The effects of Korean ginseng were evaluated after inducing osteoporosis in the rat by ovariectomy. Fourty five rats were ovariectomized at the beginning of the study and fifteen rats had sham-operation. Sham operated 15 rats (group 1) and ovariectomized 15 rats (group 2) had no administration. In group 3(15 rats), 50mg/kg/day of ginseng was administrated orally and in group 4(15 rats), these were fed with 150mg/kg/day of ginseng.
All rats were sacrificed with suffocation at the 16th week. Sections of the femoral shaft and head were stained for Villaneuva bone stain and evaluated histomorphometrically. Ovariectomy produced a increased body weight and the body weight of the ginseng groups(3, 4) was higher than osteoporosis group(group 2). The dry weight in the ginseng groups was higher than those in the osteoporosis soup. The area of cross section and the area of cortical bone were higher in ginseng groups than those in osteoporosis group. In ginseng groups, the percentage of trabecular bone area in femur head was higher than in osteoporosis group. The number and size of osteoclast was increased in all ovariectomized groups(2, 3, 4) and there was no difference among these groups.
The result suggested that, in the ovariectomized rat, ginseng had an effect of bone formation but did not have a effect of inhibition of bone resorption.