Ginsenoside Rh2 alleviates inflammatory response and enhances motor function recovery in spinal cord injury mice via the ROS/MAPK14 signaling pathway

Background: Inhibiting inflammation in nervous system is a vital part of treating for spinal cord injury (SCI). Compounds originating from plants can decrease the damage in the spinal cord for recovering the function of nerve and interrupting the inflammatory reaction. 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) from Panax ginseng is an anti-inflammatory property inhibiting the expression of MAPK14 protein by enabling the MAPK pathway. Therefore, this research explored the anti-inflammatory effects of G-Rh2 on SCI using cellular and animal models. Methods: To explore G-Rh2's anti-inflammatory potential in SCI, we employed bioinformatics analysis to anticipate target proteins and signaling pathways associated with G-Rh2 and SCI. We utilized BV2 microglia cells to model inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and a modified Allen's technique in a mouse SCI model. Our investigation utilized a range of methodologies including quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Immunofluorescence (IF) and Western Blot (WB). Results: Bioinformatics analysis and molecular docking identified MAPK14 as a key target of G-Rh2. In BV2 cells experiments, G-Rh2 reduced the expression and generation of inflammatory factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and transcription factors involved in the MAPK signaling pathway. G-Rh2 showed a decrease in inflammatory reaction and improvements in motor function in the mouse model using the modified Allen's approach for SCI. Conclusion: G-Rh2 mitigates inflammatory responses and enhances motor function recovery in mice with SCI via the ROS/MAPK14 signaling pathway.