Milk vetch roots and gromwell are commonly used ingredients in herbal medicine.
And they have been proven to be highly effective against fatty liver disease.
Park Se-young has more.
Milk vetch roots and gromwell are perennial plants found easily on hillsides.
Due to their health benefits, their roots are used for oriental medicine.
And a compound made of the two ingredients was recently found to be effective in inhibiting non-alcoholic fatty liver formation.
"It proved effective in liver health during animal testing. With these results, we will carry out clinical trials."
When the compound was given to mice for six weeks, tissue weight was reduced by 33 percent and liver steatosis was inhibited.
The level of enzymes associated with liver damage was also reduced by as much as 60 percent …and neutral fat and bad cholesterol were reduced by about half.
The proven medicinal effects of the compound are expected to increase the income of herb farmers.
"Becoming known positively of course benefits us because we sell more. We can also grow more crops which will help farmers' income."
The Rural Development Administration is going to apply for a patent for the compound …and use it to develop functional health foods and natural medicinal ingredients.
Park Se-young, Arirang News.