Protective effects of Korean red ginseng on radiation-induced oral mucositis in a preclinical rat model.

Abstract

Numerous studies' attempts to improve radiation-induced oral mucositis have not

produced a qualified treatment yet. Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness

of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on radiation-induced damage in an in vivo rat model.

After 20 Gy of irradiation, rats were divided randomly into the following 4

groups: control, KRG only, radiotherapy (RT) only, and RT + KRG group. The rats

were monitored in terms of survival rate, activity, mucositis grade, oral intake,

and body weight. The tongue, buccal mucosa, and submandibular gland (SMG) were

harvested, and the weight of the SMG was analyzed. The samples then underwent

hematoxylin and eosin, TUNEL, and immunohistochemical staining. Radiation-induced

severe oral mucositis and SMG injury led to poor oral intake and delayed healing,

resulting in the death of some rats. We found that survival rate, oral intake,

and body weight increased. Moreover, rats treated with KRG showed less severe

mucositis and decreased histologic changes of the oral mucosa and SMG.

Furthermore, we showed that the protective effects of KRG were caused by

inhibition of the apoptotic signal transduction pathway linked to caspase-3. In

conclusion, KRG protects the oral mucosa and SMG from radiation-induced damage by

inhibiting caspase-mediated apoptosis in rats.