This study evaluated the sub-chronic oral toxicity of freeze-dried deer velvet antler (DVA) extract in ICR mice over a 90-day period. The extract was administered orally to male and female mice at doses of 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000 mg/kg body weight daily; the control group (0 mg/kg body weight) received vehicle only. No clinical signs of toxicity or mortality were observed. Body weight gain, food consumption, and general behavior remained normal across all groups. Hematological analysis revealed no dose-dependent alterations in hemoglobin levels, platelet characteristics, or red or white blood cell counts. Males administered 2,000 mg/kg DVA exhibited a slight increase in reticulocyte count, whereas females exhibited reduced count at 5,000 mg/kg; however, neither finding was doseresponsive or toxicologically significant. Serum biochemistry including liver and kidney function markers (ALT, AST, -GT, BUN, and creatinine) remained within normal range, and no evidence of organ damage was observed. Notably, male mice exhibited a significant reduction in serum triglycerides compared with those in the control group, suggesting potential lipid-modulating effects of DVA; however, this finding requires further investigation. Based on these findings, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of DVA extract was determined to be greater than 5,000 mg/kg/day in both sexes. These results support the safety profile of DVA extract at the tested doses, and its potential metabolic benefits.

미국 메트로폴리탄 미술관에는 청 황제 건륭제(乾隆帝, 재위 1735~1796)가 발문한 사 슴뿔 그림인 <녹각도(鹿角圖)>가 소장되어 있다. 기존 연구에서 이 그림은 건륭제가 서양의 회화 주제인 사슴뿔을 서양 화법을 적용하여 그림으로써 서양풍을 모방하고 자신의 목적에 맞게 전용하고자 한 시도로 이해되었다. 본고는 관점을 달리하여 <녹각도>의 상서적(祥瑞 的) 요소를 발견하고 청 황제들의 대표적인 사냥감이었던 사슴의 뿔이 사냥 전리품에서 산령 (山靈)이 보낸 상서로운 징표, 즉 부서(符瑞)로 변모한 과정을 고찰한다. 이를 위해 우선 북 경ㆍ심양고궁박물원에 소장된 홍타이지, 강희제, 건륭제가 제작한 녹각의(鹿角椅)를 통해 청 황제들에게 있어 사슴뿔이 만주족의 전통과 용맹함을 보여주는 사냥 전리품이었음을 확인 한다. 또한 <녹각도>에 실린 건륭제의 발문인 ‘녹각기(鹿角記)’를 분석하여 이 사슴뿔이 어떻게 부서가 되었는지 밝힌다. <녹각도>에서 건륭제는 사냥감보다 서수(瑞獸)로서의 사슴 을 강조함으로써 청 황실의 사냥 의식이 중시한 만주적 무용(武勇) 위에 한족의 전통 사상인 천인감응설(天人感應設)에 의거한 부명(符命)의 가치를 덧입혔다. 이처럼 <녹각도>에서는 사냥을 자연의 정복이 아닌 자연과의 교감으로 해석하여 만주 황권을 성군의 경지로 끌어올 리고자 한 건륭제의 의도가 읽힌다.

Velvet antler is widely used as a traditional medicine, and numerous studies have demonstrated its tremendous nutritional and medicinal values including immunity-enhancing effects. This study aimed to investigate different deer velvet extracts (Sample 1: raw extract, Sample 2: dried extract, and Sample 3: freeze-dried extract) for proximate composition, uronic acid, sulfated glycosaminoglycan, sialic acid, collagen levels, and chemical components using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-light mass spectrometry. In addition, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of the deer velvet extracts on BV2 microglia, HT22 hippocampal cells, HaCaT keratinocytes, and RAW264.7 macrophages using the cell viability MTT assay. Furthermore, we evaluated acute toxicity of the deer velvet extracts at different doses (0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg) administered orally to both male and female ICR mice for 14 d (five mice per group). After treatment, we evaluated general toxicity, survival rate, body weight changes, mortality, clinical signs, and necropsy findings in the experimental mice based on OECD guidelines. The results suggested that in vitro treatment with the evaluated extracts had no cytotoxic effect in HaCaT keratinocytes cells, whereas Sample-2 had a cytotoxic effect at 500 and 1000 μg/mL on HT22 hippocampal cells and RAW264.7 macrophages. Sample 3 was also cytotoxic at concentrations of 500 and 1000 μg/mL to RAW264.7 and BV2 microglial cells. However, the mice treated in vivo with the velvet extracts at doses of 500–2000 mg/kg BW showed no clinical signs, mortality, or necropsy findings, indicating that the LD50 is higher than this dosage. These findings indicate that there were no toxicological abnormalities connected with the deer velvet extract treatment in mice. However, further human and animal studies are needed before sufficient safety information is available to justify its use in humans.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary whole-crop barley silage on average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain, velvet antler yield and economic efficacy in sika deer during growth. A total of 24 sika deer (initially 56.3 kg BW) of 24 months age were allotted in arrangement in a completely randomized design. The three treatments were: T1(hay diet), T2(whole-crop barley silage), and T3(50% hay+50% whole-crop barley silage). Concentrate feed were 1.5% feeding of body weight with all groups. Average daily weight gain of T3 was higher than those of others for the entire experimental period. Average daily feed intake of sika deer in decreasing order was as follows; T1>T3>T2. The velvet antler yield was highest in T3 group (315±112 g) compared with T1 (276±59 g) and T2 (283±108 g). However, there was no significant difference in average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain, velvet antler yield(p>0.05). In economic efficacy, T3 was about 15-29% higher than that of T1 and T2. In conclusion, the mixed feeding of 50% hay and 50% whole-crop barley silage was more effective in average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain, velvet antler yield and economic efficacy in sika deer