Kopalli Spandana Rajendra, Cha Kyu-Min, Hwang Seock-Yeon, Jeong Min-Sik, Kim Si-Kwan
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea.
J Ginseng Res. 2019 Jan;43(1):135-142. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2018.06.004. Epub 2018 Jun 22.
Meyer, known as Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), is one of the important age-old traditional herbs used in boosting and improving male fertility. In this study, the effects of Rg3-enriched KRG extract (KGC04P) on heat stress-induced testicular damage in experimental rats was evaluated.
Male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were divided into four groups (n = 10): normal control (NC), heat-stressed control (HC), heat-stressed plus KGC04P-100 mg/kg (HK100), and heat-stressed plus KGC04P-200 mg/kg (HK200) groups. Starting 1 week prior to heat stress, animals were administered orally with KGC04P (100 and 200 mg/kg) mixed with a regular pellet diet and continued for 25 weeks. Heat stress was induced to HC, HK100, and HK200 groups by intermittently exposing the animals to high temperatures (32 ± 1°C, 2 h/day). After 6 months, animals were euthanized under general anesthesia with carbon dioxide and evaluated for various parameters in serum and testicular tissue by using Western blotting, biochemical kits, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
Significant ( < 0.05) alterations in several parameters, such as body/organ weight, sperm kinematics, and lipid metabolism marker levels, in the serum and testis of rats were observed. Further, the expression of testicular antioxidant enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, sex hormonal receptors, and spermatogenesis-related genes were also affected significantly ( < 0.05) in the heat-stressed group. However, KGC04P prevented the heat stress-induced changes in rats significantly ( < 0.05) at both concentrations.
KGC04P attenuated heat stress-induced testicular damage by a multifunctional approach and can be developed as an excellent therapeutic agent for hyperthermia-mediated male infertility.
人参，即韩国红参（KRG），是用于增强和改善男性生育能力的重要古老传统草药之一。本研究评估了富含Rg3的韩国红参提取物（KGC04P）对实验大鼠热应激诱导的睾丸损伤的影响。
将雄性大鼠（Sprague-Dawley）分为四组（n = 10）：正常对照组（NC）、热应激对照组（HC）、热应激加KGC04P-100 mg/kg组（HK100）和热应激加KGC04P-200 mg/kg组（HK200）。在热应激前1周开始，给动物口服与常规颗粒饲料混合的KGC04P（100和200 mg/kg），并持续25周。通过将动物间歇性暴露于高温（32±1°C，每天2小时）对HC、HK100和HK200组诱导热应激。6个月后，在二氧化碳全身麻醉下对动物实施安乐死，并通过蛋白质免疫印迹法、生化试剂盒以及逆转录-聚合酶链反应评估血清和睾丸组织中的各种参数。
观察到大鼠血清和睾丸中的几个参数，如体重/器官重量、精子运动学和脂质代谢标志物水平有显著（P<0.05）变化。此外，热应激组中睾丸抗氧化酶、炎性细胞因子、性激素受体和生精相关基因的表达也受到显著（P<0.05）影响。然而，两种浓度的KGC04P均能显著（P<0.05）预防热应激诱导的大鼠变化。
KGC04P通过多功能方法减轻热应激诱导的睾丸损伤，可开发成为治疗高温介导的男性不育症的优良治疗剂。
