• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.134-144
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• 2017

This study evaluated the changes of physiochemical properties, phytochemical compounds (isoflavones and phenolic acids), and biological activity during the fermentation of Doenjang without and with bitter melon powder (BMP). The pH decreased from 6.41-5.83 to 5.81-5.24, during the fermentation of Doenjang, while the acidity increased from 0.42-0.65% to 1.28-1.48%. The viable cell numbers of Bacillus and Yeast, salinity, and total amino acid contents increased at the end fermentation (60 day). Also, the fermented Doenjang (FD) with 10% BMP showed the highest ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA, 129.87 mg/100 g) contents, among all the Doenjang samples. The FD exhibited significantly higher inhibitory activities than unfermented Doenjang (UFD) on radicals and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase. The phytochemical compounds including isoflavone-aglycones and phenolic acids increased, whereas isoflavoneglycosides decreased in the BM following fermentative processing. Moreover, the total phenolic, isoflavone-aglycone, and phenolic acid contents were markedly increased, leading to a general increase in antioxidant and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activities after fermentation. These results suggest that BMP may be used to prepare a new type of fermented Doenjang with improved antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2019

In Korea, shiitake mushroom, Lentinula edodes, is cultivated on artificial medium containing oak sawdust and wheat bran. The annual production of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of shiitake, a byproduct of the mushroom industry, is estimated to reach over 50,000 tons per year. This study aimed to improve the use of SMS as a novel bioresource. Hot water extracts of SMS after the first and third harvest were prepared and their bioactivities evaluated. Hot water extracts of uninoculated medium and shiitake were used as controls. Extracts of SMS showed higher radical scavenging of DPPH anions, ABTS cations, nitrites, and a higher reducing power than those of shiitake or medium extracts. After the first and third harvests at 0.5 mg/disc, SMS extracts showed no antibacterial or antifungal activities against the pathogenic and food-spoilage bacteria and fungi. However, they showed good inhibitory activities against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase at 0.5 mg/ml. In addition, SMS extracts had strong anti-coagulation activities via their inhibition of thrombin, prothrombin, and blood coagulation factors without platelet aggregation activity. Our results suggested SMS should no longer be perceived as a useless byproduct but should be understood as a novel bioresource, the extracts of which could be developed as antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antithrombosis agents.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.17
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• 2014

The plant kingdom is considered to be a repository of modern medicine, attributable to their rich source of bio-active molecules and secondary metabolites. It is indeed the Nutraceuticals that enhance immunity and ensure a healthier life because of their prophylactic and therapeutic values. Over centuries, papaya [Caricaceae; (Carica papaya Linn.)] is a renowned nutritious and medicinal plant. Each part of the papaya like root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, seed, rinds, and latex has its own nutraceutical properties. It serves as food, cooking aid, and Ethnomedicine to prevent and treat wide-range of diseases and disorders. It has also been traditionally used as appetite enhancer, meat tenderizer, purgative, medicinal acne, abortifacient and vermifuge. Over decades, a series of scientific attempts were made to authenticate the nutraceutical properties of papaya. These studies validated that the papaya has antiplasmodial, antitrichochramal, antitrichomonal, antidengue, and anti-cancer activities. They have also exhibited that papaya possesses antiseptic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and contraceptive features, and it helps in the management of sickle-cell anaemia, HIV, heart diseases and digestional disorders too. Nevertheless, the responsible bio-active molecules and their mode of actions remain indistinct and imprecise, and this calls for further pharmacological and clinical research on them. Conclusively, papaya is one of the naturally gifted plants; though its nutraceutical properties as a food or as a quasi-drug are poorly understood or undervalued by people. Accordingly, this scrutiny, demand for instigation of public health awareness campaigns to promote papaya consumption, so that the society shall acquire optimal benefits of papaya and in turn prevent and alleviate various diseases and illness.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.302-307
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• 2009

The present study was designed to clarify the antidiabetic activity and mechanism of Dioscorea rhizome in diabetic db/db mice. Mice were administered Dioscorea rhizome and rosiglitazone orally for 7 weeks and the effects of these compounds on fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance and intestinal disaccharidase activity in db/db mice were evaluated. The fasting serum glucose of the D. rhizome treated group was reduced when compared with that of the db/db control group. In addition, the disaccharidase activities in homogenates of the proximal, middle and distal segment of the small intestine were significantly decreased response to D. rhizome treatment, especially in the middle segment. These results suggest that D. rhizome decreases blood glucose via a decrease in the activity of disaccharidase in the mucosa of the middle region of the small intestine in db/db mice.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2014

Nanopowdered chitosan (NPC) has high biological activities, such as blood cholesterol lowering effect and antidiabetic activity. This study is carried out to determine the effects of nano-powdered chitosan-added Maribo cheese (NCMC) for the physicochemical properties and sensory analysis during its ripening at $14^{\circ}C$ for 6 mon. From the results, the moisture and fat levels are not significantly influenced from the addition of chitosan (p>0.05), but ash contents increased with increasing chitosan concentrations and the protein contents decreased with increasing chitosan concentrations. In the short-chain fatty acids analysis during the ripening, the total production is initially 13.79 ppm in 0.2% NCMC and 13.81 ppm in control, and their levels have steadily increased to 59.94 and 53.11 ppm, respectively. For the color levels, the $L^*$ values decreased, while the $a^*$ and $b^*$ values significantly increased during ripening for all samples (p<0.05). In texture analysis, the hardness and gumminess of NCMC significantly decreased as compared to the control during ripening (p<0.05), while the cohesiveness, springiness and chewiness were not significantly different among the treatments (p>0.05). In sensory analysis, the butyric off-flavor and bitterness increased slightly with increasing concentrations of NCMC during ripening. The overall acceptability of 0.2% NCMC held the highest score amongst the samples during the ripening. From the results obtained, the 0.2% NCMC was preferred during the ripening and observed the possibility of functional cheese.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2017

Objectives: Semecarpus anacardium Linn. is a plant well-known for its antimicrobial, antidiabetic and anti-arthritic properties in the Ayurvedic and Siddha system of medicine. This has prompted the screening of this plant for antibacterial activity. The main aims of this study were to isolate compounds from the plant's seeds and to evaluate their antibacterial effects on clinical bacterial test strains. Methods: The n-butanolic concentrate of the seed extract was subjected to thin layer chromatography (TLC) and repeated silica gel column chromatography followed by elution with various solvents. The compound was identified based on observed spectral (IR, $^1H$ NMR, $^{13}C$ NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry) data. The well diffusion method was employed to evaluate the antibacterial activities of the isolated acyclic isoprenoid compound (final concentration: $5-15{\mu}g/mL$) on four test bacterial strains, namely, Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 430), Escherichia coli (MTCC 1689) and Acinetobacter baumannii (MTCC 9829). Results: Extensive spectroscopic studies showed the structure of the isolated compound to be an acyclic isoprenoid ($C_{21}H_{32}O$). Moreover, the isoprenoid showed a remarkable inhibition of bacterial growth at a concentration of $15{\mu}g/mL$ compared to the two other doses tested (5 and $10{\mu}g/mL$) and to tetracycline, a commercially available antibiotic that was used as a reference drug. Conclusion: The isolation of an antimicrobial compound from Semecarpus anacardium seeds validates the use of this plant in the treatment of infections. The isolated compound found to be active in this study could be useful for the development of new antimicrobial drugs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.74-74
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• 1997

Chicory is used popularly. We use leaves of the plant as ordinary mea1, and roots as a substitute of tea materials. It also has been asserted that it has clinical effects on weakness, hepatic disease, diabetes, etc. However, experimental evidences are so insufficient that we started these studies. For antiinflammatory activity, MeOH Ex. was orally administered to rats, and decreased amounts of paw edema induced by carrageenan injection were measured. For bile secretion increament, rats were administered total MeOH, EtOAc fraction, and BuOH fraction Ex. respectively. One hour later, bile ducts were cannulated, and we collected bile every 20 minutes for 4 hours. For hepatoprotective activity, CCl$_4$-intoxicated mouse were treated with MeOH Ex., then s-GPT, S-GOT, and liver weight were measured. For antidiabetic activity, rats were induced diabetes by streptozocin 45mg/kg(i.v) injection. One week later, 1000mg/kg of total MeOH Ex. of chicory root was orally administered. We divided rats into three groups. Group 1 rats were administered only once, group 2 ones once a day for one week, and group 3 ones for three weeks. The concentrations of serum glucose were measured before and after administration. For antihypertensive activity, SHR were administrated total MeOH Ex. of chicory once a day for 8 days, and were measured blood pressure on 1st, 3rd, 6th and 8th day. Total MeOH, EtOAc fraction, and BuOH fraction Ex. increased bile secretion in rats, and decreased liver toxicity induced by CCl$_4$ in mouse. Total MeOH, Ex. of chicory roots has antiinflammatory effect, and decreased blood glucose concentration in group 2 and 3 rats. It was revealed not lowering blood pressure significantly in SHR.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.355-364
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• 2008

Mushrooms are regarded as one of the well-known foods and biopharmaceutical materials with a great deal of interest. ${\beta}$-Glucan is the major component of mushrooms that displays various biological activities such as antidiabetic, anticancer, and antihyperlipidemic effects. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism of its immunostimulatory potency in immune responses of macrophages, using exopolysaccharides prepared from liquid culture of Lentinus edodes. We found that fraction II (F-II), with large molecular weight protein polysaccharides, is able to strongly upregulate the phenotypic functions of macrophages such as phagocytic uptake, ROS/NO production, cytokine expression, and morphological changes. F-II triggered the nuclear translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and activated its upstream signaling cascades such as PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, as assessed by their phosphorylation levels. The function-blocking antibodies to dectin-1 and TLR-2, but not CR3, markedly suppressed F-II-mediated NO production. Therefore, our data suggest that mushroom-derived ${\beta}$-glucan may exert its immunostimulating potency via activation of multiple signaling pathways.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5747-5751
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• 2014

Background: Coptisine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis rhizoma, has many biological activities such as antidiabetic, antimicrobial and antiviral actions. However, whether coptisine exerts anti-cancer metastasis effects remains unknown. Materials and Methods: Effects of coptisine on highly metastatic human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 proliferation were evaluated by trypan blue assay and on cell adhesion, migration and invasion by gelatin adhesion, wound-healing and matrigel invasion chamber assays, respectively. Expression of two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-9, MMP-2 and their specific inhibitors tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) were analyzed by RT-PCR. Results: Coptisine obviously inhibited adhesion to an ECM-coated substrate, wound healing migration, and invasion through the matrigel in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. RT-PCR revealed that coptisine reduced the expression of the ECM degradation-associated gene MMP-9 at the mRNA level, and the expression of TIMP-1 was upregulated in MDA-MB-231 cells, while the expression of MMP-2 and its specific inhibitor TIMP-2 was not affected. Conclusions: Taken together, our data showed that coptisine suppressed adhesion, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in vitro, the down-regulation of MMP-9 in combination with the increase of TIMP-1 possibly contributing to the anti-metastatic function. Coptisine might be a potential drug candidate for breast cancer therapy.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.36 no.4 s.143
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• pp.291-298
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• 2005

Anti-hyperglycemic effects of 17 medicinal plants that have been used for ameliorating diabetes in oriental medicine were evaluated using glucose transport assay in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Higher activities were obtained by treating water or alcohol extract of Phellodendri Cortex (PC), which showed enhancing effects both on basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. The latter effect of PC was completely inhibited by wortmannin, a specific inhibitor for phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), but not affected by SB203580, A specific inhibitor for p38 mitogen-activatedprotein kinase(MAPK). Genistein, an inhibitor for tyrosine kinases, abolished the PC effects completely. Treatment of vanadate, an inhibitor for tyrosine phosphatases, together with PC showed no significant synergic enhancement in glucose uptake. The results of inhibitors associated with insulin signaling pathway indicated that extracts of PC enhance glucose uptake by PI-3 kinase activation which is an upstream event for GLUT4 translocation. Antidiabetic effects of PC extract might be also due to enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation and reduced tyrosine dephosphorylation. In addition, PC accelerated insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in insulin-resistant cells, recovering the uptake level close to that of normal cells. These findings may offer a new way to utilize extracts of PC as novel anti-hyperglycemic agents.