• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.105-118
• /
• 2001

Objectives : The prescription of Semyung-Gangji-tang, designed for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, consists of herbs good for treating blood stasis and phlegm stagnancy. It invigorates the liver, kidneys and spleen. Its medical nature is not too cold or too hot and increases human vital energy. The purpose of this study is to examine the curative effects of Semyung-Gangji-tang on atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic rabbits. Methods : Twenty-four male NZW rabbits, around 2kg of body weight, were divided into 4 groups. Group I served as the normal group. Group II served as the atherogenic model group, fed a 1 % cholesterol diet for 8 weeks and sacrificed. Group III served as the atherogenic control group, fed with a 1 % cholesterol diet for 8 weeks and with a normal diet for the next 4 weeks. Group IV served as the treatment group treated the same as the control group and medicated with Semyung-Gangji-tang for the last 4 weeks. Three animals of group I and six animals of group n were sacrificed at 8 weeks. Five animals of group I , five animals of group III and IV were sacrificed at 12 weeks. Pathological examinations and image analysis were performed on the collected tissue samples. Results : The percentage of lipid deposition area of thoracic aortas of group IV($41.74{\pm}8.93%$) at 12 weeks was decreased compared with the group III ($71.30{\pm}12.74%$) at 12 weeks, but a statistical difference was not observed. The percentage of group IV at 12 weeks was significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared with the group n ($76.41{\pm}7.43%$) at 8 weeks. Histopathologically, advanced atheromas with calcification of aortic arches were observed in all animals of the control group at 12 weeks, but were observed in 2 animals of the treatment group at 12 weeks. Histopathologically, atheromas with calcification of thoracic aortas were observed with major atherogenic lesions in control group at 12 weeks, but simple fibro-fatty streaks were observed major atherogenic lesions in treatment group at 12 weeks. Conclusions : These results indicate that Semyung-Gangji-tang has antiatherogenic effects on experimentally induced atherosclerosis in rabbits.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.69-81
• /
• 2000

Etiology and pathogenesis of hyperlipidemia are considered as 'difficiency in origin' of liver, spleen and kidney combined with 'excess in superficiality' of phlegm stagnancy and blood stasis. The prescription of Semyung-Gangji-tang, designed for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, consists of herbs effective at treating blood stasis and phlegm stagnancy. It invigorates the liver, kidney and spleen. Its medical nature is not too cold or too hot and it increases human vital energy. The purpose of this study is to examine the currative effects of Semyung-Gangji-tang on hyperlipidemia in rabbits. Twenty-four male NZW rabbits, around 2kg of B.W., were divided into 3 groups. Group I was served as the normal group. Group II was served as the hyperlipidemic control group fed with 1 % cholesterol diet for 8weeks and with normal diet for the next 4weeks. Group III was served as the treatment group, treated the same as the control group and medicated with Semyung-Gangji-tang for the last 4weeks. Blood samples were collected from each of the animals at a, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks and used for the blood chemical analysis. Animals were sacrificed at 8 and 12weeks and chemical analyses were performed on the collected liver samples. The serum total cholesterol value of treatment group ($938.60{\pm}95.07{\;}mg/dl$) at l2weeks was significantly decreased (P<0.00l) compared with the value of control group ($1375{\pm}37.82{\;}mg/dl$) at 12weeks. The serum LDL-cholesterol value of the treatment group ($838.00{\pm}89.52 mg/dl$) at l2weeks was significantly decreased(p<0.00l) compared with the value of the control group ($1249.60{\pm}37.63{\;}mg/dl$) at l2weeks. These results indicate that Semyung-Gangji-tang has the effects of lowering serum lipid in experimentally induced hyperlipidemic rabbits.