• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether co-administration of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for final oocyte maturation improved mature oocyte cryopreservation outcomes in young women with decreased ovarian reserve (DOR) compared with hCG alone. Methods: Between January 2016 and August 2019, controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) cycles in women (aged ≤35 years, anti-Müllerian hormone [AMH] <1.2 ng/mL) who underwent elective oocyte cryopreservation for fertility preservation were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 76 COS cycles were triggered with a GnRH agonist and hCG (the dual group) or hCG alone (the hCG group). The mean age and serum AMH levels were comparable between the two groups. The duration of stimulation, total dose of follicle-stimulating hormone used, and total number of oocytes retrieved were similar. However, the number of mature oocytes retrieved and the oocyte maturation rate were significantly higher in the dual group than in the hCG group (p=0.010 and p<0.001). After controlling for confounders, the dual-trigger method remained a significant factor related to the number of mature oocytes retrieved (p=0.016). Conclusion: We showed improved mature oocyte collection and maturation rate with the dual triggering of oocyte maturation in young women with DOR. A dual trigger appears to be more beneficial than hCG alone in terms of mature oocyte cryopreservation for young women with DOR.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.617-629
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• 2023

Reactive oxygen species are the byproducts of metabolic processes in the body, However, excessive amount may cause side effects such as cancer. Therefore, to reduce the production of these species, but their long-term administration at high doses may induce side effects. Hence, natural materials with antioxidant activities are attracting attention. Two of these natural materials are soybean sprouts and Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruits, but few studies have evaluated the effects of their combination. Thus, we prepared a soybean sprout extract containing 1.5% H. dulcis Thunb. fruit concentrate (BHM) to develop a functional food material derived from natural products and then confirmed its physicochemical properties and physiological activity. Among the organic acids detected in BHM, malic acid exhibited the highest content of 1,451.03 ppm, and the main free sugars were glucose (645.48 ppm) and fructose (738.11 ppm). Taurine was the most abundant free amino acid at a concentration of 11.95 ppm, followed by those of arginine (10.97 ppm) and glutamic acid (10.16 ppm). Analyses of the mineral components revealed large amounts of Zn and Fe in BHM, and the respective total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in BHM were 957.16 and 601.93 ppm. The DPPH radical and H₂O₂ scavenging activities and reducing power indicated excellent antioxidant efficacy compared to the positive controls. Furthermore, blood alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were measured to confirm the hangover-relieving effects of BHM, with both significantly decreased (p<0.05). BHM displays potential for development as a functional food, and the results of this study may be used as basic data in further research.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.412-420
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• 2014

This study was performed to investigate the effect of fermented Hovenia dulcis Thunb fruit water extract on biomarkers for acute (a) ethanol-induced hangover and chronic (c) ethanol-induced liver injury in rats. For acute ethanol-induced hangover, the rats were administered distilled water (D.W., 10 mL/kg body wt.), Hovenia dulcis Thunb fruit water extract (HWE, 400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.) and fermented HWE (FHWE, 400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.), respectively, before 40% ethanol (5 g/kg body wt.) was administered. For chronic ethanol-induced liver injury, the rats were randomly divided into the normal control (cNC), ethanol (cET), cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups. The cNC and cET groups were administered D.W. (10 mL/kg body wt.) before 40% alcohol (5 g/kg body wt.) was administrered for 21 days. The cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups were administered HWE (400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.) and FHWE (400 mg/10 mL/kg body wt.), respectively before 40% ethanol (5 g/kg body wt.) administration for 21 days. For acute ethanol-induced hangover, the serum alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations were more significantly reduced in the aHWE and aFHWE groups than in the aET group. Moreover, the effect of FHWE was greater than that of HWE. For chronic ethanol-induced liver injury, the serum ethanol, acetaldehyde, ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transpeptidase (${\gamma}$-GTP) levels and the hepatic lipids concentration more significantly dropped in the cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups than in the cET group. The FHWE administration showed faster recovery of the serum glucose concentration than in the cET and cET-HWE groups. The body weight reduction tended to normalize in the cET-HWE and cET-FHWE groups, which is ideal for chronic ethanol administration. These results suggest that FHWE has a protective effect against ethanol-induced liver damage, as evidenced by its ability to lower the serum ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations after alcohol administration, and by its ability to decrease the level of ${\gamma}$-GTP and hepatic lipids. FHWE also elevated serum glucose concentration. Therefore, FHWE is effective in reducing ethanol-induced hangover and can play a beneficial role in the treatment of ethanol-induced liver damage as well as body weight reduction.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2017

For the production of Yakhobak (Cucurbita maxima subsp. maxima) paste under various heating conditions, we steamed Yakhobak for roughly 20 min, followed by heating under high pressure treatment for 0 min (HHP0), 20 min (HHP20), 40 min (HHP40), and 60 min (HHP60). The physicochemical and sensory characteristics were subsequently investigated. Generally, no significant difference was observed in organic acid content and sensory characteristics score between Yakhobak paste treated with and without high-pressure heating. However, there was a significant difference in color value, soluble solids, and free sugar content. The L value for color of the group HHP0, untreated control Yakhobak paste (no high-pressure heating), decreased as time increased from 20 min to 60 min, with L values of 44.33, 44.25, and 42.86, respectively. The b value for the color of Yakhobak paste also decreased, showing a significant difference. Soluble solids and free sugar (fructose, glucose, sucrose) contents of the high-pressure heat-treated groups HHP20, HHP40, and HHP60 decreased compared with untreated group HHP0. Organic acid composition of Yakhobak paste included citric acid, malic acid, and fumaric acid, and the major organic acid was malic acid. Sensory score of HHP40 was the highest among all experimental groups in terms of overall preference, but there was no significant difference.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.149-160
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• 2024

Dextran is a glucose homo-polysaccharide with a predominantly α-1,6 glycosidic linkage of microbial source and is known to be produced primarily by lactic acid bacteria. However, it can also be obtained through the dextran dextrinase of acetic acid bacteria (Gluconobacter oxydans). The dextrin-based dextran was obtained from rice starch using G. oxydans fermentation of rice hydrolysate, and its properties were studied. Both dextrin- and rice hydrolysate-added media maintained the OD value of 6 after 20 h of incubation with acetic acid bacteria, and the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis of the supernatant after 72 h of incubation confirmed that a polymeric material with DP of 480 and 405, which was different from the composition of the substrate in the medium, was produced. The glucose linkage pattern of the polysaccharide was confirmed using the proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) and the increased α-1,4:α-1,6 bond ratio from 0.23 and 0.13 to 1:2.37 and 1:4.4, respectively, indicating that the main bonds were converted to α-1,6 bonds. The treatment of dextrin with a rat-derived alpha-glucosidase digestive enzyme resulted in a slow release of glucose, suggesting that rice hydrolysate can be converted to dextran using acetic acid bacteria with glycosyltransferase activity to produce high-value bio-materials with slowly digestible properties.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2014

Yellow and black soybean Cheonggukjangs (YBSC) prepared with an addition of onion (Allium cepa L.) in different contents (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30%, w/w) were manufactured, and the sensory evaluation was carried out. The optimum addition ratio of onion was determined to be 20%. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of YBSC prepared with an addition of onion were higher than those of the YBSC prepared without an onion. In addition, YBSC prepared with an addition of onion showed higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activities than those prepared without an onion. Furthermore, rat blood plasma 1 hour after oral administration of YBSC prepared with an onion was more effective in suppressing the accumulation of cholesteryl ester hydroperoxide than those prepared without onion and control. These results indicated that the consumption of the YBSC prepared with onion may contribute to the antioxidant defense in vivo.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.804-810
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• 2015

Salvia miltiorrhiza has been used for treating heart and liver disease. In the present study, the influences of temperature on photosynthetical capacity of S. miltiorrhiza under controlled cultivation environment using growth chamber were investigated because of providing information about growth and secondary metabolite synthesis. And effect of harvesting time on growth properties and constituents such as salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA were evaluated. Maximum photosynthesis rate ($5.102{\mu}mol\;CO2/m2/s$) and net apparent quantum yield ($0.147{\mu}mol\;CO2/m2/s$), stomatal conductance (0.035 mmol/m2/s) and water use efficiency ($7.108{\mu}mol\;CO2/mmol\;H2O$) was highest at $20^{\circ}C$. Results of chlorophyll fluorescence showed that elevated temperature had contributed to reduce a quantum yield and electron flux in photosystem. This result demonstrated that favorable temperature condition was determined at $20^{\circ}C$. Contents of salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA was highest in root sample harvested at 20 March, whereas growth and yield of S. miltiorrhiza had no significant differences with harvesting time. Therefore, this study shows that temperature play an important role in photosynthetic activity and harvesting time have influence upon accumulation of constituents in root of S. miltiorrhiza.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.104-109
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of commercial Makgeolli on tumor growth in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS) in a xenograft cancer model, transplanted with AGS cells. Commercial Makgeolli was first dealcoholized by evaporation and used as the test sample. We detected a significant increase in the volume and weight of tumor in nude mice (induction) that were transplanted with AGS cells. Administration of $100mg/kg{\cdot}day$ group (ML), and $500mg/kg{\cdot}day$ group (MH) dealcoholized commercial Makgeolli significantly decreased tumor growth. In this study, 5-FU $18mg/kg{\cdot}day$ was used as a positive control for tumor growth inhibition. Additionally, determination of the body weight of both the groups revealed no side effects after the administration of dealcoholized commercial Makgeolli. Using the cell culture system, we also evaluated the effect of dealcoholized commercial Makgeolli on caspase-3/7 activity in the AGS cells. Treatment with dealcoholized commercial Makgeolli increased the activation of caspase-3/7 and the apoptotic markers in AGS cells in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, dealcoholized commercial Makgeolli can be used for cancer prevention.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.394-403
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the four-week repeated-dose toxicity of the crude antifungal compounds produced by Lactobacillus plantarum AF1 (Lb. plantarum AF1), a lactic acid bacterium isolated from kimchi, in male and female rats. Sprague-Dawley male and female rats were divided into four groups, with 10 animals in each group. The test article was administered once daily by gavage to rats at dosage levels of 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg/day for four weeks. There were no test-article-related deaths or abnormal clinical signs in both the male and female rats during the observation period. Furthermore, no differences in the body weight changes, food intake and water consumption levels of the control and treatment groups were found. The hematological parameters, serum biochemical analysis results, histopathological examination results and all other findings also showed no significant or dose-dependent changes. There were also no changes in the organ weights upon the administration of the crude antifungal compounds produced by Lb. plantarum AF1. These results suggest that the oral administration of the crude antifungal compounds produced by Lb. plantarum AF1 had no adverse effects up to a dosage level of 2,000 mg/kg in both male and female rats.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.638-646
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• 2017

This study was performed to investigate the correlation between anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in ripe and unripe fruits of three peach cultivars: Miwhang (MH), Kanoiwa hakuto (KH) and Cheonhong (CH). The unripe fruits had higher levels of total phenols and flavonoids contents than those in the ripe fruits of all the three cultivars. The unripe fruits of CH showed the highest levels of total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activities among the fruit samples analyzed. Nitric oxide inhibition values in RAW 264.7 cells for the unripe fruits of MH and KH were 30 and 29%, respectively. However, the inhibition was not observed in unripe CH and the ripe fruits of either cultivar. Total phenols and flavonoids contents showed high linear correlations with the anti-oxidant activities whereas the anti-inflammatory activity had low linear correlations with them.