Effects of ginsenoside Rb1 at low doses on histamine, substance P, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in the burn wound areas during the process of acute burn wound repair

Aim of the study: We reported recently that the facilitating effects of ginsenosid Rb-1 on burn wound-healing might be due to the promotion of angiogenesis. Increased histamine, substance P (SP), and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 levels caused inflammation, and pain following severe burn wound injury. Materials and methods: We examined the effects of ginsenoside Rb-1 on the histamine, SP, and MCP-1 levels in burn wound tissue during burn wound repair. Results and Conclusions: Ginsenoside Rb-1 (1 ng/wound) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) (2.5 mu g/wound) significantly increased the levels of MCP-1 on day 1 compared to the MCP-1 level in vehicle-treated mice. Histamine production of the burn wound area on day 7 was increased by topical application of ginsenoside Rb-1 (100 fg-1 ng/wound) and bFGF. The number of mast cells migrating to the burn wound area was also increased by ginsenoside Rb-1. Conversely, the increased SP production was reduced by ginsenoside Rb-1. This finding suggests that the pain induction by burn injury may be reduced by ginsenoside Rb-1. The facilitating actions of ginsenoside Rb-1 on burn wound healing may be due to the increase in histamine production via the increase in mast cell migration to the burn wound area induced by the rapid elevation of MCP-1. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.