EFFECT OF TOTAL SAPONIN OF PANAX GINSENG ON ALLOXAN DIABETES IN MICE

A series of four experiments was carried out in mice. In the first and second experiments, total saponin was injected to two groups of mice at dosages of 30 or 100mg/kg/day respectively for 7 days before an iv injection of alloxan (100mg/kg), and continued for 4～28 days thereafter. Blood sugar was determined 2～3 times during these periods and 7～14 days after withdrawal of the saponin. The result showed that the blood sugar levels (BSL) of saponin (100mg/kg) treated group were significantly lower than those of the corresponding controls. The third experiment showed that the BSL was lower in the treated than in the control group when treament was started 4 hr after the injection of alloxan, and no effect was observed when the treatment was started 24 hr later. Diabetic mice which have been given a dose of alloxan (100mg/kg) 7 days previously were used in the last experiment. The result was that the BSL was lowered markedly by a dose of insulin or phenformin but not by ginseng saponin (100mg/kg, 2～4 hour).From these results, it appears that neither the enhancement of insulin secretion nor the antagonism of the action of alloxan were considered to be the mechanism of blood sugar lowering activity of ginseng saponin. It is specculated that probably a much more complicated mechanism is involved.