ABSTRACT
[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the inhibitory effect of ginsenoside Re on intimal hyperplasia induced by bal-loon-injury and to explore the role of NF-κB p65 signaling pathway in the process.METHODS:SD rats (n=40) were di-vided into 5 groups randomly: sham operation group, model group, low-dose ginsenoside Re group, middle-dose ginsen-oside Re group and high-dose ginsenoside Re group.The carotid artery intima injury model was established by 2F balloon catheters in all groups except the sham operation group.The day after modeling, the animals in model group and sham op-eration group were administered intragastrically with distilled water, and the rats in low-dose, middle-dose and high-dose ginsenoside Re groups were given ginsenoside Re at doses of 12.5 mg/kg, 25mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, respectively.After 14 continuous days, the morphological changes of the injured arteries were observed by HE staining and the lumen area, intima area and media area as well as the ratio of intimal area/media area were determined.The expression of tumor necrosis fac-tor-α( TNF-α) and interleukin-1β( IL-1β) were detected by real-time PCR.The proliferating cell nuclear antigen ( PC-NA) and nuclear factor-kappa B ( NF-κB) p65 were examined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:Compared with sham operation group, the vessel cavity was narrowed (P sion of PCNA and NF-κB p65 were decreased in medium and high-dose ginsenoside Re groups (P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:Ginsenoside Re inhibits the vascular neointimal hyperplasia induced by balloon-injury in rats, and the molecular mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB p65 signaling pathway.