Recently, corresponding to the lengthening of our life span, the rate of diabetic birth and obesity which predisposes a person to diabetes mellitus have gradually been increased as well as the number of diabetics. Therefore, diabetes mellitus hasbecome one of the most important problems in modern medical science.
While ginseng has been traditionally used as a rejuvenation remedy and marvelouss tonic in Asia, its effects have not been scientifically studied but a few experimental. investigations dealing with the influence of ginseng upon hyperglycemia.
This study is conducted to evaluate the effect of ginseng saponin upon hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. 200 healthy rats weighing about 200 gm were used:. for this experiment and observed on the following 5 groups:
1. Control group fed basic diet.
2. Alloxan administered group given alloxan.
3. Alloxan and ginseng saponin administered group treated with ginseng saponin_ 30 minutes after alloxan. injection.
4. Ginseng saponin and alloxan administered group. treated with ginseng saponin_ for 7. days before alloxan injection.
5. Ginseng saponin administered group treated with ginseng saponin.
Alloxan was injected intraperitonially with normal saline added 200 mg per kg alloxan to each rat, and ginseng saponin was injected intraperitonially with normal saline added 15mg saponin to each rat. The pancreas, liver and kidneys were examined microscopically, and the blood glucose level in each rat was measu ed.
The results obtained from this study were as follows.
1. Blood glucose levels were markedly elevated, and the morphologic changes usually seen in diabetes were noted in the rats treated with alloxan.
2. The elevation of blood glucose levels in rats treated with both alloxan and ginseng saponin was statistically lower than that of the alloxan administered group and pathological changes in the former were also milder than those the latter.
3. Blood glucose levels and pathological findings in alloxan administered group with ginseng saponin pretreatment were relatively less changed than those in alloxan administered group.
4. No significant changes were noted in both control and ginseng saponin administered group.
The data obtained from this experiment indicates that ginseng saponin reduce diabetic changes as well as lowers abnormally elevated blood glucose levels.
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