Artemisia annua (AA) is a well-known as a source of antimalarial drug (artemisinin), which also has been traditionally used as an antipyretic and hemostatic agent in Korea and China. In preclinical effective study, a water extract of Artemisia annua (WEAA) ameliorated weight gain and hepatic lipid accumulation in high-fat diet-fed mice. The plasma levels of triglyceride, AST, and ALT were reduced in the WEAA-treated group. Based on these results, the safety of WEAA as a functional ingredient for liver health was evaluated in this repeated dose oral toxicity study before the clinical trial. Sprague- Dawley (SD) rats were treated by gavage with 20 times (1,000 mg/kg) more than the effective dose for 13 weeks. All rats had survived at the end of the study, and there were no changes indicating obviously abnormal clinical sign and behavior. The treatment of WEAA were also observed no obvious toxicities in the body weights, urine, hematological, serum biochemical, ophthalmic and histopathological examinations. Based on the results of this study, the NOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect level) of WEAA in SD rats was estimated to be 1,000 mg/kg. In conclusion, WEAA could be used as a safe functional ingredient for the improvement of liver health in individuals with hepatic diseases including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

PPD ginsenosides in ginseng leaf were analyzed to determine effects of either FIR heat or steaming heat treatment. Among the PPD ginsenosides, Rb1, Rc and Rb3 forming four glycoside-attached aglycons were increased as FIR heat temperatures were increased from 60 to 120℃, while Rb3 was decreased. In addition, FIR heat treatment was effective to increase Rd forming a three glycoside-attached aglycon. Rg3 and Rh2 were not increased by the FIR heat treatment. In steaming heat treatment, Rb1 was significantly decreased, while Rb2 was increased. Rd was also increased by increased steaming temperature, yet its content was lower than in the FIR heat treatment. However, the steaming heat treatment increased yields of Rg3 and Rh2, which were not observed in the FIR heat treatment. Thus, FIR heat treatment was beneficial to efficient products of Rb1, Rc, Rb3 and Rd. Steaming heat treatment was effective to higher collection of Rb2, Rg3 and Rh2.