• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the chemical composition and biological function of tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves. The antioxidant activities of tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves were determined by measuring their electron-donating ability based on their DPPH and nitrite-scavenging ability. The electron-donating abilities of tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves (500 and 1,000 ppm) as determined by DPPH assay were 45.6 and 85.1%, respectively. The nitrite scavenging ability of tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves (500 and 1,000 ppm) at pH 6.0 were 32.8 and 51.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the nitrite scavenging activity increased in a dose-dependent manner at all pH values. The effects of tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves on Male Sprague-Dawley rats were also evaluated. To accomplish this, the rats were divided into three groups (A: normal diet group, B: high fat diet group and C: high fat diet supplemented with tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves group). The anti-obesity effects of tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves were then evaluated. The serum total lipid, total cholesterol and triglyceride contents in C group were lower than those of B group; however, these differences were not statistically significant. The HDL-cholesterol content was significantly higher in the C group than in the other groups. Taken together the results of this study suggest that tea made from mountain-cultivated ginseng leaves possesses antioxidant activity and improves lipid metabolism.