Neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus plays a major role in cognitive ability of animals
including learning and memory. We evaluated that Korean red ginseng (KRG) can promote
cognitive function and enhance neurogenesis in the hippocampus. C57BL/6 mice (male,
8 weeks) received 50 mg/kg of 5-bromo-2′- deoxyuridine (BrdU) intraperitoneally and
100 mg/kg of KRG or vehicle orally once a day for 14 days. Pole, Rotarod and Morris
water maze tests were performed and the brains were collected after the last behavioural
test. KRG-treated mice came down the pole significantly faster and stood on the rotarod
longer than vehicle-treated mice. The Morris water maze test showed that KRG administration
enhanced learning and memory abilities. KRG also significantly increased BrdU- and
BrdU/doublecortin-positive cells in the dentate gyrus as well as the proliferating
cell nuclear antigen, cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor and ciliary neurotrophic
factor mRNA expression levels in the hippocampus compared to vehicle. Therefore, KRG
promotes learning and memory abilities, possibly by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis.
