[Effect of Panax notoginseng on genes expression of CYP and GST in lung tissues of rats].

Objective: To examine the effects of Panax notoginseng on the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes and glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes in lung tissues of male SD rats.

Method: Rats were administered P. notoginseng 2 or 4 g X kg(-1) bw/d by gavage daily for 15 days. The levels of gene expression of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2B1, CYP2E1, CYP3A1, CYP4A1 and glutathione S-transferase ml (GST-ml) and glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-pi) were examined by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (quantitative real time-RT-PCR) assays.

Result: The expression of CYP2E1, CYP1A2 and GST-pi genes was not changed by P. notoginseng treatment, however, 2 g * kg-1 dose of P. notoginseng gave a 4.00-fold (P < 0.05) induction of CYP3A1 mRNA. P. notoginseng significantly increased mRNA expressions of GSTml (1.64-fold, P <0. 05 and 1.53-fold, P > 0.05) and CYP1A1 (3.44-fold, P > 0.05 and 6.05-fold, P < 0.05) in the 2 g x kg(-1) and 4 g x kg(-1) bw/d treatment groups, respectively, but P. notoginseng had a inhibitory tendency on mRNA expressions of CYP1B1 (0.81-fold, P > 0.05 and 0.38-fold, P > 0.05) and significantly inhibited the expressions of CYP2B1 (0.47-fold, P < 0.05 and 0.50-fold, P < 0.05) and CYP4A1 (0.54-fold, P < 0.05 and 0. 72-fold, P < 0.05) genes in the two groups.

Conclusion: A specific effect of P. notoginseng on the expression of different cytochrome P-450 genes or glutathione S-transferase genes in the lung tissues of rats was observed in this investigation. These findings would be very important and helpful for studying the mechanism of action of P. notoginseng and its reasonable use in clinic.