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Ginsenosides are major active constituent of Panax ginseng which is a popularly used functional food or drug in several Asian countries. The effects of ginsenosides on the renal dysfunction and injury caused by cantharidin were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Ginsenosides inhibited the cytotoxicity in rat normal kidney NRK cell induced by cantharidin. Cantharidin caused NRK cell apoptosis accompanied with decreasing bcl-2 expression. Pretreatment of ginsenosides reduced apoptosis rate and increased bcl-2 expression. In experimental rats, administration of cantharidin (0.14 mg/kg) for 15 days induced renal damage, which was evident from significantly increased levels of serum creatinine, urine protein and urea nitrogen. Pretreatment of ginsenosides reduced the increases of serum creatinine, urine protein, urea nitrogen and histological change in rats. These findings provide the evidence that ginsenosides might be useful in enhancing the tolerance of the kidney against renal injury associated with cantharidin.

The anticomplementary activities of 12 ginseng saponins obtained from Panax ginseng were investigated. The total saponin and its major components showed strong anticomplementary activities through classic pathway. The targets research indicated that 12 ginseng saponins imposed their effects on complements C1q, C2, C3, C4, and C5, however, maybe not C9.