The involvement of ginseng berry extract in blood flow via regulation of blood coagulation in rats fed a high-fat diet

BACKGROUND The present study investigated the effect of ginseng berry hot water extract (GBx) on blood flow via the regulation of lipid metabolites and blood coagulation in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). METHODS Sixty rats were divided into five groups in descending order of body weight. Except for the control group, the other four groups were fed a HFD containing 45% kcal from fat for 11 wk without GBx. GBx groups were then additionally treated by gastric gavage with GBx dissolved in distilled water at 50 (GBx 50) mg/kg, 100 (GBx 100) mg/kg, or 150 (GBx 150) mg/kg body weight for 6 wk along with the HFD. To investigate the effects of GBx on rats fed a HFD, biochemical metabolite, blood coagulation assay, and histological analysis were performed. RESULTS In the experiments to measure the serum levels of leptin and apolipoprotein B/A, GBx treatment attenuated the HFD-induced increases in these metabolites (p < 0.05). Adiponectin and apolipoprotein E levels in GBx-treated groups were significantly higher than the HFD group. Prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were increased in all GBx-treated groups. In the GBx-treated groups, the serum levels of thromboxane A2 and serotonin were decreased and concentrations of serum fibrinogen degradation products were increased (p < 0.05). Moreover, histomorphometric dyslipidemia-related atherosclerotic changes were significantly improved by treatment with GBx. CONCLUSION These results suggest the possibility that GBx can ameliorate blood flow by decreasing intima-media thickness via the regulation of blood coagulation factors related to lipid metabolites in rats fed a HFD.