Water extract of ginseng alleviates parkinsonism in MPTP–induced Parkinson’s disease mice

In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of a water extract of ginseng (WEG) obtained via low-temperature extraction of the brain of mice with Parkinson's disease (PD) and the ameliorative effect on the damaged intestinal system for the treatment of dyskinesia in PD mice. MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) was injected intraperitoneally into male C57BL/6 mice to establish a PD model, and WEG was given via oral gavage. The results indicated that WEG could protect the damaged neuronal cells of the mice brain, inhibit the aggregation of α-synuclein (α-Syn) in the brain, and increase the positive expression rate of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). WEG significantly improved intestinal damage and regulated intestinal disorders (P<0.05). WEG intervention increased the levels of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, and normalized the abundance and diversity of colonies in the intestine of mice. Our results suggested that WEG protected neurons in the brain of PD mice via inhibiting the aggregation of α-Syn in the brain and increasing the positive expression level of TH in the brain. WEG regulated the gut microbiota of mice, improved the behavioral disorders of PD mice, and offered some therapeutic effects on PD mice.