• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.358-363
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• 2014

Herbs have active components that promote the growth rate of both animals and human. The KI-180 and KI-188 calcium food formulae contain Acanthopanacis cortex, Bombysis corpus and hoelen, seaweed calcium, chlorella extract, spirulina, colostrum powder, and other natural and functional components. We evaluated the growth-promoting effects of these formulae by analyzing the weight, femur and backbone, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) of growing rats. Growing rats administered with KI-180 and KI-188 calcium showed the increase of body weight, body length, and femur weight and length of growing rats. In addition, administration of KI-180 and KI-188 calcium increased the alkaline phosphatase activity, the levels of osteocalcin and the growth hormones IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 of growing rats. The impact of KI-180 and KI-188 calcium on the physical development of growing rats suggests that the incorporation of these food formulae in the diets of growing children may promote the physical development.