• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2007

This study was designed to examine the effects of fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida (wax gourd) on hepatic antioxidative status in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were induced diabetes mellitus by STZ injection (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein and were divided into 5 groups: normal, STZ-control, three experimental diabetic groups. Fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida were administered orally into the diabetic rats for 14 days. Hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activity (determined with H$_2$O$_2$ as substrate) was increased in the groups supplemented with chloroform (CHCl$_3$) and butanol (BuOH) fractions. Glutathione peroxidase (GR) activity in the liver cytosol of H$_2$O fraction groups was significantly lower than that of STZ-control group. The H$_{2}$O fraction supplemented group has been shown the notably decrease in the hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The hepatic cytosol catalase (CAT) activity was significant decreased by the supplementation with BuOH fraction. It was found from the results that the supplementation of BuOH and H$_2$O fractions of Benincasa hispida extract could be beneficial for the diabetic complications and damages from the lipid peroxidation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.314-319
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• 2016

Mucus in the respiratory system is a factor to cause not only respiratory diseases but also chronic diseases. In this regard, this study is to investigate whether Benincasa hispida extracts (BHE) would stimulate secreting mucus in trachea and tracheobronchial lumen of rats. As a result, effect of stimulating the mucus secretion into trachea and trachebronchial lumen of rats is significantly increased in accordance with the administration concentration of Benincasa hispida seed extracts (BHSE). The secretion amounts of phenol red (PR) and sodium fluoreseceine (NaFI) are significantly increased by 25% and 34%, respectively, when 70% EtOH extracts of Benincasae pericarpium (BPE) are administrated to rats at the concentration of 200 mg/kg. In addition, the secretion amounts of PR and NaFI are significantly increased when BuOH fraction and water fraction are intraperitoneally administrated to rats at the concentration of 200 mg/kg. It seems the result implies the physiologically active substance that stimulates the secretion of mucus is contained in Benincasa hispida. Thus, Benincasa hispida is considered to be effective for Korean medicine treatment as a medicinal plant having effect of antitussive and apophlegmatic, and it also can be useful in developing functional food and beverage.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 2003

Effects of mashed wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) on texture and sensory quality of bread were evaluated. Farinograph results revealed increase in mechanical tolerance index (MTI) and water absorption, and decrease in dough stability with the addition of wax gourd. Addition of wax gourd also decreased loaf weight and volume. L, a, and b values of crust decreased with increasing addition of wax gourd, Whereas no effect on the color of crumb, Firmness of bread crumb increased with the addition of wax gourd at 67%, resulting in significant increase in hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of bread. Sensory evaluation revealed that acceptable quality of bread could be obtained by the addition of wax gourd up to 50%.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.865-871
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• 2004

This study was designed to examine the effects of diets containing different levels of seeds of Benincasa hispida(wax gourd) on glycogen, protein levels and lipid profiles as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were induced diabetes mellitus by STZ injection (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein and were divided into four groups: normal, STZ-control, and two experimental groups. Normal and STZ-control groups were fed the AIN-93 diet and the two experimental groups were fed a modified diet containing 2.5% and 5.0% of wax gourd seed powder for four weeks. The liver, muscle, lung, kidney, and pancreas were excised after sacrifice, then the glycogen, protein, and lipid peroxidation products were measured. The rats fed 2.5% wax gourd seed group showed higher levels of liver glycogen compared with that of the STZ-control group. The levels of kidney protein were significantly increased in the 2.5% and 5.0% wax gourd seed groups. There were no significant difference cholesterol and liver triglyceride levels of the liver and MDA concentration in the liver, lung, and kidney among all four groups. These results show that wax gourd seed treatment of 2.5% and 5.0% doses did not exhibit profound anti-lipid peroxidation properities.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09b
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• pp.239-240
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• 2003

Type I (collagen) and procollagen are reduced in aged human skin. This reduction could result from increased degration by metalloproteinases and from reduced procollagen synthesis and skin collagenase is required for initiation of the degration of type I collagen. In the present study, we study on assay the collagen and collagenase in natural plants using the fibroblast human skin cell. We select the 15 kind of plants used to herbal and 4 kind of fraction(by methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, water). Among these extract, the ethyl acetate fraction from benincasa hispida/prunus persica, trichosanthes kiriowii, trogopterus xanthipes and methylene chloride fractions from benincasa hispida/prunus persica, torilis japonica and n-butanol fraction from cnidium officinale, chrysanthemum sibiricum were selected for further experiments as they exhibited distinctive amount of collagen compared to other natural extracts. These extracts were again subjected to collagenase assay test. Benincasa hispida/prunus persica extract was shown to have exellent collagen synthesis activity from result of the collagen assay test and the other extract was shown to have over 130% of collagen synthesis activity. But, in the study of collagenase assay test just only trogopterus xanthipes extract was shown to have collagenase inhibition.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.801-806
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• 2005

This study was designed to examine the effects of fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida (wax gourd) on plasma glucose and lipid levels in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabolic rats. sprague-Dawley rats were induced diabetes mellitus by STZ injection (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein and were divided into 5 groups: normal, STZ-control, three experimental diabetic groups. fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida were administered orally into the diabetic rats for 14 days. The food intake and body weight were monitored and plasma levels of glucose, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) , free fatty acid (FFA) , and aminotransferase activity were analyzed. A significant lowering effects of plasma glucose levels were observed in the chloroform fraction and $H_2O$ fraction group compared to STZ-control group at 14 days. Administrations of each of the three fractions decreased plasma TG and FFA levels in diabetic rats. Activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in $CHCl_3$ fraction and $H_2O$ fraction groups and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in $H_2O$ fraction group significantly lower than STZ-control group. The results show that $CHCl_3$ fraction of Benincasa hispida could be effective to control the STZ-induced diabetic rats. (Korean J Nutrition 38(10): 801$\sim$806,2005)

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.364-371
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• 2022

The bones of the human body support the structures of the body and provide protection for a person's internal organs. Bone metabolic diseases are on the rise due to a significant increase in life expectancy over a short period of time. Therefore, we investigated the osteoblast differentiation promoting and osteoclastogenesis inhibitory activities of fermented Benincasa hispida cong. (HR1901-BS, HR1901-BSaf). We evaluated the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of MC3T3-E1 mouse calvarial-derived osteoblasts. We also evaluated expression of ALP, osteocalcin (OCN), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), which regulate osteoblast differentiation. To assess effects on osteoclast formation, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity in RAW264.7 cells was analyzed. ALP activity increased by 121-136% and 140-156%, respectively in the presence of HR1901-BS and HR1901-BSaf. Expression of osteoblast differentiation factor also increased significantly. We also confirmed that HR1901-BS and HR1901-BSaf decreased TRAP activity in osteoclasts by 35-47% and 23-39%, respectively. Our results showed that fermented Benincasa hispida cong. (HR1901-BS, HR1901-BSaf) increase bone mineralization and osteoblast differentiation activity in MC3T3-E1 cells, and inhibit bone resorption activity in RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, fermented Benincasa hispida cong. (HR1901-BS, HR1901-BSaf) can be used as an effective natural resource for preventing and treating bone-related diseases.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.249-256
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• 2020

To investigate the natural cosmetic ingredients of Benincasa hispida seed extract on skin care, we measured anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, and whitening effect. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was increased in a dose-dependent manner. The total phenolic content was higher in methanol extract (22.42±0.002 mgGAE/g) than water extract (9.77±0.002 mgGAE/g). MTT assay was demonstrated that the seed extract did not have a cytotoxic effect in RAW264.7 and B16F10 cell lines. We also examined to find out the inhibitory activity on NO production and secretion of TNF-α cytokine in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. In B16F10 melanoma cells, the seed extract significantly suppressed α-MSH induced melanin synthesis. Furthermore, westernblot analysis revealed that methanol extract dramatically downregulated the expression level of MITF, TRP-1 and TRP-2. Taken together, the B. hispida seed extract posses anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and skin whitening activities, which might provided its functional efficacy in cosmetic materials.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.513-519
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• 2006

The effects of fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida (wax gourd) on lipid levels and lipid peroxidation in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats were examined. Sprague-Dawley rats were induced diabetes mellitus by STZ injection (45 mg/kg) into the tail vein and were divided into 5 groups: normal, STZ-control, three experimental diabetic groups [chloroform $(CHCl_3)$ fraction group, butanol (BuOH) fraction group, and water fraction group]. Fractions of ethanol extract of Benincasa hispida were administered orally into the diabetic rats for 14 days. The liver glycogen levels of $CHCl_3$ fraction group and the muscle glycogen levels of BuOH and water fraction groups were significantly higher than that of STZ-control group. Pancreas protein levels of BuOH and water fraction groups were significantly higher than that of STZ-control group. The liver cholesterol level of BuOH and water fraction groups were significantly lower when compared with the STZ-control group. The level of liver triglyceride in BuOH and water fraction groups were significantly higher than that of STZ-control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in liver of normal and diabetic groups were not significantly different. In the pancreas, the MDA levels of BuOH and water fraction group were significantly lower than that of STZ-control group. The results suggested that the supplementation of the BuOH and water fractions of Benincasa hispida extract could be beneficial for the diabetic complications and damages from the lipid peroxidation.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.174-176
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• 1991

A electrophoretic study on seveal important enzymes was conducted with seed, leaf and stem of Benincasa hipida (Thunb) Cogn and Commelina communis L. Isozyme patterns of esterase were different from the parts and fruit of wax gourd appeared only one band. In the peroxidase isozyme, fruit of wax gourd appeared four bands, but stem of common dayflower no appeared. In the amylase isozyme, seed and fruit of 'gourd were appeared clearly one band, respectively.