Effects of the first (ether) extract of ginseng on the cardiovascular dynamics of dogs during halothane anesthesia

An electromagnetic flowmeter probe was chronically implanted around the ascending aorta in ten dogs. Subsequently, these animals were maintained under halothane (0.75%) anesthesia during the intravenous administration of an ether extract (40 mg/kg) of ginseng. Five other dogs were anesthetized without injecting ginseng. Eleven cardiovascular variables including cardiac output, stroke volume, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, central venous pressure, total peripheral resistance, pH, PaCO2, PaO2 and base deficit were compared during the ensuing 120 minutes. The heart rate was significantly decreased and central venous pressure increased significantly following ginseng. There were no other meaningful changes in either group.