Effect of ginsenosides in a mouse model of bone cancer pain

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ginsenosides have been used for a long time as an oriental folk medicine. Although ginsenosides modulate the nociceptive transmission, the effect of ginsenosides on a bone cancer pain has not been elucidated. The authors examined the effect of ginsenosides in a mouse model of bone cancer pain. METHODS: Bone cancer was induced by intramedullary injection of osteolytic sarcoma cells in to the femur in male C3H/HeJ mice. Mice showing mechanical allodynia after 14 days after cancer cells inoculation were included in this study. Mechanical allodynia was evaluated by measuring the withdrawal threshold to von Frey filament applying on the femoral cancer site. Effect of ginsenosides (30, 100, 300 mg/kg) was examined at 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 min after intraperitoneal administration of ginsenosides. RESULTS: After cancer cells injection into the femur, bone cancer was developed in simple X-ray. A paw withdrawal threshold in a cancer site was significantly decreased. Intraperitoneal ginsenosides did not effectively alter the withdrawal threshold in the cancer site. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, ginsenosides may not be effective to attenuate the bone cancer pain.