Abstract:Objective To investigate the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on vascular endothelial cells injured by doxorubicin and to explore its mechanism. Methods The study consists of normal group, doxorubicin group (0.5 μg/ml) and doxorubicin + Rg1 group (0.5 μg/ml doxorubicin + 200 μg/ml Rg1). The effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on proliferation, migration and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells after injury with doxorubicin were respectively detected by MTT, scratch assay and tubule formation assay. The apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells induced by doxorubicin was detected by Hochst33342 staining and flowcytometry. The effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on the expression of Bcl-2, p-Akt, p-ERK and p-eNOS in vascular endothelial cells injured by doxorubicin were determined by immunoblotting. Results After doxorubicin injury, ginsenoside Rg1 promoted proliferation, migration and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells (P < 0.05), and decreased apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells (P < 0.05). Besides, compared to those of the doxorubicin group, NO was increased while ROS was reduced in the injured vascular endothelial cells of doxorubicin+Rg1 group (P < 0.05). Western blot results showed that ginsenoside Rg1 increased the expression of Bcl-2, p-Akt, p-ERK and p-eNOS in vascular endothelial cells injured by doxorubicin (P < 0.05). Conclusions Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates vascular endothelial cell injury induced by doxorubicin, which provides a new target for the treatment of cardiac damage caused by doxorubicin.