Modification of radiation response in mice by fractionated extracts of Panax ginseng

A water-soluble extract of the root of Panax ginseng, a plant native to northeastern China, was fractionated into three components: carbohydrate, protein, and saponin fractions. The fractions obtained were tested for their ability to protect against the lethal effects of 60Co gamma irradiation in C3H mice. The results were compared to the protective ability of the water-soluble fraction of whole ginseng. An experiment designed to test the optimum time of injection of whole ginseng showed that administration 24 h prior to irradiation was optimal. Ginseng extract or one of its three fractions was dose adjusted and injected intraperitoneally into mice that 24 h later were irradiated, whole body, with doses ranging from 7 to 11 Gy. The LD50 in 30 days was calculated using Probit analysis. The results indicated that the water soluble extract of whole ginseng gave the best protection against gamma radiation. The isolated protein and carbohydrate fractions gave less protection, while the saponin fraction did not protect.