Evaluation of Peri- and Postnatal Toxicity of Gamma-Irradiated Korean Ginseng in Rats

방사선 조사 인삼이 랫드의 태자와 신생자의 발달 및 모체기능에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

Korean ginseng products have been fumigated with ethylene oxide (EO) for sterilization and prolongation of storage periods. However, there had been controversies indicating that consumption of EO treated foods might cause harmful effects in human. In Korea, the use EO gas for sterilization of food was banned in 1991. Since then, irradiation technique has been developed as an alternative. This study was carried out to evaluate the safety of irradiated ginseng on peri- and postnatal developmental toxicity in rats. Either EO gas fumigated or gamma-irradiated ginseng was administered to pregnant Wistar rats by oral gavage from gestational day 16 to postnatal day 21. The amount of irradiation used in this study was 5, 10 and 30 kGy, respectively. There were no treatment related changes of dams in deaths, clinical signs, and parturition. No treatment related changes in food consumption, body/organ weight and lactation of dams were observed. Also, no F1 fetuses in external abnormality, physical development, reflex/sensory junctions and behavioral development were found. The results of this study showed that gamma-irradiated ginseng, up to 30 kGy, has no adverse effects on the peri- and postnatal development of rats.