Abstract
This study was designed to find out the effects on the lipid metabolism of two herbs used in folk treatment in Korea The two herbs were A: Equisetum arvense L. (Seddugi), B: Eunymus alatus Siebold (Hwasalnamoo). The experiment was performed with the male rats of Sprague-Dawley which fed on high calorie and animal fat supplemented diets from which 30% of the total calories can from lard. Experimental groups were divided into standard (ST) and two other(A, B) groups for the each herb. Each of the two experimental groups consisted of three subgroups (I, II, III) according to the three different doses of the folk remedy used, which were five times and ten times the dose commonly used in a folk remedy. During the experimental period, total food intake and body weight gains were measured, and FER, CER, PER were calculated at the same times. Serum levels of triglyceride, total lipid, ttal cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and total lipid as well as cholesterol contents of the liver were measured at the time of sacrifice. Epididymal fat pads were weighted and an indes was calculated. The results of the effects on the lipid metabolism were as follows : 1.Total food intake and body weight gains increased in group A & B. 2. The serum levels of the total lipid and triglyceride decreased in AIII, BI and BIII.3. The serum level of cholesterol decreased in group B, while level of HDL-Cholesterol were increased in all groups and most effectively in group B. 4. The contents of total liver lipid increased in groups A&B. cholesterol decreased in groups A&B. In conclusion, effects on the lipid metabolism associated with the kinds of herbs a diet were the increase of body weighta and the decrease of total lipid and cholesterol levels in serum and liver.