Effect of Panax Ginseng Alcohol Extract on Cardiovascular System

ABSTRACT

The effects of the alcohol extract of Panax ginseng on the myocardial contractility particularly with respect to Bowditch and Woodworth phenomena and the norepinephrine induced contraction of the vascular smooth muscle were studied in vitro. 1) In the isolated muscle preparation of guinea pig left auricle, the administration of ginseng-alcohol extract at concentrations of 10~50mg% resulted in a significant reduction of both Bowditch and Woodworth effects. 2) In the isolated Ca++ depleted heart of rabbit ginseng-alcohol extract inhibited the Ca++ uptake and the restoration of contractile force during perfusion with a Ca++ containing solution. 3) In the isolated muscle strip of the rabbit aorta noradrenaline (5 X 10-8 g/ml) induced contraction was inhibited by the ginseng-alcohol extract at concentrations of 10~50mg%. From these results it is speculated that the hypotensive effect of ginseng is accounted for by 1) the direct inhibition of myocardial contractility which is resulted from the reduction of Ca++ influx into cardiac cell, and 2) the inhibition of the catecholamine induced contractility of vascular smooth muscles.