Neurodyn Inc., 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada; Department of Biomedical Science, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada.
Neurodyn Inc., 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada.
Exp Gerontol. 2014 Feb;50:95-105. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2013.11.012. Epub 2013 Dec 3.
Panax ginseng has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Among its various benefits is a pluripotent targeting of the various events involved in neuronal cell death. This includes anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects. Indeed, ginseng extract and its individual ginsenosides have been demonstrated to influence a number of biochemical markers implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. We have reported previously that administration of the ginseng extract, G115, afforded robust neuroprotection in two rodent models of PD. However, these traditional rodent models are acute in nature and do accurately recapitulate the progressive nature of the disease. Chronic exposure to the dietary phytosterol glucoside, β-sitosterol β-d-glucoside (BSSG) triggers the progressive development of neurological deficits, with behavioral and cellular features that closely approximate those observed in PD patients. Clinical signs and histopathology continue to develop for several months following cessation of exposure to the neurotoxic insult. Here, we utilized this model to further characterize the neuroprotective effects of the ginseng extract, G115. Oral administration of this extract significantly reduced dopaminergic cell loss, microgliosis, and accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates. Further, G115 administration fully prevented the development of locomotor deficits, in the form of reduced locomotor activity and coordination. These results suggest that ginseng extract may be a potential neuroprotective therapy for the treatment of PD.
人参在传统中医中已经使用了几个世纪。它的各种益处之一是对涉及神经元细胞死亡的各种事件具有多向靶向作用。这包括抗炎、抗氧化和抗细胞凋亡作用。事实上，人参提取物及其单体人参皂苷已被证明可影响许多与帕金森病 (PD) 发病机制相关的生化标志物。我们之前曾报道过，人参提取物 G115 在两种 PD 啮齿动物模型中提供了强大的神经保护作用。然而，这些传统的啮齿动物模型是急性的，不能准确地再现疾病的进行性本质。慢性暴露于膳食植物固醇糖苷，β-谷甾醇-β-d-葡萄糖苷（BSSG）会引发神经功能缺损的进行性发展，其行为和细胞特征与 PD 患者观察到的非常相似。在停止接触神经毒性损伤后，临床症状和组织病理学仍会持续数月发展。在这里，我们利用该模型进一步研究了人参提取物 G115 的神经保护作用。该提取物的口服给药显著减少了多巴胺能神经元的丢失、小胶质细胞增生和α-突触核蛋白聚集体的积累。此外，G115 给药完全阻止了运动缺陷的发展，表现为运动活动和协调性降低。这些结果表明，人参提取物可能是治疗 PD 的一种有潜力的神经保护疗法。
