100 Participants Recruited for Clinical Trial
Functionality and Efficacy to Be Verified for Entry into the Health Functional Food Market
Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province has officially launched a human clinical trial to verify the liver function improvement efficacy of Gugija, the region's representative specialty product.
On May 9, Cheongyang County announced that it had completed the recruitment of 100 participants for the clinical trial to verify the functionality of Gugija extract and would begin the full-scale trial.
Since 2023, the county has been preparing for the clinical trial in collaboration with Chonbuk National University Hospital through a research project. However, recruitment of participants faced difficulties due to strict selection criteria.
This clinical trial aims to scientifically prove the liver function improvement efficacy of Gugija extract and, based on the results, lay the groundwork for applying to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for registration of Gugija as a functional ingredient for individually recognized health functional foods.
The county was selected for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' Food Functionality Evaluation Support Project in 2023 and is conducting this research with 50% of the budget funded by the national government. The county plans to complete sample analysis and statistical processing within this year.
Previously, from 2013, the county conducted ingredient standardization, animal testing, and human application trials on Gugija over six years and six months, and proved its liver function improvement effects. However, it fell short of some of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's functional ingredient criteria and failed to register Gugija as an individually recognized functional ingredient.
Gugija is a traditional medicinal herb with proven efficacy in Korea, China, and Japan, and is evaluated as a safe, non-toxic herb in modern Korean medicine.
In particular, Gugija is known to be rich in antioxidants and betaine, which are effective for protecting liver cells, recovering from fatigue, and strengthening immunity.
Through this research, the county plans to scientifically validate the functionality and efficacy of Gugija, actively pursue entry into the health functional food market, and expand product commercialization and domestic and international distribution channels.
The county also expects this project to significantly contribute to increasing local farmers' income and enhancing the brand value of Cheongyang Gugija.
Kim Dongon, the county governor, stated, "Although Gugija has long been recognized for its efficacy as a traditional medicinal herb, scientific evidence has been lacking. This clinical trial will serve as a turning point in scientifically proving the excellence of Cheongyang Gugija."
Meanwhile, Cheongyang Gugija was officially recognized for its historical significance and value when it was designated as National Important Agricultural Heritage No. 19 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at the end of last year. Cheongyang County plans to use this as an opportunity to foster Gugija as a high value-added industry and grow it into a leading regional industry.
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