• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.163-169
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• 2009

A total of 155 microbial strains were isolated from the Korean traditional soybean paste based on their morphological features on the growth of agar plate. Among the isolated strains, a total of 28 strains were capable of hydrolyzing isoflavone glycoside to isoflavone aglycone efficiently in the soybean paste. Finally, two strains, K123-1 and SI, were selected because of their resistance to 15% NaCl and ability to convert isoflavone glycoside to isoflavone aglycone efficiently during the fermentation of soybean paste. The isolated strains K123-1 and SI were identified to be Pichia guilliermondii and Candida fermentati, respectively, using the partial 26S rDNA sequence analysis and phylogenic analysis. Pichia guilliermondii K123-1 and Candida fermentati SI converted daidzin to daidzein up to 96% and 95%, respectively, and genistin to genistein up to 92% when soybean pastes were fermented at $30^{\circ}C$ for 20 days with a single isolated strain. Pichia guilliermondii K123-1 and Candida fermentati SI were able to grow in the presence of 15% NaCl on both liquid medium and agar plate. We think that Pichia guilliermondii K123-1 and Candida fermentati SI might be one of good candidates for making functional soybean paste because they are isolated from the Korean traditional soybean paste and have a good ability to convert isoflavone glycosides to isoflavone aglycones and a high salt tolerance.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.801-807
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• 2006

To elucidate the effect of soy isoflavone supplementation on bone mineral density and antioxidant enzyme activity in 60 postmenopausal women residing in Iksan area were recruited. There were 31 participants in the treatment group and 29 in the control group. The treatment group consumed isoflavone extract capsules daily (which contained 90 mg of soy isoflavones) for 12 weeks. The study compared before and after isoflavone intake in the following areas. Physical examination, diet survey, bone mineral density (BMD) and antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TA)). The average age of the treatment group was 64.6 years and that of the control group was 66.5 years. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of height, weight and body mass index. Both groups maintained a regular diet pattern in terms of their average daily nutrient intake. There were no significant differences between the treatment group (23.3 mg) and the control group (24.0 mg) in terms of daily isoflavone intake based on diet. Isoflavone supplementation of 12 weeks did not resulted in any significant changes in BMD or parameters of antioxidant enzyme activity, implying the necessity of more intensive intervention for a substantial change. In conclusion, this study revealed that antioxidant enzyme activity holds a significant relationship with the bone mineral density in postmenopausal women and further systematic research on dose and period of isoflavone supplementation is needed to clearify the positive effect of isoflavone on BMD and/or blood antioxidant capacity in postmenopausal women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.322-329
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• 2001

There is growing evidence that soy isoflavones play beneficial role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, current data are not sufficient to determine the effective dose of isoflavone on improving plasma lipid profiles and total antioxidant capacity in Korean menopausal women. In the present study, 24 perimenopausal and 23 postmenopausal women were divided into 3 groups and were given soy isoflavone supplements of 100, 150, 200mg/day for 12weeks. Blood samples were taken before and after 6, 12weeks of soy isoflavone supplementation for analysis of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride and total antioxidant status(TAS). In the perimenopausal women, serum total cholesterol level decreased significantly in all three groups after 12weeks of isoflavone supplementation(p< 0.05). However, serum LDL cholesterol level significantly lowered only in 150 and 200mg groups, and serum triglyceride level decreased significantly in 200mg group(p<0.05). In the postmenopausal women, the 150mg isoflavone supplementation group demonstrated significant effects on lowering serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol levels and raising HDL cholesterol level after 12weeks of isoflavone supplementation(p<0.05). Two hundred mg isoflavone supplementation group had a significantly higher TAS than other groups in both perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. (Korean J Nutrition 34(3) : 322∼329, 2001)

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.294-298
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• 2004

Three Korean soybean varieties, Dawon, Taekwang, and Myeongiju-namul were investigated for changes in isoflavone and oligosaccharides contents, and dry weight during germination. Soybeans were soaked for 10 hr in water, followed by 8 days germination at $20^{\circ}C$ under dark condition, Highest isoflavone content measured was Myeongju-namul (1.228 mg/g), followed by Taekwang (0.671 mg/g) and Dawon (0.661 mg/g). Total isoflavone content generally increased during initial germination and decreased thereafter. Maximal increase in isoflavone was 20-50%, particularly in aglycone type such as daidzein and genistein. Raffinose and stachyose contents decreased rapidly during germination, while that of sucrose showed relatively slow decrease. Dry weights of soybeans steadly decreased.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 2004

Few studies have conducted the bone health benefits of usual dietary isoflavone intake in Korean college-student women. To elucidate this benefitial effects and correlations between dietary isoflavone and nutrients intake and bone formation marker (ALPase, osteocalcin), questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, serum mineral (Ca, P, Mg) concentrations were analyzed. Fifty three subjects were used in this study. The average age, height, body weight, BMI, body fat content and triceps skinfold thickness were 21.43 year, 161.07 cm, 52.81 kg, 20.48 kg/$m^2$, 20.72% and 17.59 mm respectively. Soy food intake frequencies were soybean > soybean curd > soypaste stew > soybean milk. The average calorie, protein and Ca intake were 1766.21 $\pm62.54 kcal\;66.45\pm2.00 g\;and\; 549.62 \pm 27.55 mg$ respectively. Serum ALPase activity and osteocalcin concentration were 115.74$\pm3.6u/L$ and 7.15 ng/$m\\ell$ respectively. Usual dietary isoflavone intake was positively related to calory, protein, Ca, P intake and serum Ca, Mg concentration. Serum osteocalcin concentration was negatively correlated with isoflavone intake ($r^2$=0.28, p < 0.05). In these results, usual dietary isoflavone can support an additive effect to bone health and Ca nutrition.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

This study was undertaken to determine the bioavailability of isoflavones in weanling Sprague-Dawley rats by providing diets containing different levels of soy isoflavones for 6 weeks: 0.025% (low isoflavone intake; LI), 0.125% (medium isoflavone intake; MI), and 0.25% (high isoflavone intake; HI). The subsequent fecal and urinary excretion of daidzein and genistein was then measured. As the levels of dietary isoflavones increased, the amount of food intakes significantly decreased, and weight gain was slower in female rats. In male rats, there was no significant difference in weight gains related to dietary intakes. Urinary excretion of daidzein and genistein was significantly higher in the MI and HI groups in both male and female rats than the control and LI groups. The recovery % of daidzein and genistein in the urine was significantly lower in the MI and HI groups. Fecal daidzein increased as dietary isoflavone intakes increased in female rats; however, in male rats the increase was significant only in the HI group. The recovery % of daidzein and genistein in the feces of female rats was not significantly different among the four groups. When dietary isoflavones were increased from 0.025% to 0.25%, the amounts of daidzein and genistein excreted in the urine and feces increased; however, the low recovery rate of both daidzein and genistein in the urine implies an increased bioavailability of isoflavones. We also observed sex-related differences in the urinary and fecal recovery of isoflavone intakes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.27-31
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• 2007

This study relates to low and medium molecular weight isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan produced by submerged liquid culture of Agaricus blazei, a method of producing the isoflavone-B-D-glucan using autolysis enzyme of Agaricus blazei mycelia, and use of the isoflavone-B-D-glucan for anti-cancer and immunoenhancing effect. In acordance with one aspect of the present study, it deals with a method of producing isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan, which comprises the followings; 1) culturing and separating mushroom mycelia, 2) producing low-medium molecular weight isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan from high molecular weight one. The cytotoxicity on human cnacer cell line (Caco-2, MCF-7), the expression of Cyclin D, Bcl-2, Bax protein, p21 protein, p53 protein in MCF-7 cells assessed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, and other immuno related factors such as TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-1B activities were examined. Structural identification of isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan which showed cytotoxicity against cancer cell and immunoenhancing effects was carried by separation with DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, TLC, HPLC, IR, NMR. Clinical test for the cancer patients (n=119) for 6 month was carried out, and immunoenhancing factors (NK. cell number, ratio of T4/T8) were checked. We concluded the identified isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan has immuno enhancing effects and could be useful for cancer chemoprevention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.371-375
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• 1997

The content of genistein and daidzein which were known to be major antioxidative compounds in soybeans were detected by $C_{18}$ reverse phase HPLC. Most of isoflavones in soybeans were detected in the methanol extract but much less amount of isoflavones in the water extract. Among the four different kind of soybeans, the isoflavone content was highest in brown soybean, followed by yellow, small black and black soybean, in the order. These isoflavones were known to be soluble in hot water, which means transfer of isoflavone content was highest in brown soybean, followed by yellow, small black and black soybean, in the order. These isoflavones were known to be soluble in hot water, which means transfer of isoflavones in soy curd into whey during soy curd processing. To identify the change of isoflavone content during processing of soybean curd, soybean curd were made from yellow, brown and black soybean and isoflavone content were determined in each soybean curd, curd residue and whey. Most of soflavones were remained in the whey, it means most of useful antioxidative compounds were wasted. Thus, it is necessary to develop new technology to collect these isoflavones lost during soybean curd processing.

• Food preservation and processing industry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.11-13
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• 2007

This study relates to low and medium molecular weight isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan produced by submerged liquid culture of Agaricus blazei, a method of producing the isoflavone-B-D-glucan using autolysis enzyme of Agaricus blazei mycelia, and use of the isoflavone-B-D-glucan for anti-cancer and immunoenhancing effect. In acordance with one aspect of the present study, it deals with a method of producing isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan, which comprises the followings; 1) culturing and separating mushroom mycelia, 2) producing low-medium molecular weight isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan from high molecular weight one. The cytotoxicity on human cnacer cell line (Caco-2, MCF-7), the expression of Cyclin D, Bcl-2, Bax protein, p21 protein, p53 protein in MCF-7 cells assessed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, and other immuno related factor such as TNF-a and IL-1B activities were examined. Structural identification of isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan which shoed cytotoxicity against cancer cell and immunoenhancing effects was carried by separation with DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, TLC, HPLC, IR, NMR, Clinical test for the cancer patients (n=119) for 6 month was carried out, and immunoenhancing factors(NK cell number, ratio of T4/T8) were checked. We concluded the identified isoflavone-${\beta}$-D-glucan has immuno enhancing effects and could be useful for cancer chemoprevention.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: It is difficult to consistently demonstrate the health effects of soy isoflavones owing to the multitude of factors contributing to their bioavailability. To accurately verify these health effects, dietary isoflavone intake should be measured using a biologically active dose rather than an intake dose. This concept has been expanded to the development of new exposure biomarkers in nutrition research. This review aims to provide an overview of the development of exposure biomarkers and suggest a novel research strategy for identifying the health effects of soy isoflavone intake. MATERIALS/METHODS: We cover recent studies on the health effects of soy isoflavones focusing on isoflavone metabolites as exposure biomarkers. RESULTS: Compared to non-fermented soy foods, fermented soy foods cause an increased concentration of isoflavones in the biofluid immediately following ingestion. The correlation between exposure biomarkers in blood and urine and the food frequency questionnaire was slightly lower than that of corresponding 24-h dietary recalls. Urinary and blood isoflavone levels did not show a consistent association with chronic disease and cancer risk. CONCLUSION: It is crucial to understand the variable bioavailabilities of soy isoflavones, which may affect evaluations of soy isoflavone intake in health and disease. Further studies on the development of valid exposure biomarkers are needed to thoroughly investigate the health effects of isoflavone.