Background :Protein C and protein S, potent in vivo anticoagulants, may involve in altered coagulation and fibrinolytic system in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(NlDDM) patients. The authors tried to know whether protein C and protein S are major pathogenic factors in vascular complication and to evaluate the effect of red ginseng on protein C and protein S in NIDDM patients. Method :The levels of protein C and protein S of 37 NIDDM patients were compared with those of 15 normal control group and the effect of red ginseng on levels of protein C and protein S was investigated in 37 NIDDM patient group which was divided into ginseng administered group and ginseng nonadministered group for 5 months. Result :The basal levels of protein C and protein S of NIDDM patient group had no significant difference in comparison with those of normal control group. The level of protein C and protein S were significantly decreased in ginseng administered group at the 20th week but there were no significant change in the ginseng non-administered group. Conclusion :Protein C and protein S do not appear major pathogenic factors of vascular complication. Decrease of the levels of protein C and protein S in ginseng administered group is due to the improvement of hypercoagulable state by the combination therapy of hypoglycemic agent and ginseng in NIDDM patients

Keywords: Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Protein C, Protein S, Ginseng