• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.528-534
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• 2001

Much attention has been given to the role of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed in preventing and treating osteroporosis recently. Although numerous studies were done on effects of safflower oil, no attention was given to the role of dietary fiber of safflower seeds. This study was aimed at investigating physiological significance of defatted safflower seed as a source of dietary fiber. Sprague Dawley female rats were assigned one of 5 groups: ovariectomized control (Ovx-control) group and ovariectomized rats 15% (Ovx-ss15) and 30% defatted safflower seed (Ovx-SS30), sham-operated (Sham) group and a normal group. Cholesterol was supplemented to all diets at 0.5% except the normal diet. Ovariectomized rats were pair-fed isocalorically to the Sham group. Ovariectomy caused heavier body weight, but feeding 30% safflower seed brought back to the level of Sham group. Activities of disaccharidases of jejunal mucosa were significantly lowered in Ovx-control group compared to those of Sham, and supplementation of safflower seed tended to increase the activities. Fecal weight of Ovx-SS15 and Ovx-SS30 were almost twice as those of Ovx-control Sham. Propionic acid and butyric acid concentrations per g of feces of Ovx-SS15 and daily excretion of these fatty acids were significantly increased as compared to those of Sham and Ovx-control. In concentration defatted safflower seed supplementation significantly increased fecal bulk and short chain fatty acid production in large intestine of rats.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.117-122
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• 2013

This research was carried out to clarify the germination characteristics with reference to hard seed coat in safflower. Morphologically, seed coat surface has hilum and micropyle which were evident during seed development stage. In the flower of developing seeds, the hilum area is connected with placenta of maternal tissue while the micropyle area is connected with the style of pistil. When the seeds imbibed, the hilum surface began to crack and the embryo protrudes through the hilum. To investigate the route for moisture absorption and gas exchange on the seed coat, the hilum and the micropyle were artificially sealed by paraffin. The seeds whose hilum were sealed could not germinate, which indicates that the exchange of moisture and oxygen takes place through hilum in safflower seeds. The germination was tested at $15^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$, and $25^{\circ}C$ by three substrates with different moisture conditions; top of paper method (hilum submerged in water), between-paper method, and soil seeding. The germination percentages were 31.3% at $15^{\circ}C$, 15.7% at $20^{\circ}C$ and 6.0% at $25^{\circ}C$ in the top of paper method; and 45.5% at $15^{\circ}C$, 30.0% at $20^{\circ}C$ and 14.0% at $25^{\circ}C$ in the between-paper method; and 80.0% at $15^{\circ}C$, 77.0% at $20^{\circ}C$ and 78.0% at $25^{\circ}C$ in the soil seeding, respectively. When the internal structure of hilum was investigated through SEM, it was found out consisting of vascular bundle element. In conclusion, the hilum of safflower seed was closely related with water absorption and gas exchange during initial germination process.

• 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.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.263-273
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of the Korean Safflower (Carthamus inctorius L) seed powder on serum level of hormones and trabecula area during the recovery from osteoporosis induced ovariectomized rats. Four month-old rats were ovariectomized (OVX), remained untreated for 8 weeks, and were subsequently administered safflower seed (0.03 g/kg) every other day 30 for days. We examined the effects of treated safflower seed every 10 days on ovariectomy-related changes in Insulin-like Growth Factors, Insulin-like Growth Factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), Estrogen, Bone-specific alkaline phosphotase, Calcium, and Phospotase in the serum, and also histomorphology of the proximal fibula metaphysis and femur/body weight rate. Ten and 20 days after safflower seed treatment in OVX rats, serum levels of IGF-I, -II and IGFBP-3 were not different from the Sham and OVX groups. In 30 days, serum levels of IGF-I,-II and IGFBP-3 were higher after safflower seed treatment in OVX rats as compared to the other two groups (p<0.05). Bone alkaline phosphatase levels were increased through safflower seed treatment in OVX rats compared to the other two groups in 30 days. There were no differences between OVX and safflower seed treated OVX rats in serum levels of estrogen and femur/body weight rate, but estrogen levels for the sham group were higher than for the other two groups. The safflower seed is increased to serum levels of IGFs, IGFBP-3 and BALP of osteoporosis induced by ovariectomized rats. Thus, we conclude that the safflower seed is a possible role for improvement of osteoporosis induced-ovariectomized rats.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.306-307
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• 2008

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.310-311
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• 2008

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.308-309
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• 2008

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.1162-1167
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• 2008

This study was to investigate the chemical compositions of germinated (GSS)- and ungerminated (UGSS)-safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seeds. GSS had higher amount of sugar and crude fiber than UGSS, but less amounts of protein and lipid. Levels of $\alpha$-tocopherol and essential amino acids of GSS were higher than those of UGSS, although there are no difference in fatty acid composition between GSS and UGSS. Among the nine phenolic compounds detected, five phenolic compounds, except for two lignans and two flavonoids, were found in both GSS and UGSS. Four serotonin derivatives accounted for about 80 per cent of total phenolic compounds, and levels of five phenolic compounds decreased slightly with germination. These results suggest that germination may enhance the functionality of safflower seed by increasing nutritional compositions and by decreasing phenolic compounds with bitter taste and cathartic effects.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.833-846
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• 2001

Recently, use of natural medicine is getting more attention, and some of them are believed to be effective in　the treatment of periodontitis. Among them, the seeds of safflower(Carthamus tinctrorius L.) have been proven to be effective through its use in bone diseases such as fracture and osteoporosis. During the last few years, studies using the seeds of safflower gown in Korea have been active, and it has been reported that safflower seed extract increase the proliferation and the alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity of human periodontal ligament fibroblast(hPDLF), osteoblast, and that they promote the mineralization process. In animal studies, when safflower seed extract were administered orally new bone formation was promoted. Recently, in an effort to find out the most effective osteogenic components, among many components of the safflower seed, various safflower seed fraction extracts were obtained by multistep extraction of the safflower components using various solvents. Among these, saf-M-W fraction extracted by methanol and water was most effective in increasing osteogenic potential of osteoblasts. In this study, the effect of safflower seed fraction extract, saf-M-W, on the growth and differentiation of hPDLF and MC3T3-E1 cell was investigated. The toxicity of saf-M-W on both cells was measured using M'IT(3-(4,5dimethylthiazol-2-y1)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) test, and ALP activity was measured using the colorimetric assay of hPDLF. In addition, in MC3T3-El cells, the expression of ALP, bone sialoprotein(BSP) mRNA was observed using Northern blot, and the mineralized nodule formation Was observed using von Kossa stain and phase-contrast microscope. 1. In concentrations below $10{\mu}g/ml$, saf-M-W didn't show any toxicity on hPDLF and MC3T3-El cell. 2. The change in saf-M-W concentration had no effect on the ALP activity of hPDLF. 3. In MC3T-E1 cells, mRNA expressions of ALP and BSP were greater in the experimental group treated with $10{\mu}g/ml$ concentration of saf-M-W compared with the control group. 4. In MC3T3-El cells, abundance of mineralized nodules were formed in the experimental group treated with $10{\mu}g/ml$ Concentration of saf-M-W, while no mineralized nodule was formed in the control group. These results suggest that safflower seed fraction extract, saf-M-W. didn't show any toxicity on hPDLF and MC3T3-E1 cell at concentrations below $10{\mu}g/ml$ and effectively enhanced the differentiation and osteogenic potential of MC3T3-El cell.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.567-574
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the sensory and mechanical characteristics, moisture content and color values of Hongwhasulgi by varying the quantity of Safflower seed powder and the types of sugar used. As a result of the quantitative analysis, it was found that as more Safflower seed powder was added to the non-glutinous rice powder, the tastiness, sweetness and coarseness of the resultant rice cake tasted almost the same as that of the raw seeds. When the quantity of the seed powder was the same, Hongwhasulgi with sugar added was moister than that with oligosaccharide, and as more seed powder was added, the rice cake became less chewy. The preference of flavor did not differ significantly among the samples. As a result of analyzing the texture, Hongwhasulgi with more Safflower seed power added and oligosaccharide used exhibited greater hardness, adhesiveness, gumminess and chewiness but lower cohesiveness, whereas springiness did not differ significantly among the samples. The moisture content of Hongwhasulgi ranged from $32.35{\sim}39.87%$. Hongwhasulgi with the sugar added was significantly moister than that with oligosaccharide added(p<0.05). Based on the above results, it is considered that the most desirable mix ratio for Hongwhasulgi is non-glutinous rice powder 190 g(95%), Safflower seed power 10 g(5%), sugar 20 g, salt 2 g, and water 35 mL.