Abstract
Objective: It was reported Panax ginseng had diverse components and multifaceted pharmacological functions. This study aims
to investigate the effect of 20 (S)-protopanaxatriol (PT, CAS 179799-20-3) and its epimeric derivatives (20S, 24R-epoxy-dammarane-3β, 6α, 12β, 25-tetraol, PTD1 and 20S, 24S-epoxy-dammarane-3β, 6α, 12β, 25-tetraol, PTD2) on myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol in rats.
Methods: Male Wistar rats were administered orally 20 (S)-protopanaxatriol or its epimeric derivatives for 7 days. Four days after treatment,
all rats, except those in the control group, were subcutaneously injected with isoproterenol
(20 mg/kg) for 3 consecutive days. Two hours after the last isoproterenol injection,
the rats were anaesthetized and sacrificed. The biochemical parameters were assayed
and pathological examination of the heart tissues was performed.
Results: Administration of PT and PTD1 resulted in a reduction in creatine kinase and lactate
dehydrogenase. PT and PTD1 inhibited not only the elevation of malondialdehyde content,
but also the reduction of superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione peroxidase and
total antioxidant capacity. The pathohistological changes induced by isoproterenol
were also ameliorated by PT and PTD1.
Conclusion: The present findings suggest that PT and PTD1 exerted cardioprotective effects against
myocardial ischemic injury by enhancing the anti-free-radical actions of heart tissues.
Furthermore the results indicated that the configuration of C-24 of the funan ring
was involved in the pharmacological action of the epimeric derivatives of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol.
Key words
CAS 179799-20-3 - Isoproterenol - Myocardial ischemia - Panax ginseng - Protopanaxatriol
