• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.174-182
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• 2004

Women have a greater incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) after menopause. This relates to hormone imbalance-induced changes in known CHD risk factors, especially hyperlipidemia. The purpose of this study was to explore d1e differences in food consumption and food sources of nutrients in the Korean diet between postmenopausal women aged 50-74 years with normocholesterolemia(NC) and those with hypercholesterolemia(HC). Each subject was either classified as part of the NC group (n=39, serum total cholesterol con. ＜200 mg/$dl$) or the HC group (n=31, serum total cholesterol con. $\geq$240 mg/dl) based on the Guideline for Korean Hyperlipidemia.l Diet was assessed through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Consumption of foods such as biscuits and/or crackers, squid and eggs was significantly (p＜0.05) higher in the HC group than in the NC group. On the other hand, consumption of potatoes/starches and carrots was significantly (p＜0.05) lower in the HC group than in the NC group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the consumption of legumes and legume products containing phytoestrogen and we could not find a relationship between legumes and legume products and serum cholesterol levels. Consumption of green tea tended to be lower in the HC group than in the NC group. Major sources of cholesterol, cholesterol-saturated index and vitamin A in the diets of the HC group consisted of foods high in cholesterol. Our results confirm that postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia in Korea tend to consume cholesterol-rich foods and dishes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2011

We conducted this study to examine the effects of safflower seed granular tea containing physiologically active polyphenols on antioxidative activities and bone metabolism. Forty postmenopausal women ages 49 to 64-years were recruited from Daegu and Gyeongbuk and were randomly assigned to either a safflower tea supplement (Saf-tea) group (n=27) or a placebo group (n=13). The Saf-tea group received 20 g of safflower seed granule tea per day containing a 13% ethanol extract of defatted safflower seeds, whereas the placebo group received a similar type of tea that lacked the ethanol extract. No significant changes in nutrient intake for either the placebo or Saf-tea groups were observed before or after the study period, except vitamin A intake increased after 6 months in the Saf-tea group. Dietary phytoestrogen intakes were similar in the Saf-tea group (60.3 mg) and placebo group (52.5 mg). Significant increases in plasma genistein and enterolactone were observed in the Saf-tea group. After 6 months of supplementation, serum levels of antioxidant vitamins such as a-tocopherol and ascorbic acid increased significantly, and TBARS levels decreased in the Saf-tea group compared to the placebo group. Serum osteocalcin levels were reduced (P<0.05) in the Saf-tea group after 6 months, whereas serum osteocalcin did not change in the placebo group. Urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine excretion was not different between the two groups at baseline, and did not change in either group after 6 months. Bone mineral density decreased significantly in the placebo group (P<0.01) but not in the supplemented group. It was concluded that polyphenols (72 mg/day), including serotonin derivatives, in the Saf-tea had both antioxidant and potential bone protecting effects in postmenopausal women without liver toxicity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2005

Isoflavones are reported to playa role in menopausal women as a phytoestrogen, which can replace estradiols in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Recently; due to the risk of breast cancer by HRT, phytoestrogens (e.g. isoflavones) have been focused as an alternative therapy in menopause. In the study, we investigated whether isoflavones derived from Sophorae fructus (SISO) have more benefit than that of soybean isoflavones in estrogen deficient rats. We found that SISO effectively controled $H_2O_2$ comparing with the baseline (p<0.01 vs. post value of OVX-Cont), and the blood sugar and weight were also controlled with decreasing patterns. Additionally, in LDH assay for cytoprotective effect in Neuro-2a cell line, SISO protected cells from the damage by SNAP (p<0.05). In conclusion, SISO may have more beneficial effect in enhancing the menopausal signs than that of soybean isoflavones and the cytoprotective effect in neuron cells suggests that SISO can play a certain role in neuroprotection after menopause.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.906-911
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• 2004

In order to evaluate estrogenic compounds in natural products, an in vitro detection system was established. For this system, the human breast cancer cell line MCF7 was stably trans-fected using an estrogen responsive chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter plas-mid yielding MCF7/pDsCAT-ERE119-Ad2MLP cells. To test the estrogenic responsiveness of this in vitro assay system, MCF7/pDsCAT-ERE119-Ad2MLP cells were treated with various concentrations of 17f3-estradiol. Treatments of 10$^{-8}$ to 10$^{-12}$ M 17$\beta$-estradiol revealed significant concentration dependent estrogenic activities compared with ethanol. We used in vitro assay system to detect estrogenic effects in Puerariae radix and Ginseng radix Rubra extracts. Treat-ment of 500 and 50 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of Puerariae radix extracts increased the transcriptional activity approximately 4- and 1.5-fold, respectively, compared with the ethanol treatment. Treatment of 500, 50, and 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of Ginseng radix Rubra extracts increased the transcriptional activity approximately 3.2-,2.7, and 1.4-fold, respectively, compared with the ethanol treatment. These observations suggest that Puerariae radix and Ginseng radix Rubra extracts have effective estrogenic actions and that they could be developed as estrogenic supplements.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2003

Soy, high dietary intake for the oriental population, is a main source of isoflavonoids. Sophoricoside (SOP) an isoflavone glycoside was isolated from immature fruits of Sophora japonica (Leguminosae family) and its inhibitory effect on chemical mediators involved in inflammatory response was investigated in this study. SOP inhibited the interleukin (IL)-6 bioactivity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 6.1 $\mu$M whereas it had no effects on IL-1$\beta$ and TNF-a bioactivities. SOP was identified as a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 4.4 $\mu$ M, but did not show inhibitory effect on the synthesis of COX-2. However, SOP had no effect on the production of reactive oxygen species including superoxide anions and nitric oxide. These results revealed that in vitro anti-inflammatory action of SOP is significantly different from that of genistein known as a phytoestrogen of soy products. This experimental study has documented an importance of dietary soy isoflavonoids as multifunctional agents beneficial to human health, and will help to clarify protective mechanisms of SOP against inflammatory conditions.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2004

Anti-wrinkle Effect of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed extract (CTSE) was evaluated by determination of the anti-oxidation, collagen synthesis and elastase inhibition in normal human fibroblast. CTSE showed anti-oxidation and collagen synthesis ability as much as or greater than other phytoestrogenic compounds such as genistein or resveratrol. Consistent with collagen synthesis promotion, CTSE also showed inhibitory effect on elastase activity. In the human skin irritation test, 0.2％ CTSE did not show any adverse effect. These results demonstrate that CTSE can be useful as an anti-wrinkle cosmetic ingredient.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.1 s.144
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• pp.21-27
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• 2006

Yeast based estrogenicity assay is the simplest and useful for the assay and the discovery of novel estrogenic substances in natural specimens, The estrogen receptor(ER) modulation activity of 50% EtOH extracts of 101 traditional medicinal herbs was assessed using a recombinant yeast assay system with both a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a receptor plasmid. Among them, 14 species proved to be active. Pureariae Flos (flower of Puerraria thunbergiana BENTH.) had the highest estrogenic relative potency$(7.75{\times}10^{-3})$ $(EC_{50}=9.39\;{\mu}g/ml)$. The $EC_{50}$ value of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ used as the positive control was $0.073\;{\mu}g/ml)$ (Relative Potency=1.00). There results demonstrated that some of the traditional medical herb may be useful in the therapy of estrogen replacement.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.214-219
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• 2010

In this study, phytoestrogen for the industrial production of soybean probiotics by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was studied in a soybean extract. Soybean was fermented with LAB, Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC 3108 and Bifidobacterum longum ATCC 15707. The change in the content of various isoflavones (aglycone and glucoside) and the $\beta$-glucosidase activity in soybean during fermentation were investigated and shown to be dependent on the starter organism. Soybean extract powder fermented with L. plantarum showed the highest $\beta$-glucosidase activity and the greatest increase in the aglycone content. After 48h of fermentation, the contents of daidzin, genistin and glycitin in L. plantarum decreased from a mean initial levels of $83.03{\pm}2.17$, $168.13{\pm}8.17$ and $20.02{\pm}1.07$, respectively, to mean levels of $5.34{\pm}3.24$, $3.79{\pm}0.57$ and $1.87{\pm}1.09\;mg$/100 g. Whereas, after 48h fermentation, the contents of daidzein, genistein and glycitein increased from a mean initial levels of $8.09{\pm}0.78$, $11.20{\pm}0.84$ and $4.71{\pm}0.46$, respectively, to mean levels of $85.76{\pm}0.84$, $175.87{\pm}2.21$ and $22.41{\pm}0.91\;mg$/100 g. Taken together, these results suggested an increase of aglycones and decrease of glucoside in isoflavones occurred during fermentation, which coincided with an increase of $\beta$-glucosidase activity in the fermented soybean extract powder.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 1999

A simultaneous profile analysis of 19 environmental estrogens, which act like estrogen and may effect the endocrine system by binding to hormone receptors or influencing cell signaling pathways, was attempted. The present method was based on the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). It involves solid-liquid extraction, enzyme hydrolysis, liquid-liquid extraction and quantitative conversion into trimethylsilyl (TMS)-ether derivatives. Analytical recovery range was 47.6 ~ 99.5% and the RSD values of within-a-day and day-to-day test were 0.66 ~ 9.33%, 1.66 ~ 16.14%, respectively. The Korean reference values for the evaluation of environmental estrogen effects were established by this method.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.124-127
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to evaluate the estrogenic activity of Cucurbita pepo seed extract which includes ${\beta}-sitosterol$ and other phytosterols. Sample was extracted from Cucurbita pepo seed by supercritical carbondioxide method and resuspended with ethanol. Estrogenic activity was measured by recombinant yeast assay which detects estrogenic activity using recombinant yeast with high level of estrogenic receptor. However, estrogenic activity of pumpkin seed extract was not found in this study. Based on this data, pumpkin seed extract will not cause estrogenic disturbance.