쥐에서 Benzo(a)pyrene(BP)의 담즙 및 뇨배설에 미치는 인삼의 영향을 관찰하였다. 인삼의 물추출물(total water extract, TWE, 2550 mg/kg b.w.)을 3일간 경구투여 후 $[^3H]$BP(2mCi/ mmol)을 최종 투여한 다음날 꼬리정맥 주사하여 담즙으로 배설되는 방사능 표지 화합물을 조사한 결과 인삼 TWE 처리군에서는 담즙을 통해 배설되는 BP의 양이 대조군보다 29% 정도 담즙산 유출량의 변동없이 감소함을 확인하였다. 반면에 뇨로 배설되는 BP의 수용성 대사물질들의 양은 관찰기간내에 대조군보다 약 25% 증가하였다. 이와 같은 결과는 BP의 배설에 있어서 BP 대사의 율속단계인 산화단계가 인삼투여로 억제되어 장간순환(entero hepahatic circulation, EHC)되는 BP의 반응성 돌연변이 물질들을 궁극적으로 뇨를 통해 더 배설시킬 수 있다는 것을 시사한다.
The biliary and urinary excretion of benzo(a)pyrene(BP) were investigated in the rat with a view to determining the effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. After pretreatment of rats with crude total water extract (TWE) of ginseng (250 mg/kg b.w., p.o) for 3 consecutive days, $[^3H]$BP (2mci/mmol) was injected into i.v. at the 1st. day after the last treatment. The biliary excretion of BP in ginseng treated group was reduced to 71% of the values of the control without any specific change of bile flow, while the urinary excretion of BP was increased by about 25% than that of the control value within the period of observation. Hence, under the conditions of the present study, these results suggest that the oxidative metabolism which is rate limiting in the excretion of BP was depressed by ginseng treatment and the proximate mutagenic metabolites of BP which undergoes an entero hephatic circulation (EHC) might also be eventually cleared by the urinary excretion although the major route of excretion of BP and its metabolites via bile.
