Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5832136 International Immunopharmacology 2015 10 Pages PDF
Abstract
Ginsenoside Rg1, one of the biologically active ingredients of ginseng, has been considered to be a candidate neuroprotective drug. The objective of the study was to study the protective effects of Rg1 through the peripheral and central inflammation in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse model. Rg1 treatment protected TH-positive cells in the SNpc region from MPTP toxicity measured with immunofluoresence. The protein expression levels of TH in the SNpc region of MPTP-induced mice following treatment with Rg1 were higher than MPTP-induced mice which were tested with Western blot. The ratio of CD3+ CD4+ to CD3+ CD8+ T cells and CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the blood increased in MPTP-induced mice following treatment with Rg1 which were detected by flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, Rg1 reduced the serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β and IL-6 which were tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, Rg1 inhibited the activation of microglia and reduced the infiltration of CD3+ T cells into the SNpc region which were measured by immunofluorescence. Our results indicated that Rg1 may represent a promising drug for the treatment of PD via the regulation of the peripheral and central inflammation.
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