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Metal and alcohol toxicity is reduced by ginseng preparations
METALS IN MEDICINE
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M E T A L AND A L C O I t O L TOXICITY IS REDUCED BY GINSENG PREPARATIONS y b a O.Yu.Kudritskaya a, X .B.Vassiliev , l.A.Sinitskaya and V.V.Da~idov a
"(Themical-pharmaceutical Institute, Popov str., 14, St.Petersburg, 197376, Russia; ~lnstitute for Fxperimental Medicine, Parlor str., 12, St. Petersburg, 1973"6, Russia Male CBA mice fed on regular diet ~ere divided in four groups, animals of the first one receiving salts of Cr, Mn, Ni and Va dissolved in potable water. Group II was given 10% ethanol as the only beverage. Average bo~T mass of mice was 20 g Average daily consumption of each metal was 1.5-2.1 mg / animal. In two weeks mice of group I had plasma levels of ceruloplasmin (CP) and transferrin (TF) elevated, respectively, by 48-56% and 36-41% as tested immunologically. Liver metallothionein (MT) concentration was 1.5-1.9 times higher than in controls, depending on the metal used. In group II CP and TF were. respectively, 23+1% and 18+% higher. After 6 weeks CP and TF in group I were less increased, however, atomic absorption revealed partial replacement of copper in CP ~vith Cr and Mn (3. I + 0.4 and 3.5 + (i, 5 at~ns,/m,31e, re~pcctiv~:ty). Liver CO~lCo',tl~ti~/S of MT were 1.7-2.2 times higher than in controls. Meanwhile in group II CP and TF were increased by 62+3% and 51+3%. Electron microsco~' of testis in group II revealed enlarged mitochondna, peripheral condensation of nuclei, vacuolization of c)aoplasm. No such changes were noticed in group I. Animals in gloup I11 aivng ~lth metals were getting ginseng solution in concentrations providing daily consumption of ca. 0.4 mg/animal. The same amounts of ginseng were given to mice of group IV that were consuming alcohol like those of grottp !I. After two ~eel:s plasma CP and TF in group llI were increased by 31-38% and 21-27%. However, their liver MT concentrations were 2.1-2.5 times higher than in controls. In 6 weeks CP and TF were even less increased (b.v 19-23% and ~4-17%). though the subsqtution of Cu in CP for Cr and Mn was slightly higher (3.4+0.5 and 3.7+ 0.5 atoms/mole, respectively). Liver MT was 2.2-2.65 times higher than in controls. Plasma CP was 19+1% and TF 14+0.6% higher in txvo weeks. After 6 weeks respective figures were 16+0.7% and 12+0.6%. However, electron microscopy of testis revealed the same pronounced changes in group IV. It is likely that ginseng stimulates some reparative mechanism(s) aimed at protection of cellular biosynthesis from the damage induced both by heaxy metals and alcohol. One of manifestations of such a protective stimulation is the gro~ah of MT concentrations, probably due to enhancement of its 0iosynthesis in response to heaw metal loading, wluch corroborates with the data obtained for other metals i.e. Cu, Zn and Cd ! 1.2,3]. An increase of incorporation of heterogeneous metals into CP under ginseng administration perhaps also reflects its ability to stimulate biosynthesis. At the same time ginseng seemed to reduce the acutephase increase of plasma CP and TF in response both to alcohol and heaxw metals. References. I. R.J.Cousins, Physiol. Rev., 65, 236 (1985) 2. N H S t a c e y and C.DKlaassen, ToxicoL Appl. Pharmacol., 55. 456 (1080) 3. M. Karin, R.D. Andersen. E. Slater, K. Smith and H.R. Herschman, Nature, 286, 295 (1980)
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C12
M E T A L AND A L C O I t O L TOXICITY IS REDUCED BY GINSENG PREPARATIONS y b a O.Yu.Kudritskaya a, X .B.Vassiliev , l.A.Sinitskaya and V.V.Da~idov a
"(Themical-pharmaceutical Institute, Popov str., 14, St.Petersburg, 197376, Russia; ~lnstitute for Fxperimental Medicine, Parlor str., 12, St. Petersburg, 1973"6, Russia Male CBA mice fed on regular diet ~ere divided in four groups, animals of the first one receiving salts of Cr, Mn, Ni and Va dissolved in potable water. Group II was given 10% ethanol as the only beverage. Average bo~T mass of mice was 20 g Average daily consumption of each metal was 1.5-2.1 mg / animal. In two weeks mice of group I had plasma levels of ceruloplasmin (CP) and transferrin (TF) elevated, respectively, by 48-56% and 36-41% as tested immunologically. Liver metallothionein (MT) concentration was 1.5-1.9 times higher than in controls, depending on the metal used. In group II CP and TF were. respectively, 23+1% and 18+% higher. After 6 weeks CP and TF in group I were less increased, however, atomic absorption revealed partial replacement of copper in CP ~vith Cr and Mn (3. I + 0.4 and 3.5 + (i, 5 at~ns,/m,31e, re~pcctiv~:ty). Liver CO~lCo',tl~ti~/S of MT were 1.7-2.2 times higher than in controls. Meanwhile in group II CP and TF were increased by 62+3% and 51+3%. Electron microsco~' of testis in group II revealed enlarged mitochondna, peripheral condensation of nuclei, vacuolization of c)aoplasm. No such changes were noticed in group I. Animals in gloup I11 aivng ~lth metals were getting ginseng solution in concentrations providing daily consumption of ca. 0.4 mg/animal. The same amounts of ginseng were given to mice of group IV that were consuming alcohol like those of grottp !I. After two ~eel:s plasma CP and TF in group llI were increased by 31-38% and 21-27%. However, their liver MT concentrations were 2.1-2.5 times higher than in controls. In 6 weeks CP and TF were even less increased (b.v 19-23% and ~4-17%). though the subsqtution of Cu in CP for Cr and Mn was slightly higher (3.4+0.5 and 3.7+ 0.5 atoms/mole, respectively). Liver MT was 2.2-2.65 times higher than in controls. Plasma CP was 19+1% and TF 14+0.6% higher in txvo weeks. After 6 weeks respective figures were 16+0.7% and 12+0.6%. However, electron microscopy of testis revealed the same pronounced changes in group IV. It is likely that ginseng stimulates some reparative mechanism(s) aimed at protection of cellular biosynthesis from the damage induced both by heaxy metals and alcohol. One of manifestations of such a protective stimulation is the gro~ah of MT concentrations, probably due to enhancement of its 0iosynthesis in response to heaw metal loading, wluch corroborates with the data obtained for other metals i.e. Cu, Zn and Cd ! 1.2,3]. An increase of incorporation of heterogeneous metals into CP under ginseng administration perhaps also reflects its ability to stimulate biosynthesis. At the same time ginseng seemed to reduce the acutephase increase of plasma CP and TF in response both to alcohol and heaxw metals. References. I. R.J.Cousins, Physiol. Rev., 65, 236 (1985) 2. N H S t a c e y and C.DKlaassen, ToxicoL Appl. Pharmacol., 55. 456 (1080) 3. M. Karin, R.D. Andersen. E. Slater, K. Smith and H.R. Herschman, Nature, 286, 295 (1980)
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