The principal objective of this study was to assess the anti oxidative activities of Petasites japonicus against oxidative stress in bovine brain tissue. Petasites japonicus is found with a relatively widespread distribution, and is cultivated as a culinary vegetable in Korea. Petasites japonicus samples were dried either by freeze-drying or by hot air-convection drying ($80^{\circ}C$), then evaluated for their anti oxidative activity by measuring 1-dipheny-1,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and by measuring thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in brain homogenates subjected to $Fe^{2+}$-mediated lipids with or without the addition of botanical extract. Hot air convection-drying resulted in a slight increase in the extraction yield as compared with freeze-drying. However, total phenol and flavonoid contents in freeze-dried Petasites japonicas were significantly higher than those of hot air convection-drying. Freeze-drying increased the free radical scavenging activity of Petasites japonicas, leaves, and stems by 52.6, 28.6, and 248.0%, as compared with hot air convection-drying. Additionally, the $IC_{50}$ values measured by TBARS in hot air convection-dried Petasites japonicas, leaves, and stems were increased by 36.0, 31.6, and 15.9%, as compared to those of freeze-drying. Although anti oxidative activity was reduced slightly by heat processing in Petasites japonicas, freeze-drying for each portion of Petasites japonicus was the most appropriate for use as a functional food and pharmaceutical material.

The volatile flavor compounds of wild and cultivated chamnamul (Pimpinella brachycarpa), an aromatic medicinal plant, were isolated via the simultaneous distillation extraction method and analyzed by GC and GC-MSD. From the oils of the wild chamnamul, 56 volatile flavor compounds were identified, and the major constituents were found to be sabinene (58.37 ppm) and germacrene-D (45.73 ppm). From the oils of cultivated chamnamul, 36 volatile flavor compounds were identified--the major constituents were identified as $\beta$-selinene (38.41 ppm) and myrcene (12.76 ppm).

Recently, increasing interests in local foods have been highlighted along with active efforts and activities from autonomy organizations to develop local cultures and promote local economies by generating value added products and profits through the development of local foods. Subsequently, useful effects might result by making local foods attractive to tourists, such as by using indigenous Gimpo products to make menu items that incorporate the social, economic, and cultural aspects of the Gimpo area, and contributing to its food culture, the development and use of its indigenous products, and promoting local restaurant businesses, etc. The items of the survey used to select the local food menu items to be developed were limited to ideas offered by expert groups, and were implemented by a new menu development process. In order to derive the menu items to develop, the following method was applied: a brainstorming session with experts to generate and draft ideas, a questionnaire to chefs and cooks in special grade hotels is Seoul to select the menu items to develop from those drafted, and sensory evaluations by experts to evaluate the developed items. Frequency analysis and technical statistical analysis were performed using the SPSS 12.0 program package, where 13 kinds of local foods were ultimately developed using indigenous products of Gimpo. The developed local food menu items were rice & grape sujaebi, grape sikhae, fried rice embryo bud, grape yanggaeng, rice pancakes, rice spaghetti, grape seed oil dressing, grape sauce, rice pizza, grape pie, rice & grape ice cream, grape chocolate, and rice roll cakes.

In this study, sixth grade school children in the Guri area were surveyed via questionnaire regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, snacking patterns, and intakes of different food groups and sugared snacks. Students with employed mothers had more frequent snacking events and were more dependent on store-purchased snacks compared to those having an unemployed mother. A high consumption of snack sugar was associated with a higher dietary diversity score. There was a positive relationship between snack sugar intake and the intakes of meat and dairy products and foods in the oil and nut group, respectively. A high snack sugar intake had a negative effect on fruit intake. Specific nutrient intake data will be required before conclusions can be made on whether nutrient imbalances are a concern in elementary school children having sweet snacks. Yet, the current data indicate that an increased snack sugar intake can decrease fruit intake, which could result in certain nutrient deficits. Specific dietary guidance may be necessary to address the snacking habits of elementary school children.

We have investigated the effects of cottonseed extract on the proliferation, differentiation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of local factors in murine clonal osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Ethanol extract of cotton seed ($4{\sim}63{\mu}g/mL$) significantly increased the proliferatin of MC3T3-E1 cells (p<0.05). Moreover, cottonseed extract ($10{\sim}50{\mu}g/mL$) caused a significant elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and collagen content in the cells. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent stimulator of bone resorption in inflammatory diseases. We examined the effect of cottonseed extract on the LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-$\alpha$) and nitric oxide (NO) in MC3T3-E1 cells. Treatment with cottonseed extract ($10{\sim}50{\mu}g/mL$) decreased the $5{\mu}g/mL$ LPS-induced production of TNF-$\alpha$ and NO in osteoblasts, suggesting that the antiresorptive action of cottonseed extract may be mediated by decrease in these local factors. This study suggests that cottenseed may contribute to antiresorptive action against osteoblastic cells, resulting in a beneficial effect in promoting the function of osteoblastic cells.

In order to determine whether green tea tannin ameliorates abnormal arginine metabolism as the result of excessive arginine, we have assessed the effects of the administration of green tea tannin mixture in rats treated 30 days with 2% arginine. In the arginine-treated group, the level of guanidino compounds such as arginine (Arg), guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), creatinine (Cr), methylguanidine (MG) and guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA), nitric oxide, urea, protein and glucose increased significantly in the serum, urine and kidney, whereas the oxygen species-scavenging enzymes of kidney were reduced as compared with the non-arginine-treated group. By way of contrast, the administration of green tea tannin reduced blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine, and reduced the urinary excretion of guanidinoacetic acid, creatinine, and $NO_2^-+NO_3^-$. The increased levels of urinary urea, protein and glucose in the arginine-treated group were also lowered by the administration of green tea tannin. In these groups, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the kidney were increased, thereby suggesting the involvement of radicals in the normalizing of kidney function. These results show that the abnormal renal function induced by the adminstration of excessive arginine in rats may be restored by treatment with green tea tannin.