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Abstract
Purpose
Episodes of acute emotional or physical stress can have significant adverse effects on the hippocampus. Ginsenoside Rb1, the most predominant ginsenoside present in Panax species, has been reported to show a neuroprotective effect. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of ginsenoside Rb1 on plasma corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) levels in rats subjected to acute immobilization stress.
Methods
Wistar rats were divided into controls treated with saline only (N), rats exposed to stress only (M), and rats pretreated with Rb1 (40 mg.kg (−1)) thirty minutes prior to stress exposure (R). In the model, animals were restrained in a plastic immobilizer for 2 h of acute immobilization stress at room temperature. ELISA was used to determine plasma levels of CORT and ACTH. The effect of Rb1 pretreatment on the expression of BDNF and TrkB was determined by immunofluorescence, real-time PCR, and Western blotting analysis.
Results
The R group showed significantly increased plasma CORT and ACTH levels compared to the N and M groups. Acute stress stimulation suppressed BDNF and TrkB protein and mRNA expression in the hippocampus; otherwise, Rb1 pretreatment reversed the decreases.
Conclusion
The results from this study demonstrate that Rb1 pretreatment reverses the decreases in hippocampal BDNF/TrkB and increases the plasma levels of CORT and ACTH, indicating a potential neuroprotective effect of Rb1 against acute stress.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81774109), Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education (Y201839270) and Wenzhou Science and Technology Project (Y20180496, Y20180508, Y20170164, and Y20170094).
Abbreviations list
CORT, corticosterone; ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; TrkB, tyrosine kinase B; C, control group; M, model group; R, ginsenoside Rb1 group.
Ethics approval and informed consent
This study is approved by the Wenzhou Medical University Animal Ethics Committee.
Disclosure
The authors declare that they have no competing or conflicts of interest in regard to this work.