본 연구에서는 streptozotocin-유도 당뇨쥐를 이용하여 배양인삼의 첨가식이가 혈당강하 및 지질대사 등에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위해 대조군과 당뇨대조군, 5% 및 10% 배야인삼첨가군 등 모두 4군으로 나누어 해당식이로 2주간 사육하였다. 배양인삼은 당뇨쥐의 체중증가와 혈당저하에 효과를 나타냈으며, 수분 및 사료 섭취량도 줄여 당뇨병 증세의 개선효과를 보였다. 또한 당뇨쥐의 지질대사를 개선하여 혈장중성지방, 총 콜레스테롤 및 동맥경화지수를 저하시키고 총 콜레스테롤에 대한 HDL-콜레스테롤의 비율을 증가시켰다. AST 및 ALT의 활성은 5% 첨가군에서만 당뇨대조군에 비해 낮은 값을 보였으며, 10% 첨가군에서는 오히려 높은 값을 보였다. Creatinine의 함량은 모든 첨가군에서 당뇨대조군에 비해 현저히 낮은 값을 보였다.
Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic efficacies of cultured ginseng (CG) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normal and three diabetic groups. The diabetic groups were fed CG-free control diets supplemented with 5 and 10% of CG for 2 weeks. CG-supplemented groups showed significantly lower blood glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol content compared to the diabetic control group. CG supplementation at 5% significantly increased plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol content compared to the diabetic control group. CG significantly increased plasma HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio and reduced atherogenic index, whereas, it did not affect plasma total lipid content in diabetic rats. The 5% CG reduced plasma AST and ALT activities in diabetic rats and inhibited the reduction of plasma creatinine level caused by STZ-treatment in rats. These data suggest that tissue-cultured ginseng has hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and anti-atherogenic effects on STZ-diabetic rats and can be useful as a dietary supplement for the treatment of diabetes.
