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KMID : 0378019610040100051
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New Medical Journal
1961 Volume.4 No. 10 p.51 ~ p.58
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Experimental studies of the influence of Ginseng on the absorption of cholesterol by the intestinal mucosa of rabbits.
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Abstract
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A previous investigation demonstrated the fact that Ginseng powder reduces hypercholesterolemia and aortic atheromatosis produced in rabbits by the adminisration of cholesterol powder. Although the mechanism by which cholesterol produces atherosclerosis has not yet been full explained, there seems to be a close relationship between atherosclerosis and diet and hypercholesterolemia.
Ginseng has been employed empirically in Asian countries, but no investigation has explained well the mechanism of the lowered hypercholesterolemia and the prevention of atherosclerotic change. This present investigation was undertaken to study the possibility that reduction of hypercholesterolemia by Ginseng powder may be due to the inhibition of cholesterol absorption by the intestinal mucosa of rabbits.
Thirty white albino male rabbits (1600-2150 Gm of body weight) fed a fomula diet for one week were emptied 24 hours before giving the test diet. These were divided into 3 groups as follows:
A control group of 10 rabbits fed a formula diet of bean cake(10 Gm per rabbit) by gastric tube, an atherogenic group of 10 rabbits fed a test diet of. bean cake (10 Gm) plus cholesterol powder (0.5 Gm per rabbit) and an experimental group of 10 rabbits fed a test diet of bean cake(10 Gm) plus cholesterol (0.5 Gm) plus Ginseng powder (0.5 Gm per rabbit). All contents of the gastrointestinal tract in each rabbit were removed for the determination of total cholesterol as soon as sacrificed 6 hours after the test diet had been given.
In the rabbits that did not receive cholesterol, the average concentration of total cholesterol in the contents of the gasterointestinal tract was 131.69.3 mg, the average serum total cholesterol level (46.5 1.3 mg%) was slightly increased over the previous serum total cholesterol level(43.21.6 mg%).
Most of the rabbits given cholesterol had an increased concentration of total cholesterol (393.019.5 mg in group 11, 511.43.4 mg in group 111.) in the contents of the gastrointestinal tract and a serum total cholesterol level (46.94:3.2 mg% in group 11, 4533.5 mg% in group 111) which was rapidly increased over the control group not fed cholesterol powder.
It is interesting that the average total cholesterol level (511.243.4 mg) of the gasterointestinal contents in group 111 was significantly higher satistically (P(0.04) than in group 11 (393.04-19.5 mg), but the serum total cholerterol level 6 hours after the test diet was lower in group 111 than in group 11.
These findings justify the conclusion that Ginseng powder inhibits the absorption of cholesterol by the intestinal mucosa. This may be due to the panox saponin substance in the Ginseng powder previously reported by pharmacologists, which saponin inhibits the esterification of free cholesterol by the pancreatic cholesterol esterase, as reported by Newman. Continued investigation of the biliary excretion of cholesterol and of the endogenous synthesis of cholesterol should be encouraged in order to exprain completely the mechanism by which Ginseng reduces hypercholesterolemia.
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