Free radical-scavenging activity of Korean red ginseng for erectile dysfunction in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus rats.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the antioxidant activity of Korean red ginseng (KRG) and its effect on erectile function in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) rats. Oxidative stress is an important factor in vascular complications of diabetes.

METHODS:

A total of 84 male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study. NIDDM was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 90 mg/kg of streptozotocin on day 2 after birth. According to the diabetic period, they were classified as either short-term (22 weeks, n = 32) or long-term (38 weeks, n = 32) diabetics. Of those, 20 (10 short-term and 10 long-term) were fed 30 mg/kg of KRG three times weekly for 1 month. The remaining diabetic rats (22 short-term and 22 long-term) and their age-matched controls (n = 10 each for each group) were fed a normal diet. Erectile function was measured after electrostimulation of the cavernous nerve. The total cavernous malondialdehyde and glutathione levels were measured using a spectrophotometric assay.

RESULTS:

The intracavernous pressure after nerve stimulation and cavernous glutathione level were significantly lower in the long-term than the short-term diabetics with a normal diet and were markedly decreased compared with their age-matched controls (P <0.01 and P <0.05, respectively). The malondialdehyde content was markedly increased in the short-term diabetics compared with the controls (P <0.05). In contrast, erectile function was not impaired in the diabetic group treated with KRG. Furthermore, both glutathione and malondialdehyde levels in those treated with KRG were comparable to their age-matched controls.

CONCLUSIONS:

Oxidative stress to cavernous tissue may be a contributory factor in erectile dysfunction in diabetics. KRG may preserve potency in the NIDDM rats through its antioxidant activity.

• Authors: Ji-Kan Ryu, Tack Lee, Dae-Joong Kim, In-Sun Park, Sang-Min Yoon, Hong-Sik Lee, Sun U Song, Jun-Kyu Suh
• Journal: Urology (Urology) Vol. 65 Issue 3 Pg. 611-5 (Mar 2005) ISSN: 1527-9995 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 15780402 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Plant Preparations

Topics

• Animals
• Antioxidants (therapeutic use)
• Diabetes Complications (drug therapy)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (complications, drug therapy)
• Erectile Dysfunction (drug therapy, etiology)
• Male
• Panax
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Preparations (therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley