• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.582-586
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• 2005

In this Study, we have attempted to determine the effects of dietary fructose polymers (fructan), high molecular-weight ${\beta}-(2,6)-linked$ levan, and low-molecular-weight ${\beta}-(2,1)-linked$ inulin, on two intestinal enzymes $({\beta}-glucuronidase\;and\;{\beta}-glucosidase)$. As a preliminary experiment, when intestinal microflora were cultured in anaerobic media harboring levan or its oligosaccharides, bacterial cell growth was observed in the levanoligosaccharide-supplemented media, but not in the levan-supplemented media, indicating that levan's size is important for the utilization by intestinal bacteria of levan as an energy Source. In our animal study, the intake of a levan-rich diet was determined to significantly attenuate the activity of the harmful enzyme $({\beta}-glucuronidase$, but d id not affect the activity of ${\beta}-glucosidase$.

• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.229-243
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• 2023

The rising prevalence of obesity and diabetes is a significant health concern both in globally and is now regarded as a worldwide epidemic. Added sugars like sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are a major concern due to their link with an increased incidence of diet-induced obesity and diabetes. The purpose of this review is to provide insight into the effects of natural sweeteners as alternatives to sucrose and HFCS, which are known to have negative impacts on metabolic diseases and to promote further research on sugar consumption with a focus on improving metabolic health. The collective evidences suggest that natural alternative sweeteners have positive impacts on various markers associated with obesity and diabetes, including body weight gain, hepatic fat accumulation, abnormal blood glucose or lipid homeostasis, and insulin resistance. Taken together, natural alternative sweeteners can be useful substitutes to decrease the risk of obesity and diabetes compared with sucrose and HFCS.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

Objectives We aimed to find out the improvement effect of Baekhogainsam-tang (Baihu Jia Renshen-tang, BIT) on metabolic syndrome and alteration of microbiota and gene expression. Methods We used male C57BI/6 mice and randomly assigned them into three groups. Normal control group was fed 10% kcal% fat diet, high-fat diet (HFD) group was fed 45% kcal% fat diet and 10% fructose water. BIT group was fed same diet as HFD group and treated by BIT for once daily, 6 days per week, total 8 weeks. We measured their body weight and food intake every week and performed oral glucose tolerance test 1 week before the end of the study. Then we collected the blood sample to measure triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c. We harvested tissue of liver, muscle, fat, and large intestine for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and histopathological examination. Fresh fecal samples were collected from each animal to verify alterations of gut microbiota and we used RNA from liver tissue for microarray analysis. Results The body weight and fat weight of BIT group were reduced compared to HFD group. The qPCR markers usually up-regulated in metabolic syndrome were decreased in BIT group. Bacteroides were higher in BIT group than other groups. There were also differences in gene expressions between two groups such as Cyp3a11 and Scd1. Conclusions We could find out BIT can ameliorate metabolic syndrome and suggest its effect is related to gut microbiota composition and gene expression pattern.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.81-90
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• 2010

Objectives : The present study purposed to compare the effects of Melandrii Herba and Vaccariae Semen, which are used as Wang-Bul-Yu-Haeng(王不留行) with vasodilatory effect in Korea and China, respectively, on hyperlipidemia. Methods : We applied the water extract of Melandrii Herba and Vaccariae Semen to rats with hyperlipidemia induced by high-cholesterol diet and high-fructose diet and evaluated their effects. Results : While Vaccariae Semen had significant effect on the reduction of the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, free cholesterol, and the activation of ALT, the application of Melandrii Herba had no significant effect on the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, free cholesterol, neutral fat, and free fatty acid, and the activation of AST. For the rats with hypertriglyceridemia, Vaccariae Semen reduced the levels of neutral fat and total cholesterol, but did not significantly reduce the level of free fatty acid and the activation of AST and ALT. The application of Melandrii Herba did not have any significant effect on the levels of neutral fat, total cholesterol, and free fatty acid, and the activation of AST and ALT, but it increased the level of HDL cholesterol. Conclusion : Vaccariae Semen showed a possibility as a remedy for hyperlipidemia, but Melandrii Herba did not show any significant effect. Thus, based on such a difference in remedial effect between Melandrii Herba and Vaccariae Semen, they need to be distinguished in clinical application.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.126-137
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• 2022

Background: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the main chronic liver diseases. NASH is identified by lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis. Jinan Red Ginseng (JRG) and licorice have been widely used because of their anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. Hence, this study assessed JRG and licorice extract mixtures' effects on NASH progression. Methods: Palmitic acid (PA) and the western diet (WD) plus, high glucose-fructose water were used to induce in vitro and in vivo NASH. Mice were orally administered with JRG-single (JRG-S) and JRG-mixtures (JRG-M; JRG-S + licorice) at 0, 50, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg/day once a day during the last half-period of diet feeding. Results: JRG-S and JRG-M reduced NASH-related pathologies in WD-fed mice. JRG-S and JRG-M consistently decreased the mRNA level of genes related with inflammation, fibrosis, and lipid metabolism. The treatment of JRG-S and JRG-M also diminished the SREBP-1c protein levels and the p-AMPK/AMPK ratio. The FAS protein levels were decreased by JRG-M treatment both in vivo and in vitro but not JRG-S. Conclusion: JRG-M effectively reduced lipogenesis by modulating AMPK downstream signaling. Our findings suggest that this mixture can be used as a prophylactic or therapeutic alternative for the remedy of NASH.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.7.1-7.8
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• 2014

Metabolic effects of ten daily doses of standardized extract of Andrographis paniculata leaves (AP) rich in andrographolide were evaluated in a rat model of type-2 diabetes and in diet induced obese rats. AP was administered per-orally as suspension in 0.3% carboxymethylcellulose at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 10 consecutive days. Blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile of rats were measured by using enzyme kits. In addition, effects of such treatments on anti-oxidant enzymes activity and histopathological changes in various organs of diabetic rats were assessed. AP treatments reversed body weight losses and increased plasma insulin level in diabetic rats. The anti-oxidant enzymes activity became normal and histopathological changes observed in pancreas, liver, kidney and spleen of diabetic animals were less severe in extract treated groups. On the other hand, hyperinsulinemia and increased body weight gains observed in high fat or fructose fed rats were less severe in the extract treated groups. These observations revealed therapeutic potentials of the extract for treatments of diabesity associated metabolic disorders, and suggest that the effects of the extract on insulin homeostasis depend on the metabolic status of animals. Activation of cytoprotective mechanisms could be involved in its mode of action.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1201-1210
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The dietary intake of foods with fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) is known to adversely affect patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the effects of FODMAP have been studied predominantly among Western populations. This study aimed to identify foods high in FODMAP content which form a part of the Korean adult diet and obtain basic data for the preparation of IBS guidelines. SUBJECTS/METHODS: An online survey of 1,000 adults from the general population in the age group of 20 to 40 years was performed. Data from 787 participants (men, 386; women, 401) were analyzed. The general characteristics of the participants, health status, IBS diagnosis using the Rome III diagnostic criteria, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire findings, and food items causing symptoms were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 169 participants (21.5%) had IBS. The contribution of the FODMAP nutrients in both IBS and healthy groups was as follows: fructan > lactose > excess fructose > sorbitol > mannitol > galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). The fructan intake was 4.6 ± 2.2 g/day and 4.3 ± 2.5 g/day in the IBS and healthy groups (P = 0.014), respectively. In the IBS group, the ratio of the intake of fructan to the total FODMAP intake was 39.5%, 29.8%, and 5.8% through onions, garlic, and bananas, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fructan was the FODMAP nutrient most consumed by Korean adults. Therefore, given the difference in the dietary habits of each country's population, the dietary guidelines for IBS should be country specific.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.348-353
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• 2003

Generally, two different types of fructose polymer are found in nature. One is inulin, whose fructosyl residues are linked mainly by a ${\beta}-(2,1)-linkage$, while the other is high-molecular-weight levan, whose fructosyl residues are linked mainly by a ${\beta}-(2,6)-linkage$. In contrast to the extensive studies on the prebiotic properties of inulin, there has been no report on the effect of levan on the large bowel microflora in viva. Therefore, to examine whether dietary levan can be used as a prebiotic, Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed one of two diets for 3 weeks: 1) basal diet plus sucrose; 2) basal diet plus 10% (wt/wt) levan. The cecal bowel mass, cecal and colon short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), pH, and microflora were then compared. The intake of the levan-containing diet significantly increased the total cecal weight and wall weight. The analyses of the SCFAs in the cecal and colonic contents revealed that levan was converted into acetate, butyrate, and lactate, which resulted in acidic conditions. The intake of levan also significantly increased the total number of microorganisms by 5-fold and lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) 30-fold in the feces. Accordingly, the current work shows that levan can be used as a prebiotic for stimulating the growth of LAB in an animal model.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.844-852
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• 2011

In this study, various antioxidant propertieswere evaluated by analyzing the proximate composition and free-sugar and DNJ contents of the Bombyx mori L., Mori fructus, Morus ramulus, Mori folium, Dioscoreae rhizome and Inonotus obliquus extracts, and the antidiabetic effect was evaluated through an in-vivo experiment. Product evaluation was conducted after preparing a beverage for the easy use of the mixed extract for biological activity, as a functional resource. The biochemical composition of the extracts was 0.31% crude protein, 0.114 g/100 mL free sugar and 161.02 mg/gdw DNJ, all of which showed excellent results in all the antioxidant ability and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition ability experiments. The beverage showed the following functionalities. The total-polyphenol content was 71.93%, but the electron-donating ability was highest in the 5% extract concentration. Moreover, when the TBARS values were experimented on, KO2 showed an especially high scavenging ability. During the five-week beverage supply after inducing diabetes with streptozotocin (STZ), the change in the blood sugar was measured, and the STZ-induced diabetes+oral-beverage group (C) showed a lower blood sugar level than the diabetes comparative group (B) in the second week. In the STZ-induced diabetes+free-diet/beverage group (D), the blood glucose level also slowly decreased in the second week. The lowest blood glucose level among the STZ-induced diabetes groups was shown in the fifth week.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2016

Purpose: Our previous study demonstrated the hypoglycemic effects of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf and the underlying mechanisms. Here we explored the potency of mulberry twigs (TW) and root barks (RB) in postprandial hypoglycemic effects in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The major components of TW and RB were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Alpha-glucosidase inhibition and glucose/fructose uptake inhibition in Caco-2 cells were determined for TW, RB, and their major components, followed by an oral sugar tolerance test (OSTT) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet for 2 weeks and then a single dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg B.W) was administered by intraperitoneal injection. Rats with fasting blood glucose levels above 126 mg/dL were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8/group) for the following treatments by gavage for 4 weeks: vehicle (normal control and diabetic control), 200 mg/kg B.W of TW or RB or 100 mg/kg B.W of oxyresveratrol (OXY). Results: OXY and mulberroside A were identified as the major components of TW and OXY, mongolicin, and kuwanon H for RB. A significant inhibitory activity on ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ was found for TW, RB, and OXY (p = 0.0099). There was a dose-dependent inhibition of TW and RB on the intestinal sugar uptakes in Caco-2 cells, showing a greater impact on fructose compared to glucose. The OSTT showed that TW and RB significantly delayed time to maximal concentration (p = 0.0088) and decreased maximal concentration (p = 0.0043) compared to the control group. Conclusion: These results suggest that TW and RB may have a postprandial hypoglycemic effect, particularly in the case of high fructose or sucrose intake. OXY was suggested as a contributor to the hypoglycemic effect of TW and RB. Further studies are needed for the systemic effect of TW and RB in circulation.