The present study is designed to investigate the hypolipidemic effect of the hot-water extract from the leaves of Dendropanax morbifera L. (DMWE) in hyperlipidemic rats. Thirty male 5-week-old rats were grouped as follows: Normal control (NC) given distilled water; hyperlipidemic control (HC) administered with distilled water; drug treatment (DT) orally administered with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg body weight (BW)); DMWE-treated groups (DM-50, DM-100 and DM-200) treated with DMWE 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg BW, respectively. All groups (except for NC) were fed a high-fat diet during the experiment. After 4 weeks of administration, the BW of all groups treated with DMWEs significantly increased compared to that of HC (p<0.05) and showed no significant difference compared to that of NC. In addition, serum total cholesterol levels in all groups treated with DMWEs were meaningfully decreased, compared to that in HC (p<0.05). In serum triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, both DM-100 and DM-200 considerably decreased compared to HC (p<0.05), and no significant differences in TG levels were between DM-100 and DM-200. In high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, DM-200 was statistically different compared to HC, and there were no significant differences between DM-100, DM-200 and DT. Furthermore, aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase concentrations of DM-100 and DM-200 were significantly decreased compared to those of HC (p<0.05). From results portrayed above, DMWE at the concentration of 100 mg/kg BW has been identified to be effective in the treatment of hyperlipidemic rats.

Muscle strength and endurance activities of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer; KG) were compared with those of wild simulated cultivation ginseng (WCG) in mice. Fifty male ICR mice were divided into five groups: A (vehicle); B (WCG 100 mg/kg); C (WCG 500 mg/kg); D (KG 100 mg/kg); E (KG 500 mg/kg). Subsequently, the mice were subjected to the forced swimming test (FST) and treadmill test at the 4th and 7th weeks. The glycogen content in the muscle and blood analysis (levels of glucose, triglyceride (TG), IGF-1) were also performed immediately after the last FST and treadmill test at the 7th week. Immobility times in FST were shorter in WCG- than KG-treated groups, and the results of the treadmill tests were also significant except for KG-treated at 100 mg/kg. The glycogen content was increased in both groups with a peak at 500 mg/kg of WCG groups. Serum concentrations of TG and glucose were decreased by administration of KG and WCG and all treated groups showed increase in the level of IGF-1 in serum. These results suggest that KG and WCG supplementations are effective in escalating the muscle strength and endurance.