Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced Mouse Liver Damage and Antioxidant Activities of Aqueous Extracts of White, Red, and Fermented Red Ginseng

Abstract

This study was designed to compare the hepatoprotective activities of aqueous extracts of white ginseng (WG), red ginseng (RG), and fermented red ginseng (FRG) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. Hence, the activities of antioxidative enzymes, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the amount of reduced glutathione (GSH) as well as the hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activities of the ginseng extracts were evaluated. The levels of ALT in the serum markedly increased after CCl4 injection, indicating hepatic damage induction. However, the increase in ALT was significantly suppressed when the mice were treated with WG, RG and FRG. The antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD, GSH and GST increased in WG, RG and FRG-treated groups compared to the CCl4-treated group. Strikingly, FRD exhibited more inhibition of oxidative stress compared to WG and RG-treated groups and resulted in a higher amount of metabolites, which were brought about by final hydrolyzed ginsenosides. FRG contains ginsenoside metabolites that are potentially hepatoprotective. These ginsenoside metabolites are produced by RG fermentation by Lactobacillus casei KCCM11114P and Lactobacillus paracasei KCCM11115P. These results confirmed that bacterial fermentation of red ginseng could be a more effective protector against hepatic oxidative damage besides improving bioavailability of absorption resulting from intestinal flora.