Along with Gyeongokgo, Gongjindan is a representative tonic prescription that forms one of the "two major pillars of restorative medicine." It is widely used for various symptoms caused by physical weakness and poor blood circulation.
The classic Oriental medical text, <Seuideukhobang>, describes Gongjindan as "A medicine that harmonizes the five viscera and prevents various diseases from arising (五臟自和, 百病不生)." Recent research results have scientifically proven that Gongjindan has excellent effects on chronic fatigue, memory and learning enhancement, and liver function improvement.
1. Fatigue improvement and physical recovery effect
The study below is a research study evaluating fatigue recovery effects by measuring the increase in performance time while exercising mice. Mice administered Gongjindan showed a significant increase in exercise duration, an increase in glycogen (a source of energy in muscles), and a decrease in lipid peroxidation, which indicates tissue damage.
The effect has also been proven in clinical trials on humans. After conducting a test on 23 individuals who were limited to only 4 hours of sleep, comparing the effects of Gongjindan with a control substance, it was found that the group that took Gongjindan showed significantly lower fatigue scores and significantly improved sleep quality.
2. Brain neuroprotection and memory improvement effect
Gongjindan acts directly on the brain to effectively protect against nerve cell damage. Measuring the time it took for mice with memory impairment induced by scopolamine to find food in a maze, it was confirmed that memory recovered to normal levels after 10 days of Gongjindan administration.
These effects are also observed in domestic clinical studies targeting patients with Alzheimer's-type dementia. As a result of conducting clinical trials on 33 patients, it recorded a significant figure where the K-DRS (Dementia Rating Scale) score increased by an average of 21.5 points before and after intake.
3. Liver protection and functional improvement effect
Acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol), a commonly used pain reliever, can cause liver damage if overdosed. Research results confirmed that taking Gongjindan significantly recovers liver damage caused by such drugs.
Furthermore, in an ethanol (alcohol)-induced liver damage model, Gongjindan showed about twice the liver-protective efficacy compared to silymarin, which is widely used as a liver-protecting agent. It can be an excellent choice for protecting liver health that has become tired from frequent drinking.
