Effects of the Du-Chung Tea Added Raw Sweetening Stevia Leaves on the Blood Sugar Level and Blood Constituents of Alloxan-Diabetic Rabbits

천연감미료(天然甘味料) Stevia 첨가(添加) 두중차(杜仲茶)가 Alloxan 당뇨가토(糖尿家兎)의 혈당(血糖) 및 혈청성분(血淸成分)에 미치는 영향(影響)

The purpose of this paper is to find out whether Du-chung tea and Du-chung tea added with Stevia leaves are suitable for everyday use of diabetics. For this purpose, states of diabetic rabbit, induced by giving alloxan to normal rabbit, were examined in two cases. One was to administer Du-chung tea sweetened by sugar to the above same animal and the other to apply Du-chung tea sweetened by Stevia leaves, instead of sugar, under the equal condition. A study was carried out to determine the effects on blood sugar level, contents of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and total cholesterol, and GPT (glutamic pyruvate transaminase) activity in both groups. The following results were obtained. 1) Sweetness of Du-chung tea added with 0.3-0.5% Stevia leaves was never to the standard sweetness. 2) Sweetness of Du-chung tea with 2% sugar plus 0.2% Stevia leaves was the nearest to the standard sweetness. 3) Du-chung tea with 0.5% Stevia leaves was recognized as the most effective the next was Du-chung tea no sweetening, and the worst was Du-chung tea with sugar. Addition of 0.2% Stevia leaves without lessening sugar concentration of the above Du-chung tea showed the same result as Du-chung tea with sugar. 4) Du-chung tea with Stevia leaves and Du-chung tea without sweetening had the tendency of reducing the total cholesterol content in serum, while only Du-chung tea with Stevia leaves presented remarked difference after 4, 6 and 10 days, when they were compared with control group. 5) Degree of CPT, activity had in general the similar tendency- to that of total cholesterol content. 6) Taken Du-chung tea with Stevia leaves and Du-chung tea without sweetening, the BUN content showed reducing tendency in small quanity, but, having little defference from control group.