Alcoholic liver disease, the occurrence of which has been highly increased includes spectrum of cloudy swelling, steatosis, fibrosis and cirrhosis.
However it is indicated that relevent treatments on this disease .are still symtomatic and conservative.
This study was conducted anatopathologic ally and biochemically to evaluate the protective effect of ginseng saponin upon alcoholic liver damage.
240 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 200gm were used for this experiment and divided into the following 8 groups:
1. Control group fed basic diet.
2. Alcohol administered group.
1) low-concentrated alcohol administered group given 25% alcohol.
2) mid-concentrated alcohol administered group given 3 2.5%. alcohol.
3) high-concentrated alcohol administered group.´given 40% alcohol.
3. Alcohol and ginseng saponin administered groups.
1) low concentrated alcohol and saponin administered group given 25% alcohol and ginseng saponin
2) mid-concentrated alcohol and saponin administered, group given 32.5% alcohol, and, ginseng saponin
3) high-concentrated alcohol and saponin administered group given 40% alcohol and ginseng saponin
4. Ginseng saponin administered group.
The basic diet was nutritionally composed of adequate solid diet, and each rat was administered orally 20-25gm of basic diet per day.
Control group was administered basic diet with approximately 20ml of alcohol,. instead of water, in addition to basic diet.
Ginseng saponin was administered orally 5mg per rat per day with normal saline.
The results obtained from this study were as follows:
1. In alcohol administered group, serum enzyme (GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase) and bilirubin levels were elevated.
Various degrees of cellular swelling, congestion and bile pigmentation were observed. Fatty degeneration and thickening of venular wall were also noted in mid- and highconcentrated groups at 40 days.
2. In alcohol and ginseng saponin administered group, serum enzyme (GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase) and bilirubin levels were decreased than that of alcohol administered group. Various histologic changes such as cellular swelling, congestion, bile pigmentation, fatty degeneration, and thickening of venular wall were markedly subsided than that of alcohol administered group.
The data obtained from this experiment indicated that ginseng saponin reduced histopathologic changes caused by alcohol as well as lowered abnormally elevated blood enzyme (GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase) and direct bilirubin levels.
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