Effect of herbal acupuncture with Ginseng Radix Extract at ST36 and GB39 on the growth of mice

Objectives: To investigate the effect of Ginseng herbal acupuncture at GB39 and ST36 on growth in mice. Methods: Mice were divided into four groups (n=10); G-ST36 group treated with Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture at right ST36, G-GB39 group treated with the same at GB39, Control-ST36 group and Control-GB39 group injected with saline at right ST36 and GB39 respectively. The saline injection and herbal acupuncture were performed 3 times a week for 3 weeks. The length( total height, body length and tail length), weight and the protein efficiency ratio were measured as well as IGF-I level in serum Results: The weights of Ginseng herbal acupuncture groups were not significantly increased compared to the control groups but the protein efficiency ratios were significantly higher in Ginseng herbal acupuncture groups compared to the control groups. The increases of the total length, body length and tail length were significantly higher in Ginseng herbal acupuncture groups than the control groups. The serum IGF-I level of G-GB39 was significantly increased compared to control-GB39, not that of G-ST36 compared to control-ST36. Conclusions: Ginseng herbal acupuncture at GB39 and ST36 are both effective to promote growth in terms of height and weight. GB39 may be effective for growth by way of increasing IGF-I, and more closely related to growth in height than ST36.