EFFECT OF GINSENG EXTRACT ON ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM AND RIBOSOME

Abstract

Ribosomes in rat liver cells are present either free or attached to endoplasmic reticulum and in both states exist largely as polysomal aggregates. Fraction 3 obtained by partial purification of extract from roots of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer was administered to rats every day for 4 weeks orally. A spectacular increase in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes was found by electron microscopy. The polysome content, as well as the rate of RNA synthesis, in postmitochondrial supernatant from liver treated with fraction 3 showed a 40–60 % increase over the control animals at 2, 3 and 4 weeks after oral administration. A quantitative experimental result on the distribution of free and membrane-bound ribosomes indicates that the newly produced ribosomes are mainly membrane-bound ribosomes.