Ginsenoside Rg1 increases ischemia-induced cell proliferation and survival in the dentate gyrus of adult gerbils

The dentate gyrus is one of the few areas of the mammalian brain where new neurons are continuously produced in adulthood. Recent studies demonstrated that dentate neurogenesis increased after transient global ischemia and it is suggested that the increased neurogenesis contributes to the recovery of hippocampal function. In the present study, adult Mongolian gerbils were chronically treated with ginsenoside Rg1 after ischemia, and the proliferation of cells in the dentate gyrus was examined. It was proved that bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus were significantly enhanced in number following Rg1 treatment after 6 min global ischemia. In addition, the number of surviving BrdU-positive cells 40 days after ischemia also increased markedly in the Rg1 group. This suggests that ginsenoside Rg1 delivered to the brain well after stroke may have therapeutic benefits. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.