Biomaterial Database

[Protective effects of ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg1 on cultured hippocampal neurons]. 1995

M Liu, and J T Zhang

Department of Pharmacology, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing.

It has been well documented that ginsenoside Rb1 and Rg1 are important active principles of ginseng. In the present studies, Rb1 and Rg1 were found to prolong the duration of neuronal life and provided partial protection against the excitotoxic effect of glutamate in primary hippocampal cultures. Since excitotoxic neuronal injury of glutamate is considered to be caused by the increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, the effects of Rb1 and Rg1 on [Ca2+]i elevated by glutamate were measured in cultured hippocampal cells using Fura-2/AM as a calcium indicator. The results showed that Rb1 and Rg1 could selectively inhibit the high level glutamate (500 mumol.L-1) induced increase of [Ca2+]i, suggesting that the neuroprotective activities of Rb1 and Rg1 were mediated by blocking calcium over-influx into neuronal cells.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D010946	Plants, Medicinal	Plants whose roots, leaves, seeds, bark, or other constituent parts possess therapeutic, tonic, purgative, curative or other pharmacologic attributes, when administered to man or animals.	Herbs, Medicinal,Medicinal Herbs,Healing Plants,Medicinal Plants,Pharmaceutical Plants,Healing Plant,Herb, Medicinal,Medicinal Herb,Medicinal Plant,Pharmaceutical Plant,Plant, Healing,Plant, Medicinal,Plant, Pharmaceutical,Plants, Healing,Plants, Pharmaceutical
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D002470	Cell Survival	The span of viability of a cell characterized by the capacity to perform certain functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, some form of responsiveness, and adaptability.	Cell Viability,Cell Viabilities,Survival, Cell,Viabilities, Cell,Viability, Cell
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002491	Central Nervous System Agents	A class of drugs producing both physiological and psychological effects through a variety of mechanisms. They can be divided into "specific" agents, e.g., affecting an identifiable molecular mechanism unique to target cells bearing receptors for that agent, and "nonspecific" agents, those producing effects on different target cells and acting by diverse molecular mechanisms. Those with nonspecific mechanisms are generally further classed according to whether they produce behavioral depression or stimulation. Those with specific mechanisms are classed by locus of action or specific therapeutic use. (From Gilman AG, et al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p252)	Central Nervous System Drugs
D005894	Panax	An araliaceous genus of plants that contains a number of pharmacologically active agents used as stimulants, sedatives, and tonics, especially in traditional medicine. Sometimes confused with Siberian ginseng (ELEUTHEROCOCCUS).	Ginseng,Korean Ginseng,Korean Red Ginseng,Panax ginseng,Jen Shen,Ninjin,Renshen,Schinseng,Shinseng,Ginseng, Korean,Ginseng, Korean Red,Ginsengs,Jen Shens,Korean Ginsengs,Korean Red Ginsengs,Ninjins,Red Ginseng, Korean,Renshens,Schinsengs,Shen, Jen,Shinsengs
D006624	Hippocampus	A curved elevation of GRAY MATTER extending the entire length of the floor of the TEMPORAL HORN of the LATERAL VENTRICLE (see also TEMPORAL LOBE). The hippocampus proper, subiculum, and DENTATE GYRUS constitute the hippocampal formation. Sometimes authors include the ENTORHINAL CORTEX in the hippocampal formation.	Ammon Horn,Cornu Ammonis,Hippocampal Formation,Subiculum,Ammon's Horn,Hippocampus Proper,Ammons Horn,Formation, Hippocampal,Formations, Hippocampal,Hippocampal Formations,Hippocampus Propers,Horn, Ammon,Horn, Ammon's,Proper, Hippocampus,Propers, Hippocampus,Subiculums
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia