• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.1711-1717
• /
• 2010

In this study, fibrinolytic activities of fermented yellow agabean (FYA) and black agabean (FBA), and the antioxidation efficiencies of 70% ethanol extract of fermented yellow agabean (FYAE) and black agabean (FBAE) were investigated by selecting Bacillus sp. sm26 strain. Fibrinolytic activities of FYA and FBA were $6.38{\pm}0.5$ and $6.83{\pm}0.5\;U/ml$, which were 1.3 and 1.4 times higher than that of FSB, respectively. With regard to total phenolic contents, FYAE and FBAE were $3.40{\pm}0.44\;mg/g$ and $2.45{\pm}0.20\;mg/g$ respectively, suggesting that their contents were about twice as high as that of fermented soybean extract (FSBE) used as a control. In comparison with FSBE, total protein and sugar contents of FYAE were $0.56{\pm}0.11$ and $2.41{\pm}0.48\;mg/g$, respectively, and those of FBAE were $0.39{\pm}0.12$ and $2.72{\pm}0.63\;mg/g$, respectively. This result suggests that FYAE was 4.7 and 1.7 times higher than FSBE, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of FBAE was 79% at 1 mg/ml, which was highest among the fermented bean extracts, and was twice as high as FSBE in regards to activity. In addition, FBAE exhibited the highest reducing power at 1 mg/ml, which was higher than FSBE by two-fold. With regard to lipid peroxidation, FBAE and FYAE were 93% and 80% at 1 mg/ml, which were 3 and 2.5 times higher than FSBE, respectively. Of note, the hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities of FBAE and FYAE were 82% and 54% at 1 mg/ml, offering activity that was 4 and 2.5 times higher than FSBE, respectively. Based on these results, the fibrinolytic activity and antioxidation efficiency of the fermented agabeans were significantly higher than other soybeans. Therefore, these studies may suggest that the functional agabeans can be a potential candidate for a natural functional food.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.12
• /
• pp.1872-1881
• /
• 2010

Extracts of soybeans fermented by Bacillus subtilis have a wide variety of functions, such as enhancing the body's immune function, fibrinolysis activity, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, estrogen function and anti-infection effects. Recently, it was reported that the extracts of fermented beans exhibit strong anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties by suppressing the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes and induction of apoptosis, respectively. However, the mechanisms of their cytotoxicity in human gastric cancer cells are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ethyl alcohol extracts from fermented soybean (FS) and yellow agabean (FYA) on cell growth and apoptosis in AGS human gastric cancer cells. A treatment of FS and FYA inhibited the growth of AGS cells in a concentration-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis. FS- and FYA-induced apoptosis were associated with down-regulation of XIAP and cIAP-2, and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Moreover, a treatment of FS and FYA not only triggered an increase in the levels of death receptor (DR)4, DR5, Fas and FasL, but also induced the activation of casepase-3, -8 and -9. These findings illustrate that FS and FYA may have a therapeutic potential in human gastric AGS cells and as a functional food.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.388-395
• /
• 2010

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is generally known as an inducible enzyme, and it produces arachidonic acid to prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), which has been demonstrated to play a critical role in inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the extracts of fermented beans including soybean (FS), black agabean (FBA) and yellow agabean (FYA), on the expression of COXs and production of $PGE_2$ in U937 human promonocytic cells. Treatment of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) significantly induced pro-inflammatory mediators such as COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production, whereas the levels of COX-1 remained unchanged. However, pre-treatment with FS, FBA and FYA significantly decreased PMA-induced COX-2 protein as well as mRNA, which is associated with inhibition of $PGE_2$ production. Moreover, FS, FBA and FYA markedly prevented the increase of nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) p65 by PMA. Our data indicate that the extracts of fermented beans exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes through the NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathway.