Protective effect of ginsenoside-Re against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion damage in rats

To investigate the protective effect of ginsenoside Re (Re) against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, adult male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were subjected to either sham surgery or middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 h of brain ischemia and 2 h reperfusion. A fluorescence polarization assay was carried out for membrane fluidity of brain mitochondria. Lipid peroxidation [malondiadehyde (MDA) formation], superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px) of rat brain were estimated by fluorometric methods. It was observed that Re (5, 10, 20 mg kg(-1) p.o. pretreatment for 7 d, once a day) significantly improved the fluidity of mitochondrial membranes as demonstrated by a reduction of average microviscosity, ameliorated lipid peroxidation by raising the activities of SOD and GSH-Px, and reduced the content of MDA in rat brain. This study demonstrated a direct protective effect of Re against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.