Ginseng is a popular traditional herbal medicine and has been used since ancient times. However, the study associated with ginseng effect on cyclosporine (CsA) treatment has not yet been performed. Therefore, we investigated the followings; First, whether ginseng treatment influence immune response. Second, whether addition of ginseng protect against CsA-induced autophagic cell death. To define the influence of ginseng on allogenic T cell proliferation, we performed the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Memory T cells isolated from the spleen of the recipient mice using nylon wool columns were used as responder cells. Spleen cells obtained from the BALB/C mice were used as stimulator cells. Responder and stimulator cells were mixed with ginseng (200 or 400 Μg/mL) for 96 hr. Cell proliferation was measured using a radioisotope cell proliferation assay kit. Next, to define protective effect of ginseng on CsA-induced autophagic cell death, mice were treated with CsA (30 mg/kg/day, s.c.) and Korean red ginseng extract (0.2, 0.4 g/kg/day, P.O.) for 4 weeks. Then, we measured renal function, histopathology, oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]) and expression of autophagy marker, LC3-II/I in kidney tissue. MLR results show that allogenic response was significantly increased [³H]-thymidine incorporation. Addition of ginseng did not changes of radioactivity compared with allogenic response only. Four weeks of CsA treatment to mice induced renal dysfunction, typical pathologic lesions, and 8-OHdG level. However, Ginseng co-treatment recovered above parameters. Expression of LC3 II/I was significantly increased in the CsA group compared with the VH group (122 ± 2 vs. 100 ± 3, P < 0.05 vs. VH group). However co-treatment with 0.2 or 0.4 g/kg of ginseng was reduced expression of LC3-I/II compared with the CsA group (CsA+ginseng0.2, 112 ± 4; CsA+ginseng0.4, 108 ± 2 vs. 122 ± 2, P < 0.05 vs. CsA group). From our study, ginseng itself does not affect allogeneic immune response. Chronically, ginseng has renal protective effect against chronic CsA nephropathy. Our findings provide a potential rationale for the use of ginseng as supplement in renal transplanted patient receiving CsA.

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