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KMID : 0378019730160010057
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New Medical Journal
1973 Volume.16 No. 1 p.57 ~ p.63
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The Effect of Ginseng on the Open-field Exploratory Behavior and Liver Glycogen Content of Normal and Bilateral Adrenelectomized Rats
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Abstract
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Although numerous opinions about the pharmacological action of ginseng were proposed, the mechanism of action or the exact site of action of ginseng has not yet been recognized.
Petkov (1961) demonstrated that ginseng increases the reactivity of the cerebro-cortical cells. And later he also showed that ginseng has stimulating effect on the steroidogenic activity of the adrenal cortex, especially in the stressful situation, which was thought by him to be secondary effect to those on the central nervous system.
But Kim et al. (1970) observed ginseng accelerated the recovery of the adrenal ascorbic acid content after exposure to cold stress even in the hypophysectomized rats and denied Petkov´s plausible consideration.
In fact, effects of ginseng on the central nervous system reported by many authors being clear, there are no obvious discrepancies between those of ginseng and corticosteroids, especially glucocor￢ticoids. Thus it is very obscure whether the primary action site of ginseng is CNS or adrenal cortex, or independent each other and involves the other site.
The purpose of this study is to clarify the primary action site of ginseng and to find out some fragments of its pharmacological action in the endocrinological aspect.
Jarrad and Bunnels´ open-field exploratory behavior of the rats was employed for the measurement of CNS effect of ginseng, which was checked both in normal and bilateral adrenalectomized rats, divided in 3 groups, ie; saline control group, ginseng-treated group and cortisone-treated group. In addition, liver glycogen centent was also checked, which led to the following observations. 1. Single gastric tube feeding of ginseng alcohol extract, 20mg per 100gm of body weight, increases
the open-field exploratory behavior of the normal rats just as cortisone does, both in ´hay-time and
night-time.
2. Single administration of ginseng at the same dose also increases the exploratory behavior of the bilateral adrenalectomized rats.
3. By single administration of ginseng alcohol extract, 20mg per 100gm of body weight, liver glyco-
gen content after 24 hour fasting period *as increased in normal rats and no change was observed
in bilateral adenalectomized rats, while remarkably increased liver glycogen was found in cortisone-treated group.
These results suggest that ginseng has stimulant effect on the central nervous system without any relationship with the adrenal cortex.
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