• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.1012-1017
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• 2017

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (Family: Aizoaceae) is an annual plant consisting of ice crystal-shaped bladder cells, which is responsible for its common name ice plant. This study investigated biological activities according to general components and extraction solvent in order to examine the functionality of ice plant. The total content of free amino acids was 32.57 mg/g, including 4.64 mg/g of L-alanine as the most abundant and 2.60 mg/g of ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid. Regarding angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activities of solvent fractions of ice plant, ethyl acetate fraction and chloroform fraction showed activities of $33.17{\pm}3.20{\sim}88.19{\pm}3.20%$ and $23.72{\pm}2.89{\sim}86.78{\pm}2.24%$, respectively, similar to $Captopril^{(R)}$ ($19.51{\pm}3.44{\sim}84.72{\pm}1.06%$) and $Enalapril^{(R)}$ ($24.93{\pm}1.12{\sim}91.32{\pm}3.62%$) as positive control groups. Regarding inhibition of lipid droplet production in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by ice plant, anti-adipogenic activities were $53.00{\pm}0.45{\sim}65.75{\pm}0.31%$ and $44.16{\pm}0.29{\sim}63.32{\pm}0.36%$ in the ethyl acetate fraction and butanol fraction, respectively, showing the lowest lipid droplet production. The chloroform fraction and hexane fraction showed activities of $38.33{\pm}0.09{\sim}56.55{\pm}0.50%$ and $31.17{\pm}0.50{\sim}55.10{\pm}1.93%$, respectively, whereas the water fraction showed activity of $26.32{\pm}2.27{\sim}49.48{\pm}0.05%$. Therefore, all solvent fractions inhibited fat accumulation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes according to treatment concentration. According to the results above, it would be possible to utilize ice plant as a new health functional material.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2014

This study was performed in order to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Polygala tenuifolia on lipid mechanism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The chemical composition of the P. tenuifolia was analyzed in order to assess its nutritional value. Total dietary fiber was the highest among the proximate component of the P. tenuifolia. These results showed that the P. tenuifolia may be used as a potential functional ingredient for anti-obesity effect. Intracellular lipid droplets in the adipocyte were stained with oil-red O dye and quantified. In comparison to the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 40.1% and 22.4% when treated with the water extract and 70% EtOH extract of the P. tenuifolia at the concentration of $10{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The anti-adipogenic effect of the water extract was stronger than that of the 70% EtOH extract. The gene expression levels were measured via Western blot and real-time PCR. As a result, the water extract was found to have decrease the gene expression of SREBP-1c, PPAR, $C/EBP{\alpha}$, FAS, ACC in a dose-dependent manner. These indicate that the water extract inhibits pre-adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by blocking the SREBP-1c gene expression in 3T3-L1 cells. Therefore, P. tenuifolia can be used as an effective anti-obesity agent.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.366-373
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• 2011

Recent studies suggested that Cheonnyuncho is a significant source of bioactive phenolic compounds, comparable to phytochemicals, including green tea and onion. In this study, the hot-water and 80% ethanolic extracts of Cheonnyuncho were assessed as to their total phenol content, total flavonoids content, antioxidant activity (DPPH radical-scavenging activity and reducing power), and anti-obesity activity. The results showed that the total phenol contents of the hot water extract and the 80% ethanolic extract were $16.52{\pm}3.87$ and $13.44{\pm}0.85$ mg GAE/g, respectively. The total flavonoids content was detected only in the 80% ethanolic extract, however, with a 778.08 ${\mu}g$ catechin equivalents/g content. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity and reducing power of the 80% ethanolic extract from Cheonnyuncho was significantly higher than those of the water extract (p < 0.05). During the adipocyte differentiation, the 80% ethanolic extract of Cheonnyuncho more significantly inhibited lipid accumulation and ROS production than the 3T3-L1 cells that were treated with hot water extract. Furthermore, the 80% ethanolic extract of Cheonnyuncho suppressed the mRNA abundance of the adipogenic transcription factor, $PPAR{\gamma}$ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$), and its target gene, aP2 (adipocyte protein 2). These results indicate that Cheonnyuncho extracts can inhibit adipogenesis through a mechanism that involves direct down regulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene expression or via modulation of ROS production associated with radical-scavenging activities.