Abstract

After pretreatment with ginseng followed by induction of acute intoxication of alcohol, the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS) and aldehyde dehydrogenase(Ald DH) increased respectively compared to the groups treated with alcohol alone. In case that ginseng was given to rats fed with 5% alcohol instead of water for 60 days, the activities of ADH and MEOS increased compared to the groups treated. On the contrary, the activity of Ald DH in mitochondrial fraction decreased to an extent of about 35% in chronic alcoholism, but after pretreatment of ginseng the activity was restored to the control level. On the other hand, the catalase activity was not significantly affected by either treatment. Ginseng butanol fraction significantly increased the serum isocitrate dehydrogenase activity which is inhibited by alcohol-treated in rat. Alcohol-induced lactate dehydrogenase activity was decreased to control level in liver by ginseng treatment. And the serum level of lactic acid also decreased by ginseng treatment in alcohol-intoxicated rat. Ginseng butanol fraction markedly decreased the xanthine oxidase activity in the ethanol-treated rat liver. It was also observed that ginseng reduced the blood concentration of uric acid on experimentally reduced hyperuricemia by alcohol treatment. Uricase activity was not affected by either treatment. Ginseng butanol fraction decreased the hepatic aniline hydroxylase activity which was induced by alcohol-treated rat. These results suggest that the treatment with ginseng can be promoted the recovery from alcohol intoxication and some therapeutic effect on alcoholinduced metabolic disease.

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