• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.84-87
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• 2006

Antioxidant activity of Akebia quinata Decne was evaluated. Water extract (0.5 g/50 mL) of flowers and leaves of A. quinata were prepared and total phenol contents and radical scavenging activity of the extracts was determined for antioxidant activity. The total phenol contents of extracts from A. quinata flowers (FAQ) and leaves (LAQ) were $30.05{\mu}M\;and\;20.23{\mu}M$, while the radical scavenging activity of FAQ and LAQ were 60.51 % and 52.97%, respectively. In addition, the effect of FAQ and LAQ extract on DNA damage induced by $H_2O_2$ in human lymphocytes was evaluated by comet assay. The FAQ and LAQ showed strong inhibitory effect against DNA damage induced by $200{\mu}M$ of $H_2O_2$. These results suggest that water extracts of A. quinata Decne flowers and leaves showed significant (p<0.05) antioxidant activity and protective effect against oxidative DNA damage.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.879-885
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• 2013

This study investigates the quality characteristics of muffins prepared with various concentrations of akebia leaves powder. Muffins are prepared by additions of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% powder to the flour for basic formulation. Heights decrease significantly when the amount of Akebia leaves powder increases. When the weight is being measured, there are no meaningful differences between the samples. As a result from measuring the colors, the lightness, redness and yellowness of muffins decrease as the concentrations of the powder increase. When measuring the texture of akebia leaves muffins, the hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness decrease, but the springiness and adhesiveness increase as the concentrations of Akebia leaves powder increase. When the sensual qualities of the muffins are measured, the color, sweetness, softness and overall quality of all of the samples have shown significant differences, and the muffins containing 4% of Akebia leaves powder reveal the highest sensual quality indexes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.200-206
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• 2014

We investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-obesity effects of extracts from young Akebia quinata D. leaves, including hot water (AQH) and 80% ethanol (AQE) extracts. The inhibitory effects of AQH and AQE on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells were examined by Oil Red O staining. Compared to control, lipid accumulation was significantly reduced by 18.3% with the treatment upon AQE at a concentration of $5{\mu}g/mL$. The levels of intracellular triglycerides and free glycerol were also reduced by 52.8% and 9.1% at the same concentration of AQE. The in vivo anti-obesity effect of AQE was evaluated in terms of body and white adipose tissue weights in ICR mice. Experimental groups were divided into the following five groups: normal diet (ND), high fat diet (HFD), high fat diet with 60 mg/kg/day of Orlistat (HFD-RF), high fat diet with 200 mg/kg/day of AQE (HFD-AL), and high fat diet with 600 mg/kg/day of AQE (HFD-AH). Feeding of HFD for eight weeks resulted in significant increases in body weight as well as weight gain compared to the ND group. HFD-AH group showed reduced body weight, weight gain, epididymal white adipose tissue weight, and perirenal white adipose weight as compared to the HFD group. These results indicate that AQE supplementation might have beneficial effects on anti-obesity by inhibiting lipid accumulation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.989-998
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• 2014

We investigated the characteristics and biological activities of vinegars added with different levels (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) of young leaves of Akebia quinata. During alcohol fermentation, alcohol and total acidity contents of vinegars increased. During acid fermentation, total acidity and amino acid contents increased. Vinegar added with 3% A. quinata leaf showed the highest total sensory score. The contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannin significantly increased during fermentation according to the amount of A. quinata leaf. After 22 days of fermentation, total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and tannin contents of vinegar added with 3% A. quinata were 4,079.08 mg GAE/100 g, 2,927.08 mg CE/100 g, and 3,618.00 mg TAE/100 g, respectively. ABTS radical scavenging activity of vinegar added with 3% A. quinata was 79.63%. Anti-cancer activities of vinegar added with 3% A. quinata were 48.65% and 52.90% against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells, respectively. Vinegar added with 3% A. quinata showed anti-bacterial activities against Bacillus cereus, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella enterica, Bacillus subtilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Our results demonstrate that the biological activities of vinegar added with 3% A. quinata leaf (22 days of fermentation) were excellent, and their enhanced total polyphenol, flavonoid, and tannin contents were associated with antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. Thus, A. quinata can be used as a functional material in vinegar and other foods.