Role of ginsenoside-Rd in cisplatin-induced renal injury: special reference to DNA fragmentation

DNA of LLC-PK(1) cells cultured with cisplatin was fragmented to produce low-molecular-weight structures. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the DNA revealed a ladder pattern characteristic of apoptosis, indicating the induction of apoptosis by cisplatin. However, the degree of apoptosis was lower in cells cultured with cisplatin in the presence of ginsenoside-Rd, and this was accompanied by suppressed leakage of lactic dehydrogenase into the culture medium. The ladder pattern was detected on electrophoresis of DNA in renal tissue samples obtained from rats given an intravenous injection of cisplatin. Such DNA fragmentation was less conspicuous in rats given ginsenoside-Rd orally for 30 days prior to cisplatin administration. Significant suppression of the DNA fragmentation was also demonstrated by densitometry, and measurement of urea nitrogen and creatinine in blood also showed a marked decrease in their respective levels in rats administered ginsenoside-Rd. The present findings suggest that ginsenoside-Rd ameliorates cisplatin-induced renal injury, a process in which apoptosis plays a central role, and thereby causes restoration of the renal function.