Ginseng Is Useful to Enhance Cardiac Contractility in Animals

Ginseng has been shown to be effective on cardiac dysfunction. Recent evidence has highlighted the mediation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in cardiac function. Thus, we are interested to investigate the role of PPAR δ in ginseng-induced modification of cardiac contractility. The isolated hearts in Langendorff apparatus and hemodynamic analysis in catheterized rats were applied to measure the actions of ginseng ex vivo and in vivo . In normal rats, ginseng enhanced cardiac contractility and hemodynamic dP / dt max significantly. Both actions were diminished by GSK0660 at a dose enough to block PPAR δ . However, ginseng failed to modify heart rate at the same dose, although it did produce a mild increase in blood pressure. Data of intracellular calcium level and Western blotting analysis showed that both the PPAR δ expression and troponin I phosphorylation were raised by ginseng in neonatal rat cardiomyocyte. Thus, we suggest that ginseng could enhance cardiac contractility through increased PPAR δ expression in cardiac cells.