Antithrombotic and Antiplatelet Activities of Korean Red Ginseng Extract

Abstract

Abstract:The antithrombotic and antiplatelet activities of Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) were examined on rat carotid artery thrombosis in vivo and platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo. The KRGE significantly prevented rat carotid arterial thrombosis in vivo in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of the KRGE to rats significantly inhibited adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-and collagen-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo, although it failed to prolong coagulation times such as activated partial thromboplastin and prothrombin time indicating that the antithrombotic effect of the red ginseng may be due to its antiplatelet aggregation rather than anticoagulation effect. In line with the above observations, the red ginseng inhibited the U46619-, arachidonic acid-, collagen-and thrombin-induced rabbit platelet aggregations in vitro in a concentrationdependent manner, with IC 50 values of 390 ± 15, 485 ± 19, 387 ± 11 and 335 ± 15 µg/ml, respectively. Consistently, serotonin secretion was also inhibited by ginseng in the same pattern. These results suggest that the red ginseng has a potent antithrombotic effect in vivo, which may be due to the antiplatelet rather than the anticoagulation activity, and the red ginseng intake may be beneficial for individuals with high risks of thrombotic and cardiovascular diseases.Platelets not only play a critical role in normal haemostasis, but are also important contributors to thrombotic disorders, especially cerebral vascular diseases such as transient ischaemic attack [1], ischaemic heart diseases such as myocardial infarction [2,3], and peripheral vascular diseases [4]. Disruption of the endothelium by trauma, or atherosclerosis, allows platelets to come into contact with and adhere to exposed subendothelial structures, such as collagen and von Willebrand factor [5][6][7][8] and to interact with soluble agonists, such as ADP and thrombin, both of which were exposed or generated at the injury site [9]. Upon various agonists clustering with respective receptors on platelet surface, the intracellular signals will be activated and platelets will change shape, spread, and release or secrete activating substances to recruit platelets to the developing thrombus. Thus, antiplatelet therapy is a useful means of preventing acute thromboembolic artery occlusions in cardiovascular diseases.Panax ginseng, the herbal root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, has been used for more than 2000 years as a component of traditional Asian medicines to promote health and treat illness. Although various forms of ginseng were processed for use, white ginseng and red ginseng were used most widely. White ginseng is air-dried, while red ginseng is produced by steaming and drying of raw ginseng. It has been reported that red ginseng was pharmacologically more active than white ginseng. The different biological activities of red and white ginsengs may result from production of different chemical constituents during the steaming process. Ginseng saponins, referred to as ginsenosides, are believed to have a ...

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng Supplementation on Ocular Blood Flow in Patients with Glaucoma

“…KRG has been demonstrated to be effective in numerous vascular diseases [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. The authors believed that KRG supplementation in open-angle glaucoma patients might be helpful for improving ocular blood flow.…”

“…Red ginseng is reported to be pharmacologically more active than raw ginseng in terms of chemical constituents (Rh4 and Rf2) that are produced in the steaming process [22]. In the past few years, the favorable effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) have been reported in numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease [23][24][25][26][27][28], cerebrovascular disease [29], hyperlipidemic disease [30,31], sexual dysfunction [32,33], and Alzheimer's disease [34], though the exact explanation for these effects is not clear.…”

Anticoagulant and Fibrinolytic Activities of Hwanggeumchal Sorghum In Vitro

“…[11,15,24,40]. In this regard, many efforts have been performed in order to explore alternative anticoagulants for prevention and treatment of thrombotic disorders.…”

Korean Red Ginseng Extract inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha-induced Monocyte Adhesion in the Human Endothelial Cells

“…Among the several kinds of Panax ginseng products, the Korean red ginseng (KRG) has the most potent multiple pharmacological actions for hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, and many Asians believe that KRG improves the conditions of weakness 5) . Possible beneficial effect of KRG on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases has been suggested as the vasorelaxing effect 6) , anti-thrombotic activities 7) and anti-hypertensive effect 8,9) of KRG were uncovered. However, it has not been clear whether Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) plays a role in the monocyte adhesion of the endothelial cells.…”