Abstract:  Objective To explore effects of ginsenosides Rg1 on the expression of poly(ADP- ribose) polymerase1 (PARP- 1) and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) 1 in cortex cells after focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Methods Ninety healthy rats were randomly divided into sham-operative group, focal cerebral ischemia group, ginsenoside Rg1groups (low, medium and high concentrations) and drug control group. Rats were intraperitoneally injected saline 45 mg/kg, saline 45 mg/kg+ginsenosides Rg1 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, nimodipine 1 mg/kg 5 d before surgery, respectively. Focal cerebral ischemia model was made by middle cerebral artery occluding in rats. The neurological deficit score and TTC staining were used to verify the success of the rat model. The expressions of PARP-1 and TNFR1 were evaluated by immunohistochemical method and Western blot technique. Results There were obvious symptoms of neurological deficit and large pale infarct area in focal cerebral ischemia group compared with those of sham-operative group. There were higher percentages of neurological deficit score and infarct area in ginsenosides Rg1 groups and positive control group than those of sham-operative group, but which were lower than those of ischemia group (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences between ginsenosides Rg1 groups and positive control group. The positive cells of PARP- 1 and TNFR1 were higher in ginsenosides Rg1 low- dose group than those of sham-operative group and positive control group, while ones of medium and high-dose Rg1 group were higher than those of sham-operative group, and were lower than those of ischemia group (P＜0.05). Compared with sham-operative group, PARP-1 and TNFR1 expression strips were significantly enhanced in ischemia group. Expression strips were higher in ginsenosides Rg1 low-dose group than those of shamoperative group. Expression strips were higher in ginsenosides Rg1 medium-dose group than those of sham-operative group, but which were lower than those of ischemia group, and ones of high-dose group were lower than ischemia group (P＜0.05). Conclusion Ginsenoside Rg1 shows protective effects on focal ischemia injury, which may be related with down-regulation of the expression of PARP-1 and TNFR1.

Key words: GINSENOSIDE, brain ischemia, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases, receptors, tumor necrosis factor, type I;ginsenoside Rg1, focal cerebral ischemia, PARP-1, TNFR1