Korean red ginseng enhances hippocampal neurogenesis in mice

Neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus plays a major role in cognitive ability of animals including learning and memory. We evaluated that Korean red ginseng (KRG) can promote cognitive function and enhance neurogenesis in the hippocampus. C57BL/6 mice (male, 8 weeks) received 50 mg/kg of 5-bromo-2′- deoxyuridine (BrdU) intraperitoneally and 100 mg/kg of KRG or vehicle orally once a day for 14 days. Pole, Rotarod and Morris water maze tests were performed and the brains were collected after the last behavioural test. KRG-treated mice came down the pole significantly faster and stood on the rotarod longer than vehicle-treated mice. The Morris water maze test showed that KRG administration enhanced learning and memory abilities. KRG also significantly increased BrdU- and BrdU/doublecortin-positive cells in the dentate gyrus as well as the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor and ciliary neurotrophic factor mRNA expression levels in the hippocampus compared to vehicle. Therefore, KRG promotes learning and memory abilities, possibly by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis. Publication History Article published online: 16 November 2023 © 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany