ALT, AST, ALP and liver peroxides in CCl4-treated rats. Hepatic glutathione levels were significantly increased by the treatment with the extracts in experimental groups.ConclusionThe TCMGARs rich in varied ginsenosides can afford protection against CCl4-induced hepatocellular injury.

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