Neuroprotective Effect of Ginseng against Alteration of Calcium Binding Proteins Immunoreactivity in the Mice Hippocampus after Radiofrequency Exposure

Abstract

Calcium binding proteins (CaBPs) such as calbindin D28-k, parvalbumin, and calretinin are able to bind Ca2+ with high affinity. Changes in Ca2+ concentrations via CaBPs can disturb Ca2+ homeostasis. Brain damage can be induced by the prolonged electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure with loss of interacellular Ca2+ balance. The present study investigated the radioprotective effect of ginseng in regard to CaBPs immunoreactivity (IR) in the hippocampus through immunohistochemistry after one-month exposure at 1.6 SAR value by comparing sham control with exposed and ginseng-treated exposed groups separately. Loss of dendritic arborization was noted with the CaBPs in the Cornu Ammonis areas as well as a decrease of staining intensity of the granule cells in the dentate gyrus after exposure while no loss was observed in the ginseng-treated group. A significant difference in the relative mean density was noted between control and exposed groups but was nonsignificant in the ginseng-treated group. Decrease in CaBP IR with changes in the neuronal staining as observed in the exposed group would affect the hippocampal trisynaptic circuit by alteration of the Ca2+ concentration which could be prevented by ginseng. Hence, ginseng could contribute as a radioprotective agent against EMF exposure, contributing to the maintenance of Ca2+ homeostasis by preventing impairment of intracellular Ca2+ levels in the hippocampus.

Effects of electromagnetic fields on neuronal ion channels: a systematic review

“…Helmholtz coils, consisting of two circular electromagnets placed along a common axis, were the preferred generator for ELF-EMFs (67% of papers), while the Wave Exposer V20 custom device (extensively described in Ref. 53) was the most common generator for RF-EMFs (43%), maybe by virtue of the multiple studies published by the same team. Other highly represented RF-EMF generators were the Coplanar Waveguide (CPW) (28.5%), consisting of a single conducting track printed onto a dielectric substrate and arranged to be in the middle of a pair of return conductors, and mobile phones (28.5%).…”

“…Exposure to both acute and chronic ELF-EMFs promotes calcium influx, resulting in an increased intracellular calcium concentration in various types of neurons 39,40,52 that is conversely decreased following chronic exposure to RF-EMFs. 41,42,53 The involvement of calcium is remarkable because of the many related calcium signaling pathways involved in various essential neurophysiological processes, such as neural differentiation, survival, and apoptosis 54,55 that could ultimately explain the many effects of EMF exposure on learning and memory. 56 In areas of the brain involved in the modulation of these cognitive tasks, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, exposure to ELF-EMFs resulted in abnormal calcium signaling that led to a decrease in the binding between the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and its ligand glutamate, which could directly result in important effects on synaptic plasticity.…”

Assessment of the radioprotective effect of propolis in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. New perspective for an old honey bee product

“…Propolis is a product of great interest, both in the field of medicine and the pharmaceutical industry with numerous properties including antioxidant, antieinflammatory, immune stimulant, hepatoprotector, and carcinostatic (Montoro et al, 2010;Viuda-Martos, Ruiz-Navajas, Fern andez-L opez, & P erezAlvarez, 2008). Therefore, we thought that trying this extract as a radio protective agent against ionizing radiation (IR) may prove beneficial effect (Maskey, Lee, Kim, & Kim, 2013). Since BC patients were exposed to IR, the genotoxic effects of IR were studied in white blood cells, which circulate throughout the body and which have been confirmed as a useful biodosimeters by many radiation studies (Lamkowski et al, 2014).…”

Different methods for evaluating the effects of microwave radiation exposure on the nervous system

“…Maskey et al (2013) have studied alterations on Ca +2 levels after radiofrequency exposure by measuring the immune reactivity of calcium-binding proteins (such as calbindin D28-k, parvalbumin and calretinin), and have observed immunohistochemical alterations on the CA1, CA3 and DG regions. Zou et al have reported that microwave radiation stimulated neuronal apoptosis depends on the caspase-3 pathway.…”