• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2005

There has been increasing research interests that green vegetables play beneficial roles in human health. This study was performed to investigate the effects of freeze-dried green vegetable extract of Angelica keiskei Koidz (A) and Brassica oleracea acephala (B) on lipid profiles and antioxidant status in rats. Seven-weeks old male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups and fed diets containing 5% A & B and 0.5% cholesterol (cho) for 8 weeks [Control Diet (C) & C + chol (CC), A & A + chol (AC), B & B + chol (BC)]. Lipid profiles and antioxidant status were determined by enzyme assay methods. The serum levels of [LDL + VLDLJ-cholesterol of the rats fed vegetable extract diets A and B were significantly lower than that of group C and the ratios of HDL/[LDL + VLDL] were significantly higher in groups A and B. Addition of cholesterol in the diet, however, abolished this effect. The Brassica oleracea acephala juice lowered serum TG level even when cholesterol was added to the diet. Serum total antioxidant status(TAS) were significantly higher in groups A and B as compared to the control group and the ratios of [GSH-Px +Catalase]/total-SOD in the liver were also significantly higher in groups A and B indicating that H202 produced be efficiently removed. In conclusion, freeze-dried green vegetable extract diets (A and B) improved serum lipid profiles by increasing the HDL/[LDL + VLDL〕 ratio and exerted favorable influences on antioxidant systems by improving total antioxidant status (TAS) in serum and by significantly increasing the ratio of [GSH-Px + Catalase]/total-SOD in the liver.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2004

The antioxidant activity of forty two kinds of salad vegetables grown in Korea was evaluated. Methanol extract of freeze-dried vegetable was assayed by radical scavenging activity using 1,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Fe^{2+}$-catalyzed lipid peroxidation inhibition by TBA method. Total phenolics were determined colorimetrically using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The highest radical scavenging activity was expressed by perilla leaf, followed by dandelion leaf, red and green leafy lettuce, of which $IC_{50}$ was less than 0.10 mg/mL. Angelica leaf showed the highest inhibitory action for lipid peroxidation with $95\%$, and then dandelion leaf, water spinach, and perilla leaf inhibited over $80\%$. However, lettuce (Iceberg) and young Chinese cabbage exhibited the lowest antioxidant activity based on both assay methods. Highly positive correlations between antioxidative activities and total phenolics were observed (p < 0.001). The results suggested that salad vegetables, especially perilla leaf, leafy lettuce, dandelion or angelica, could be used for easily accessible sources of natural antioxidants.