• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.737-744
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• 2013

The present study was investigated to evaluate on the health improving effect of Kochujang (Fermented Korean hot pepper paste), which was famous as Korean traditional healthy food among foreigners as it was served together with Bibimbap. For comparison, observation was made on the experimental animals (Sprague-Dawley rat) as breeding during 5 weeks, which were divided three groups as into the control groups (N-group) fed with normal feed only and high cholesterol feed only (H-group) and the K-group with combined diet of normal feed and Kochujang extracts (Water soluble complex materials). The most outstanding result was found as the definite fatty liver lesions found from all (100%) of the rats of the H-group at the abdominal opening examination. On the other hand, there was any finding on fatty liver lesions in the N-group as well as the K-group. Therefore, it was more than enough to identify the hypolipidemic effect by visual finding only. Furthermore, from the results of blood plasma analysis from SD-rats fed with Kochujang extract (K-group), more prominent differential findings were found, the value of HDL-cholesterol, which was good for preventing the arteriosclerosis, was more or less higher than that of H-groups. But the level of LDL-cholesterol, which was one of the hazardous agents of hyperlipidemia and arteriosclerosis, was more significantly reduced to the level even lower than that of N-group, based on the statistical analysis, in especial. According to the present results, we could find that the unidentified Korean traditional Kochujang-derived complex components had expressed both the positive health improving effects and hypolipidemic effects on the SD-rat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1286-1293
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the biological activity and hepatoprotective effect of various fractions and isolated compounds from Kochiae fructus (KF) extract on D-galactosamine (GaIN)-intoxicated rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, GaIN treated group (GaIN), GaIN plus KF methanol extract treated group (KFM 200-GaIN), GaIN plus KF butanol extract treated group (KFB 200-GaIN), GaIN plus momordin Ic treated group (Momordin Ic 30-GaIN) and GaIN plus oleanolic acid treated group (Oleanolic acid 30-GaIN). KFM (200 mg/kg BW), KFB (200 mg/kg BW), momordin Ic (30 mg/kg BW) and oleanolic acid (30 mg/kg BW) were orally administered once a day for 14 days. GaIN (400 mg/kg BW) was injected at 30 minutes after the final administration of the compounds. The activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were increased in the GaIN group compared to the control group and significantly lower in the KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group than in the GaIN group. Hepatic lipid peroxide level was increased in the GaIN group compared to the control group and was lower in the KFM 200-GaIN, KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group than in the GaIN group. Activities of xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase in liver were higher in the GaIN group than in the control group and were significantly decreased in the KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group compared to the GaIN group. Hepatic glutathione, ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and catalase activities were decreased in the GaIN group compared to the control group and were higher in the KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group than in the GaIN group. Activities of hepatic glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were lower in the GaIN group than in the control group and were improved in the KFM 200-GaIN, KFB 200-GaIN, momordin Ic 30-GaIN and oleanolic acid 30-GaIN group compared to the GaIN group. Therefore, the current results indicate that momordin Ic administration alleviated the GaIN-induced adverse effect through enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activities.