This study was performed to find out the protective effects of crude ginseng saponin against nickel subsulfide poisoning.
The experimental mice were divided into 3 groups such as nickel alone treatment group. crude ginseng saponin treatment groups before and after nickel subsulfide treatments. Each group was administered with different dose of nickel such as 6.6 mg/kg/day, 13.2 mg/kg/day. 19.8 mg/kg/day respectively. for 14 days. Crude ginseng saponin was administered by 200 mg per kilogram body weight mouse per day.
T-lymphocyte subpopulation, phagocytic activity and release of TNF-a of monocyte and natural killer cell activity were measured in the experimental groups.
The results obtained by the experiment were as follows
1. The weight of mice in the group treated with low dose of nickel (6.6 mg/kg/day) slightly increased than those of the group treated with high dose of nickel (13.2 mg/kg/day, 19.8 mg/kg/day) at the terminal stage of administration compared with the initial stage. It was observed that ginseng saponin had no effect on the weight gain.
2. The mean survival rate of mice in the experimental groups was 65.8%, The groups treated with ginseng saponin showed a high survival rate than the group administered nickel alone.
3. As for the amount of nickel accumulation, it was the highest in the bone´, marrow. and then lung, kidney and liver followed it in that order.
4. Crude ginseng saponin could elevated the decreased CD4 positive subsets caused by treatment of nickel subsulfide. CD8 positive subsets were elevated--by nickel subsulfide, but there was no significance between with saponin and without saponin combination to nickel subsulfide.
5. Crude ginseng saponin could recovered the depressed phagocytic activity by nickel subsulfide. Depression of phagocytic activity was caused by nickel treatment in a dose-response relationship. However, in saponin-treated groups phagocytic activity showed no correlation to dose or administration time of nickel subsulfide.
6. When nickel was administered alone, there was no significant change in the serum TNFa level compare to control group. However, when nickel was administered with saponin a, high level of TNF-a secretion was observed regardless of the time point of nickel administration, and the level of increase was very significant in the group that was given 13.2 mg/kg/day.
7. Activity of natural killer cell was severely depressed by nickel treatment in a dose-response relationship. These adverse effects were recovered by treatment of ginseng saponin, but´ there was no significant difference between two saponin-treated groups.
8. When kidney and liver tissues were observed with as optical microscope, no obvious changes were visible in those tissues when nickel dose and the method of drug administration were varied. However, in the tissue of the group that had been given both saponin and nickel (19.8 mg/kg/day),´ although no bile dispositon sinusoidal dilatation on necrosis was seen. also low level of lymphocyte infiltration was observed in the periportal area.
According to above results, this study could suggests that crude ginseng saponin had protective effects on toxicity of nickel subsulfide` Crude ginseng saponin was proved to be effective in recovering the deteriorated immune functions through increase of C04-positive subsets and the enhancement of the activities of macrophage and natural killer cell.
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