생약 열수추출물의 근력 향상 효능을 평가하기 위하여 근력 측정 및 혈액의 피로요소를 분석한 결과 간 글리코겐 함량은 모든 식이군들이 대조군에 비하여 높은 수치를 나타내었다. 특히 맥문동, 오미자, 오가피, 함초 식이군의 경우 높은 글리코겐 함량을 나타내었다. 4주간 측정한 근력 향상효능은 오가피, 함초, 홍삼 열수추출물 섭취군의 경우 다른 열수추출물 섭취군에 비하여 높은 근력 향상 효과를 보여주었다. 무기인산은 맥문동, 오미자, 오가피, 두충, 구기자, 홍삼 열수추출물 섭취군의 경우 대조군에 비하여 낮은 수준을 나타내었다. 젖산 함량은 모든 생약재 열수추출물 식이군에서 대조군과 비교하여 낮은 함량을 나타내어 생약 열수 추출물을 이용한 근력 향상용 기능성 식품의 개발 가능성을 보여주었다.
Effects of medicinal herbs on the improvement of muscular strength along with the related fatigue factors were evaluated in SD rats. Nine types of treatment groups were fed diets supplemented with 1% herb hot-water extracts (Liriope spicata (LS), Schizandra chinensis (SC), Acanthopanax sessiliflorus (AS), Saliconia herbacea (SH), Eucommia ulmoides (EU), Lycium chinensis (LC), Panax ginseng (red ginseng) (PG), Polygonum multifloum (PM), Glycyrrhizae uralensis (GU)) for 4 weeks. The muscular strength of all groups were measured weekly for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks serum was collected and liver dissected out for the analysis of glycogen and fatigue factors. The liver glycogen contents of all treatment groups ($21.0{sim}25.9mg/g$) were higher than that of control group (18.1 mg/g). A significantly increase of muscular strength in the fourth week were found in the AS (282.5 gf), SH (277.4 gf), PG (287.2 gf) groups (p<0.05). LS (7.88 mg/dL), SC (7.85 mg/dL), AS (7.64 mg/dL), EU (7.54 mg/dL), LC (7.81 mg/dL) and PG (7.75 mg/dL) groups were significantly reduced in serum inorganic phosphorus concentration measured after 4 weeks (p<0.05). Serum lactate levels of treatment groups ($8.61{sim}12.18{mu}g/dL$) were significantly lower than that of control group ($17.45{mu}g/dL$). These results suggest that medicinal herbs enhanced muscular strength of rats by delaying accumulation of muscular fatigue factor.
