치자의 스트레스 관련 생리 활성 : 홍삼과의 비교연구

Stress Related Activities of Gardenia Jasminoides: Comparative Study with the Effects of Red Ginseng

Gardenia Jasminoides (GJ) is traditionally used for treatment of hepatic disease, insomnia, anxiety? and inflammatory disease. The aim of this study is to examine effects of GJ extract in response to stress. Animals of the normal group were not exposed to any stress and the control group were exposed to stress. The rats of the Ginseng and GJ supplementary group were orally administered once a day with 100 mg of red ginseng extract, 100 mg of GJ extract/kg body weight. The mice were given water containing 200 mg of red ginseng extract, 200 mg of GJ extract/100 ㎖ potable water. Animals were given supplements for 7 days without stress, and then were given supplements for 5 days with restraint and electroshock stress. After loading final stress, we examined stress related behavioral changes of experimental animals and measured the levels of blood corticosterone. GJ-supplementation partially blocked the stress effect on locomotion and elevated plus maze test in rats, and also partially blocked stress-induced behavioral changes such as freezing, burrowing, face-washing, smelling and rearing behavior in rats. The effect was almost equipotent to Ginseng's effect. GJ-supplementation didn't influence on fatigue related behavior or physical stress resistance. GJ-supplementation decreased the levels of blood corticosterone which is increased by stress in rats. These results suggest that GJ protects partially the living organism from stress attack and it has the potential to be used as a functional material to alleviate stress response.