Abstract

Introduction

Materials & Methods

Results

Discussion & Conclusion

References

Discussion
Board

Animals and vascular preparations. The dog carotid artery (DCA) or rat aortic (RAO; obtained from SHR and WKY) ring segments were removed and placed in Kreb’s physiological saline solution containing (in mM): 115.5 NaCl; 4.6 KCl; 1.16 MgSO4; 1.1.2 NaH2PO4; 2.5 CaCl2; 21.9 NaHCO3; 11.1 D-glucose, prepared in double distilled water. The solution was continually aerated with a 95% O2/5% CO2 gas mixture to maintain a pH near 7.4 at room temperature. The trimmed arterial rings were then cut into ring segments 3-5 mm in width and were carefully suspended in the bath chamber containing 10 ml aerated Kreb’s solution at 37 0C between two stainless steel hooks with the upper hook connected to a force transducer coupled to the Beckman R-611 recording dynograph. The optimal active tension development in response to hyperosmotically added 100 mM KCl was observed at a resting tension of 10 g. for DAO and 1 g for RAO.

Measurement of isometric contraction. Following 90-120 min preincubation, isometric tension development was measured after 3-4 consecutive and consistent KCl (100 mM)-contractions. Removal of vascular endothelium was made by rubbing the inner surfaces against the teeth of the forceps confirmed as the lack of relaxation following the application of 3 uM carbachol or acetylcholine. A 30-min period between two consecutive applications of stimulant was allowed for thorough washout of the drugs. A contraction to 100 mM KCl was always obtained at the end of the experiment (usually 4-5 hrs after the initial control KCl-contraction). The magnitude of this KCl-contraction was usually better than 90% of the initial KCl-contraction.

Chemicals and sources of ginseng extracts. All organic compounds and inorganic salts were from the best commercial source available. Standardized Panax ginseng extract extract G-115 (Batch No: 1254/485) from the roots of Panax ginseng, was a generous gift from Pharmaton (Lugano, Switzerland) and saponin extract of the stems/leaves of Panax quinquefolius was a generous gift from San-Ca saponin manufacturing Co. of Heilongjiang province of China.

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