Background: According to traditional medicine, Ganodermataceae has many good effects on such as anti-oxidant, liver protection, sedation, anti-tumor, treatment of dyslipidemia,... Hong chi DaLat \ufffd?[Ganoderma lucidum (HC)] is a species of Ganodermataceae. This species has two strains DL1 and DL2, was grown and used mainly in Da Lat but they had not been fully studied. Objectives: To evaluate the cholesterol lowering effect of HC in cholesterol induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Subjects and method: Rats were given orally the cholesterol 10% with 0.5g/kg body weight/day during 6 consecutive weeks in order to induce hypercholesterolemic rats. The hypocholesterolemic effect of extract of (HC) was investigated at the dose of 4g/kg administered orally in hyperlipidaemic rats after 6 weeks. Results: HC with the dose of 4g/kg significantly decreased plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL \ufffd?C levels by 24.82%, 27.41% and 54.32% respectively, but increased HDL \ufffd?C by 53.34%. The effect of HC on plasma cholesterol levels with the oral dose of 4g/kg, 12g/kg was equal to each other and to that of cholestyramin at the dose of 1.6g/kg. Conclusion: HC has hypocholesterolemic effect in rats.
Reishi ; Hyperlipidemias ; Rats ;

Background: Shigella-induced diarrhea has been considered a major health problem leading to high morbidity and mortality. This disease can lead to dire consequences; however, the true burden of the disease, including the costs and sequalae associated with shigellosis is not yet known. Objectives: (1) To describe the health seeking behavior and the way of payment of population when suffering Shigella; (2) To identify and analyze the direct household costs associated with the treatment of diarrhea due to Shigella. Subjects and method: 290 patients of all ages with positive Shigella diarrhea admitted to public health facilities in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province in the period from August 2002 to January 2004 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three age groups, the first 0-5, second 5-18 and the last one was over 18 years old. Patients and their relatives were interviewed at three stages - day 7, day 14 and day 90 - to obtain all the required information. Results: 134 of 290 patients (47%) paid for using the other health care services before admission to the study\u2019s facilities. The average direct cost per episode for the patients at group aged 0-5 was 129,000 VND, group aged 6-18 was 59,267 VND and over 18 years old was 173,531 VND; it was 131.960 VND for three groups. Comparison with the average household expenditure for health care, it was higher in the poorer group and it was lower three times than the richest group. The average direct medical cost per episode was higher the average direct non-medical cost per episode for all groups. Conclusions: The average direct cost per episode of Shigellosis treatment was rather high especially the average direct cost for the treatment at the health facility. It was also high compared with the average expenditure for health per capita so that it becomes large economic burden for households.
Direct cost ; Shigella ; treatment