• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2001

This study done to investigate the hypocholesterolemic effect of ow dietary fiber in a high cholesterol diet in aspect of cholesterol absorption and excretion using Sprague Dawley rats. After feeding diets containing 0.5% cholesterol and 5% tangerine pulp, sea tangle or prickly pear cactus for four weeks, we measured the levels of plasma and liver cholesterol and triglyceride, fecal neutral sterols and fecal radioactivity after ingestion 14(sup)C-cholesterol. We also examined platelet aggregation and histological change in liver tissues in association of hypercholesterolemia. The liver to body weight ratio was significantly(p<0.01) lower in rats fed prickly pear cactus than in other groups. The levels of plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride were decreased significantly(p<0.01) in the prickly pear cactus group compared with the control, while there was no difference in the liver levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride among groups. Fecal corprostanol and cholesterol were significantly(p<0.01) higher groups of control and prickly pear cactus compared to the other two groups. Radioisotope excretion after ingestion of 14(sup)C-cholesterol was higher in the control group than in tangerine pulp group or sea tangle group, with the highest in prickly pear group. Radioisotope excretion was the highest during the 2nd and 3rd days in all groups. Hematocrit and platelet aggregation were decreased in all fiber groups compared to the control, but not statistically different. Microscopic examination showed that cholesterol diet cause a fat accumulation in the liver and prickly pear cactus decreased the fat accumulation. Result indicates that prickly pear cactus has hypocholesterolemic effect by decreasing absorption and increasing excretion of cholesterol, thereby protective effect on fatty liver. Control group fed diet containing high cholesterol and low fiber seems to have a self control system in cholesterol absorption and excretion preventing hypercholesterolemia. (Korean J Nutrition 34(2) : 141-149, 2001)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.462-469
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• 2012

We investigated dietary effects of prickly pear cactus (Opuntina ficus-indica) on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation (PA), hemolysis, plasma TBARS and liver enzymes. Twenty eight volunteer diving women in Jeju island had daily 20 g cactus tea containing 27% prickly pear cactus (PPC) powder for 4 weeks, and data for the study subjects were analyzed, on the basis of diagnostic criteria for blood pressure (BP)(${\geq}$ 140/90 mmHg), plasma cholesterol (${\geq}$ 200 mg/dL) and triglyceride (${\geq}$ 150 mg/dL). The subjects with higher BP had higher plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations than those with normal BP. Those with higher TC also had higher TG. Subjects with normal BP or normal TC had higher initial slope of PA than their higher counterpart in BP and TC. PPC intake decreased plasma TG in those with higher BP. PPC intake significantly decreased the elevated initial slope in groups with normal BP, TC, and TG. Hemolysis after PPC intake decreased significantly in all the subjects and plasma TBARS decreased in the subjects with higher plasma TC and higher TG. Glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) significantly increased and total bilirubin significantly decreased in all the subjects after PPC intake. The present study with diving women showed that beneficial effects of short term intake of prickly pear cactus might differ depending on the subject conditions in term of blood pressure, and plasma lipids. However, long term usage of prickly pear cactus may provide preventive effects of cardiovascular diseases to all the population, presumably by hypolipidemic, antithrombotic, and antioxidant actions of its bioactive flavonoids and soluble fiber.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1373-1380
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• 2019

Objective: This study ascertained effects of cactus pear in association with different roughage in the diet of F1 Holstein/Zebu cows on intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, ingestive behavior and performance. Methods: Eight cows with $72{\pm}11$ days of lactation were used. The experimental design was simultaneous in two $4{\times}4$ Latin squares. Four experimental diets were used: Diet 1, sorghum silage as exclusive roughage; Diet 2, sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage (dry matter basis); Diet 3, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo) as exclusive roughage; Diet 4, elephant grass associated with cactus pear in a proportion of 50% of the roughage. The roughage:concentrate ratio was 75:25. Results: Dry matter intake (p = 0.01) was higher with sorghum silage. There were differences in dry matter intake (p = 0.01), crude protein (p<0.01), ether extract (p = 0.01), non-fibrous carbohydrates (p<0.01) and total digestible nutrients (p = 0.01) among the diets. Cactus pear in the diet reduced water intake by 44.52% (p<0.01). The nitrogen balance was 59.71% and 27.49% lower in animals treated with exclusive sorghum silage and sorghum silage associated with cactus pear in relation to diets with elephant grass and elephant grass associated with cactus pear, respectively (p<0.01). The diets did not influence the milk production (p = 0.70), 3.5% fat corrected milk production (p = 0.72) or feed efficiency (p = 0.61). Conclusion: The association of cactus pear with sorghum or elephant grass silage does not alter milk production, reduces the intake of dry matter and water and improves the digestibility of nutrients.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.188-194
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• 2009

In this study, we evaluated the phytochemical compositions of the fruits of the pear cactus, mulberry, and Korean black raspberry to determine how they related to antioxidant capacity. Specifically, the total soluble polyphenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents were determined, and the phenolic compounds were evaluated by HPLC. In addition, the antioxidant capacity was evaluated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), SOD-like activity and nitrate scavenging activity. Korean black raspberry was found to have the highest level of phytochemicals, followed by mulberry and pear cactus (p<0.05). Furthermore, EPR revealed that Korean black raspberry extract (100 ${\mu}g$/mL) removed 78.6% of the superoxide radicals in a xanthin-xanthin oxidase. Additionally, when the removal of hydroxyl radicals was evaluated, the extract of pear cactus showed 50% scavenging activity at 1000 ${\mu}g$/mL. Korean black raspberry extract showed the highest SOD-like activity, which was 44% (p<0.05). Finally, the nitrate scavenging activity of both extracts of mulberry and Korean black raspberry were found to be 93%, while that of the pear cactus was 63% at pH 1.2 (p<0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1195-1204
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether addition of konjac gel with three different vegetable powders can increase quality of low-fat frankfurter-type sausage. Methods: Low-fat frankfurter-type sausages were manufactured with formulations containing konjac gel and three vegetable powders (aloe vera, cactus pear, or wheat sprout) as pork fat replacers. The formulations of frankfurters were as follows: NF (normal-fat; 20% pork fat), LF (low-fat; 10% pork fat), KG (low-fat; 10% pork fat+10% konjac gel), and konjac gel with three vegetable powders (KV), such as KV-AV (10% pork fat+10% konjac gel with aloe vera), KV-CP (10% pork fat+10% konjac gel with cactus pear), and KV-WS (10% pork fat+10% konjac gel with wheat sprout). Proximate analysis, pH value, color evaluation, cooking loss, water-holding capacity, emulsion stability, apparent viscosity, texture profile analysis, and sensory evaluation were determined. Results: The konjac gel containing groups showed lower fat content (p<0.05) and higher moisture content than NF group (p<0.05). The pH value of frankfurters was decreased in three KV groups (p<0.05). The three KV groups had increased dark color (p<0.05) compared with KG, and KV-CP had the highest redness (p<0.05). The water-holding capacity and emulsion stability were higher in the three KV groups than KG and LF (p<0.05). Cooking loss was generally decreased in the three KV groups, compared with KG (p<0.05). The apparent viscosity of KV groups was similar with NF group and overall texture properties were improved in KV-CP. In the sensory evaluation, the highest overall acceptability was found in KV-CP groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The four fat replacers improved physicochemical properties of low-fat frankfurters. Particularly, konjac gel with cactus pear powder seems more acceptable as a pork fat replacer.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2022

Objectives: The chemical composition of cactus pear seed oil (Opuntia ficus-indica [L.] Mill.) was analyzed in terms of its fatty acid composition, tocopherol content, phenolic identification, and the oil's phenolic-rich fraction antioxidant power was determined. Methods: Fatty acid profiling was performed by gas chromatography coupled to an FI detector. Tocopherols and phenolic compounds were analyzed by LC-FLD/UV, and the oil's phenolic-rich fraction antioxidant power was determined by phosphomolybdenum, DPPH assay and β-carotene bleaching test. Results: Fatty acid composition was marked by a high unsaturation level (83.22 ± 0.34%). The predominant fatty acid was linoleic acid (66.79 ± 0.78%), followed by oleic acid (15.16 ± 0.42%) and palmitic acid (12.70 ± 0.03%). The main tocopherol was γ-tocopherol (172.59 ± 7.59 mg/kg. In addition, Tyrosol, vanillic acid, vanillin, ferulic acid, pinoresinol, and cinnamic acid were identified as phenolic compounds in the analyzed seed oil. Moreover, the oil's phenolics-rich fraction showed a significant total antioxidant activity, scavenged DPPH up to 97.85%, and effectively protected β-carotene against bleaching (97.56%). Conclusion: The results support the potential use of cactus pear seed oil as a functional food.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.3 s.130
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• pp.230-237
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• 2002

Prickly pear(Opuntia ficus-indica var saboten Makino, Cactaceae) is widely used as folk medicine for burned wound, edema and indigestion. To confirm the hypolipidemic action of the extract from Cactus stem and fruit in dietary hyperlipidemic rats, variations of the lipid- or cholesterol-related components were investigated. As results these changes were significantly prevented by treatments with Cactus extracts. The effects of the extract of fruit was better than those of stem.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.3 s.130
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• pp.238-244
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• 2002

The extracts from stem and fruit of Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Makino) were applied to confirm the antiatherosclerotic effects in subacute alcoholic hyperlipidemic rats. It was observed that several indications of hyperlipidemia were prevented or changed by the treatments of the extracts but activities of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase were not affected, which suggest that the extracts may promote the fecal excretion and delay the absorption of alcohol in hyperlipidemic rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.356-362
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• 2015

Prickly pear cactus cladodes were extracted with hot water and 70% ethanol, followed by fractionation with n-hexane (HF), ethyl acetate (EF), n-butanol (BF), and distilled water. Total phenolics and total flavonoid contents as well as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities were then measured. Total phenolic contents were 784, 452, and 220 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, whereas total flavonoid contents were 214, 76, and 113 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g in EF, BF, and HF, respectively. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities ($IC_{50}$) were 103 and $105{\mu}g/mL$ in EF, 359 and $379{\mu}g/mL$ in BF, and 469 and $605{\mu}g/mL$ in HF, respectively. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity was highest at $391{\mu}M$ TE in EF (in decreasing order of $117{\mu}M$ TE in BF and $64{\mu}M$ TE in HF), whereas superoxide anion radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$) was highest at $40{\mu}g/mL$ in EF (in decreasing order of $69{\mu}g/mL$ in BF and $98{\mu}g/mL$ in 70% ethanol extract). Inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$) of nitric oxide (NO) production induced by LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells was highest at $62{\mu}g/mL$ in HF (in decreasing order of $104{\mu}g/mL$ in EF and $465{\mu}g/mL$ in BF). The selectivity index (ratio of inhibitory activity of NO production to cell cytotoxicity) was highest at 4.63 in EF (in decreasing order of 3.37 in HF and 2.14 in BF). In conclusion, EF showed potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects with high phenolic and flavonoid contents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 2012

To examine the new practical utilization of mucilages in Opuntia humifusa, the Korean pear cactus, the polysaccharides were isolated from O. humifusa, and immuno-stimulating activities were assayed. The main polysaccharide, CNC-E, was prepared by a commercial enzyme treatment, water extraction, and ethanol precipitation. The molecular mass of CNC-E was estimated to be about 700 kDa, and it consisted mainly of arabinose, galactose and xylose in addition to two minor sugars such as rhamnose and fucose. On the other hand, CNC-E showed considerably high splenocyte proliferation activity in a dose-dependent manner. Peritoneal macrophages stimulated with CNC-E produced cytokines such as IL-6, IL-12, IL-10, and TNF-${\alpha}$. The intravenous administration of CNC-E significantly augmented the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells against Yac-1 tumor cells. Especially, NK cells obtained from the mice treated with $100{\mu}g$ of CNC-E showed threefold higher cytolytic activity than those of untreated mice. CNC-E also showed potent anti-complementary activity in a dose-dependent fashion. Identification of C3 activation products by the crossed immunoelectrophoresis using anti-human C3 and the anti-complementary activity of CNC-E in a $Ca^{2+}$-free condition suggested complement activations by CNC-E that occur via both alternative and classical pathways. These results indicate that Korean pear cactus contains selected polysaccharides that provide immuno-stimulating activities beneficial to human health.