Pulmonary protective and vasodilator effects of a standardized Panax ginseng preparation following artificial gastric digestion.

ABSTRACT

We have previously demonstrated that purified ginsenosides produce pulmonary vasodilation and prevent effects of free radical injury on the lung. We examined the effect of artificially digested standardized ginseng preparation G115 in perfused rabbit lungs. G115 was incubated in artificial gastric juice (0.03 M NaCl + 0.08 M HCl) 37 degrees C for 1 h, and artificial intestinal juice (0.05 M KH2PO4 + 0.02 M NaOH) 37 degrees C for 5 h, neutralized with NaOH and lyophilized. Pulmonary vasoconstriction was induced with U46619, and cumulative additions of G115 in undigested, gastric digested and gastric and intestinal digested forms were made to the perfusate. In separate experiments, oxygen free radical injury by electrolysis was produced in the presence of G115 in the perfusate and ACh-induced vasodilation assessed before and after injury. Undigested, gastric digested and combined gastric and intestinal digested G115 significantly dilated lungs (44%, undigested; 26%, gastric digested; 45%, gastric and intestinal digested). In addition, both undigested (-27 +/- 5% vs. -24 +/- 5%) as well as gastric and intestinal digested G115 (-23 +/- 3% vs. -16 +/- 2%) preserved ACh-induced vasodilation following injury. Artificially digested G115 is a pulmonary vasodilator which protects against free radical injury, suggesting that oral G115 has the same effects.