Title : Effects of ginseng extracts on nicotine dependence
Abstract:
Ginseng has been used widely as an herbal medicine across the world. Many studies have reported its chemical and pharmacological properties and the ginsenoside, a class of natural product steroid glycosides, was thought to be responsible for most of the pharmacological effects of ginseng. Because of these beneficial and functional effects of ginseng, the functional ingredients of ginseng were processed into various health functional foods in South Korea. Recently, some studies demonstrated that treatment of ginsenoside such as Rg1, Rb1 significantly attenuates cocaine-, morphine- or methamphetamine-induced increases in behavioral changes induced by dopaminergic neurotransmission in the brain reward system. However, its beneficial pharmacological effects on tobacco dependence have not been investigated. In this study, we will investigate neuropsychopharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of ginsenoside in various ginseng extracts on the nicotine dependence using in vitro and in vivo study. Firstly, we will analyze the contents of ginsenosides in extracts from ginseng like plants using UPLC-MS/MS. Secondly, to select candidates of the ginseng extracts for in vivo study, we will evaluate dose- or time- dependent pharmacological effects of the ginseng extracts on dopamine-related protein expression in PC 12 cells using western blotting and immunocytochemistry. Thirdly, we will evaluate functional effects of the ginseng extracts on attenuating nicotine-induced psychomotor behaviors using open-field behavioral assessment, conditioned place preference, and self-administration. Finally, based on scientific evidence, we will develop and manufacture a health functional food including the ingredients of ginseng like plants to help quitting tobacco smoking. We also expect that the discovery of new functional effects of ginseng contributes to the development of the herbal science and food processing industry
