Hyperosmotic hemolysis and antihemolytic activity of the saponin fraction and triterpene glycosides from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer.

A saponin fraction and triterpene glycosides Rb1, Rb2 and Rg1 from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer (saponins) were shown to inhibit the hyperosmotic hemolysis of erythrocytes. Using scanning electron microscopy and light scattering, saponins were found to restore the shape of the cells by inhibiting their contraction and the formation of echinocytes and microspherocytes. Scanning microcalorimetry demonstrated that an increase in osmomolarity and ionic strength of the medium eliminated structural transitions of erythrocyte ghost membranes. The hyperosmotic conditions were shown to cause the destruction of the erythrocyte membrane skeleton, except for the cytoplasmic and membrane domains of band 3 proteins. Saponins changed the parameters of all membrane structural transitions, induced new reversible transitions in the membranes and eliminated the ripple phase of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. The mechanism of the antihemolytic action is discussed based on the bilayer couple model hypothesis.