Ginsenoside Rg5, a rare ginseng saponin, may be able to relieve the kidney injury caused by cisplatin, a commonly used chemotherapy drug, a study in mice suggests.
Ginsenoside Rg5 was given to the mice injected with cisplatin and it significantly relieves the kidney damage caused by cisplatin, researchers found.
Kidney injury caused by cisplatin
Cisplatin is a chemotherapy medication for treating various types of malignant solid tumors like ovarian cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer etc. Despite brilliant inhibitory effects against cancer cells, it causes many side effects, and the serious one includes kidney injury ( also called nephrotoxicity).
The side effects limit the clinical use of cisplatin, and for this reason, scientists are on the lookout for new drugs, and they see the hope on natural herbs which are credited with strong toxicity against cancer cells with hurting normal cells.
Ginsenoside Rg5 could relieve cisplatin-induced kidney injury
Researchers from Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China in collaboration with researchers from other institutions looked at the underlying mechanism of ginsenoside Rg5 in attenuating cisplatin-induced the kidney injury.
The results suggested that the attenuating effects of ginsenoside Rg5 on kidney injury may be related to its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Besides, researchers also discovered that ginsenoside Rg5 inhibited activation of apoptotic pathways, thus protecting kidney cells from damages.
Ginsenoside Rg5 could also reverse chemotherapeutic multidrug resistance
In addition to the attenuating effects of ginsenoside Rg5 on kidney injury, a recent study led by the researcher from Macau University of Science and Technology in Macau, China found that ginsenoside Rg5 could reverse the multidrug resistance to chemotherapy drugs in vitro and in vivo experiments.
The researcher tested the effects of ginsenoside Rg5 in multidrug-resistant human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780/T and A549/T, and four chemotherapy agents were used, including doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel and daunorubicin. They found that ginsenoside Rg5 enhanced the anti-tumor effects of these chemotherapy drugs with affecting the normal cells.
Ginsenoside Rg5 used in cancer treatment
Ginsenosides, including ginsenoside Rg5, have been found to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs by both reducing the side effects and reversing multidrug resistance. People in some countries have widely used ginsenoside products as adjuvant therapy.
Facing thousands of ginsenoside products, consumers are confused with what they should choose. In fact, products contained a high concentration of high-quality ginsenosides are best options for users.
The products with multiple highly active ginsenosides including Rh2, Rh3, Rk2 and aPPD are currently available on the Amazon. Always remember to consult with your healthcare professional before taking any supplements.