본 연구는 천마분획물이 본태성고혈압쥐(SHR/NCrj)의 혈압과 혈청지질 농도에 미치는 영향을 평가하기 위하여 수행하였다. 실험은 1기와 2기로 나누어 수행하였는데, 실험1기는 3주 동안 흰쥐사료에 유지(lard : corn oil : cholesterol=10 : 2 : 1%, w/w)를 첨가한 고지방식이를 급여하였고, 실험 2기는 5주 동안 천마분획물로서 저분자분획(GR-1), 다당체분획(GR-2), 단백질분획(GR-3)을 경구투여하였다. 시험종료 체중은 고지방대조군(D)이 천마분획물군(A, B, C)보다 통계적으로 높았고, 식이섭취량은 D군이 천마분획물군보다 많았으며(p<0.05), 식이효율은 차이가 없었다. 혈청지질 중 총콜레스테롤(TC) 농도는 천마분획물군에서는 비슷하였고, D군이 유의하게 높았다(p<0.05). 중성지방(TG) 농도는 천마분획물중 A군과 B군이 D군에 비해 각각 16, 19% 낮았다. 고밀도지단백-콜레스테롤(HDL) 농도는 다당체분획(B)이 D군에 비해서 각각 21% 높았으며(p<0.05), 저밀도 지단백-콜레스테롤(LDL) 농도는 약 25% 정도 낮았다. 동맥경화위험지수(AI)는 천마분획물이 유의하게 낮았고, 특히 다당체분획은 고지방대조군에 비해 42%정도 낮았다(p<0.05). 시험개시후 측정한 기준혈압(RBP)은 180.0~190.0 mmHg로 나타났고, RBP 대비 5주후 혈압은 천마분획물에서 각각 1.7, 5.5, 3.6% 감소한 반면, 고지방대조군(D)은 2.6% 증가하였다. 시험 5주의 고지방대조군 대비 천마분획물의 최종혈압을 비교했을 때 다당체분획(B)이 22 mmHg 낮았다. 이상의 결과에서 천마성분중 특히 다당체분획은 TG를 감소시키는 반면, HDL과 LDL은 각각 증가, 감소시키므로 인해 혈압감소에 유의한 영향을 미친 것으로 사료되었다.
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Gastrodiae elata Blume fractions on systolic blood pressure and serum lipid profiles in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR/NCrj) fed high fat diet. Twenty-four males SHR weighing approximately 160 g were randomly divided into four groups; A (low molecule, GR-1), B (polysaccharide, GR-2), C (protein, GR-3) fractions of G. elata Blume, respectively, and D (high fat diet as control). After orally tube feeding the fractions of G. elata Blume, there were no differences in final body weights among the treatment groups. Diet intake was somewhat high in the control group (D), but there were no significant differences in feed efficiency ratios. In terms of serum lipid profiles, total-cholesterol level was statistically higher in the control group (D) than in G. elata Blume fraction groups (p<0.05). Triglyceride levels of low molecule (A) and polysaccharide (B) groups were lower by 16% and 11%, respectively than that of the control group (D). HDL-cholesterol level was remarkably higher (p<0.05), whereas LDL-cholesterol level was significantly lower (by 25%) in the group B as compared to the control group (D). Atherogenic index (AI) of G. elata Blume fraction groups were significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.05). Reference blood pressure (RBP) showed an average of 180~190 mmHg at 8 weeks-old after 3 weeks on feeding high fat diet. Compared with RBP, final blood pressure of treatment groups (35 days after feeding the fractions of G. elata Blume gractions) were decreased by 1.7% (A), 5.5% (B) and 3.6% (C), respectively, but the control group (D) contrarily showed an increase of 2.6%. Especially, final systolic blood pressure of the polysaccharide group (B) was lower by 22 mmHg than that of the control group (D). From these findings, it can be suggested that polysaccharide fraction may improve blood serum lipids and should be considered as effective in lowering of blood pressure.