Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 12, 2025
Author Spotlight: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking to Decipher the Action of Jiawei Shengjiang San Against Diabetic Kidney Disease
Published on: May 10, 2024
Panax ginseng modulates oxidative stress, DNA damage, apoptosis, and inflammations induced by silicon dioxide
Fatma M El-Demerdash1, Mohammed A El-Magd2, Raghda A El-Sayed1
1Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Abstract:
Silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are extensively used in cosmetics, food, and drug delivery. The main mechanism of SiO2 NPs toxicities depends on oxidative stress. Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is used in various medicinal applications because of its antioxidant efficiency. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the possible combated role of ginseng against SiO2 NPs toxicity in rat liver. Thirty-five male rats (160-180 g) were allocated into five groups of seven rats each, randomly. The first group was used as a control while groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 were treated orally with ginseng (Gin; 75 mg/kg, 1/10 LD50 ), SiO2 NPs, (200 mg/kg, 1/10 LD50 ), Gin + SiO2 NPs (protection group), and SiO2 NPs + Gin (therapeutic group) for 5 weeks, respectively. Treatment with SiO2 NPs increased lipid peroxidation, liver function enzymes, and decreased antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx, GST) activity and non-enzymatic antioxidant (GSH) level. SiO2 NPs administration motivated liver apoptosis as revealed by the upregulation of the apoptotic genes, Bcl2-associated x protein (Bax), and Beclin 1 and downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) as well as increase in DNA damage. Also, SiO2 NPs administration caused inflammation as indicated by upregulation of the inflammation-related genes (interleukin 1 beta [IL1β], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNFα], nuclear factor kappa B [NFκB], cyclooxygenase 2 [Cox2], transforming growth factor-beta 1 [TGFβ1]) as well as cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase of liver cells. Moreover, histopathological examination proved the biochemical and molecular perturbations occurred due to SiO2 NPs toxicity. On the other hand, ginseng caused a significant modulation on the deleterious effects induced by SiO2 NPs in rat liver. In conclusion, ginseng has a potent preventive effect than the therapeutic one and might be used in the treatment of SiO2 NPs hepatotoxicity.
