$5{sim}10;kGy$ 범위의 감마선 조사는 한방약재에 오염된 유기체를 완전사멸 시켜 저장중 미생물학적 품질 안전성을 가져왔으며, 한방약재의 유효성분 추출율을 약 $5{sim}25%$ 증대시킬 뿐만 아니라 추출시간의 단축효과도 나타냈다. 또한 살균 및 유효성분의 추출율이 증대된 조사선량에서 한방약재의 몇 가지 생리적 활성(항산화력, 항보체능력, 아질산염 소거능, 전자공여능)은 비조사군과 차이를 보이지 않았다.
Effects of gamma irradiation on hygienic quality, extraction yields and physiological effectiveness in twenty-one kinds of Korean medicinal plants were investigated. Gamma irradiation at $5{sim}10;kGy$ eliminated the microorganisms contaminated in Korean medicinal plants. The total extraction yield in fifteen kinds of Korean medicinal plants increased by $5{sim}25%$ at 10 kGy gamma irradiation. The physiological effectiveness such as antioxidation, anticomplement functions, nitrite scavenging and electron donating abilities of medicinal plants exposed to 10 kGy gamma irradiation were not different from that of the nonirradiated control.
