Prophylactic Efficacy of Panax ginseng against Cold Restraint Stress in Rats

The present study was conducted to assess the ameliorating potential of Panax ginseng against cold-restraint stress in rats. Cold-restraint stress was induced by keeping the rats at 4°C for 2 hours from 21^st day to 28^th day of study. Haemoglobin (14.50±0.27 g/dL), packed cell volume (55.50±1.16 %), total erythrocyte count (9.57±0.13×10⁶/µl) and total leukocyte count(9.41±0.09×10³/µl) increased significantly (p<0.05) in cold-restraint stressed rats as compared to control. Significant (p<0.05) difference of serum glucose (126.26±4.19 mg/dl), cholesterol (91.20±4.25mg/dl), triglycerides (88.29±7.56 mg/dl), total protein (5.94±0.08 g/dl), albumin (2.85±0.03g/dl), BUN (38.74±2.27mg/dl), creatinine (1.84±0.04 mg/dl), aspartate aminotransferase (79.31±3.34 U/L) and alanine aminotransferase (65.77±3.54 U/L) was evident in cold-restraint rats. Biochemical parameters in serum was restored back to near normal in Panax ginseng pretreated rats suggesting the protective role against cold-restraint stress in rats.