Effects of ginsenosides from stems and leaves on activities of Na+, K+-ATPase Ca2+ -ATPase and Mg2+ -ATPase in rabbit cerebrum in vitro

The effects of saponins extracted from stems and leaves of Panax ginseng CA Meyer (including the total ginsenoside-GNS, panaxadiol-PAD and panaxatriol-PAT) on the activities of ATPase in rabbit cerebral microsomes were studied in vitro. GNS produced dramatic inhibition of the activity of Na+, K+-ATPase at concentrations of 0. 10 and l.00 mg/ml, and it significantly inhibited the activity of Ca2+-ATPase at the same concentrations. An inhibitory effect on the activity of Mg2+-ATPase was also found at concentration of l.00 mg/ml. PAD and PAT, at concentrations of 0.05 and 0.50 mg/ml, exhibited inhibitory effects on the activities of Na+, K+-ATPase. The activities of Na+, K+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase were inhibited significantly by chlorpromazine at 0.35 and 0.70 mmol/L. GABA, however, did not significantly alter the activity of Na+, K+-ATPase at 0.10 or 1.00 mmol/L. These results indicate that the inhibitory effect of ginsenoside on the central nervous system is associated with its effect on brain ATPase activity.