In:
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, World Scientific Pub Co Pte Ltd, Vol. 27, No. 03n04 ( 1999-01), p. 331-338
Abstract:
Endothelial cell damage is considered to be the initial step in the genesis of thrombosis and arteriosclerosis, the common precursors of cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of American ginseng or Panax quinquefolium L. extracts on endothelial cell injury, and investigated effects of ginseng extracts on thrombin-induced endothelin release using cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We observed that when endothelial cells pretreated with 1, 10, and 100 μg/ml of Panax quinquefolium L. extracts were incubated for 4 and 24 hr with thrombin, the concentration of endothelin was significantly decreased in a concentration dependent, time related manner (at 4 hr, IC 50 = 5.1 μg/ml; at 24 hr, IC 50 = 6.2 μg/ml). We further evaluated the effects of N G -nitro-L-arginine (NLA), a nitric oxide (NO) synthetase inhibitor, on the activity of Panax quinquefolium L. extracts. Following pretreatment of cultured endothelial cells with NLA, the inhibition of thrombin-induced endothelin release by Panax quinquefolium L. was significantly reduced (P 〈 0.05). This result suggests that the pharmacological action of Panax quinquefolium L. is, at least partially, due to NO release. Our data demonstrate that American ginseng may play a therapeutic role in facilitating the hemodynamic balance of vascular endothelial cells.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0192-415X
,
1793-6853
DOI:
10.1142/S0192415X99000379
Language:
English
Publisher:
World Scientific Pub Co Pte Ltd
Publication Date:
1999
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