Ginseng Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Ginseng, including details on american ginseng, panax, benefits, side effects. | ||||||||
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Effects of a polyacetylene from Panax ginseng on Na(+) currents in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.Choi SJ, Kim TH, Shin YK, Lee CS, Park M, Lee HS, Song JH Department of Pharmacology, Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine, 221 Heuksuk-Dong, Dongjak-Ku, Seoul 156-756, Republic of Korea. The root of ginseng (Panax ginseng) has been used as a traditional medicine in the far east countries since ancient times. Ginseng extracts produce analgesia among other various biologically beneficial effects. A polyacetylenic compound, (9R,10S)-epoxyheptadecan-4,6-diyn-3-one (EHD), has been isolated from ginseng extract, whose biological activity is largely unknown. Voltage-gated Na(+) channels in primary sensory neurons play important roles in pain perception. We investigated the effects of EHD on tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) and tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) Na(+) currents in acutely dissociated rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. EHD inhibited both Na(+) currents in a concentration-dependent manner with an equal potency (K(d) values were both 14.3 muM). The activation voltage was not affected by EHD in either type of Na(+) current. However, EHD accelerated the inactivation of both Na(+) currents and produced a hyperpolarizing shift of the steady-state inactivation curve. In addition EHD suppressed the maximal Na(+) current at negative holding potentials at which the channels are relieved from inactivation. Thus EHD appears to bind both resting and inactivated channels. The recovery from inactivation of both Na(+) currents was also slowed by EHD. EHD inhibition of TTX-S Na(+) current but not TTX-R Na(+) current was frequency-dependent. This is the first report that a polyacetylene from ginseng inhibits Na(+) currents in primary sensory neurons. EHD by inhibiting Na(+) currents may contribute to the ginseng analgesia. Published 21 January 2008 in Brain Res, 1191: 75-83.
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