• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.378-384
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• 2007

Powder, or a concentrate, of maesil (Prunus mume) were used in the making of kochujang, and were added to kochujang at 0.5 or 1.0% (w/w). Kochujang fermented with maesil powder lower moisture content than did samples fermented with maesil concentrate. Moisture content slowly increased during fermentation, and was $3{\sim}4%$ higher than the initial value after 8 weeks of fermentation. Kochujang fermented with maesil powder or maesil concentrate showed lower pH values and higher total acidities than did the control. The total microbial count was $3.6{\times}10^7\;5.4{\times}10^7\;cfu/g$, and yeast and mold levels were $2.0{\times}10^7{\sim}3.6{\times}10^7\;cfu/g$, as kochujang fermentation commenced. Microbial load reached a maximum by 4 weeks of fermentation, and decreased thereafter. L (lightness), a (redness) and b (yellowness) values of kochujang gradually decreased during fermentation. Compared to methanol extracts of kochujang, water extracts and ethanol extracts showed higher free radical scavenging abilities at the initial stage of fermentation. Control, and samples with 0.5% (w/w) maesil powder or maesil concentrate, attained higher scores in sensory evaluation tests than did samples with higher maesil levels, and were not significantly different at P>0.05 as determined by Duncan's multiple range test.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.195-198
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• 2005

Among organic acids, Prunus mume extract(PME) was mostly consisted of $0.47\;mg\%$ citric, $0.43\;mg\%$ malic and $0.25\;mg\%$ oxalic acid Volatile compounds in PME were identified by GC/MSD, showing that acetic acid($8.3\%$) and p-coumaric acid($13.1\%$) as well as 5-hydroxymethyl furfural($32.3\%$), furfural($8.3\%$), and 3-methyl-2,3-furandione($2.3\%$) were major compounds which are known as antimicrobial substances.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.304-309
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• 2006

In order to examine the antimicrobial effect on dairy processing facilities and products, Prunus mume extinct (PME) was applied to the pilot plant system of dairy industry and yogurt, PME showed thermal and pH stability in the wide spectrum of temperature ($40{\sim}150^{\circ}C$) and pH ($4{\sim}10$) and remarkable antimicrobial activities against dairy spoilage microorganisms. As the result of aseptic treatment of dairy processing facilities with PME microbial colony including coliform bacteria was not detected canpore to those detected in the control. In the level of PME concentration which inhibit the growth of putrefactive microorganisms we could produce yogurt with good scores of sensory evaluation.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2011

Objectives : Previous studies have shown that Fructus mume (FM) has anti-platelet effects. The present study was performed to determine the acute oral toxicity and quality control of a crude extract of FM in ICR mice. Methods : We investigated the in vivo single dose acute toxicity of FM 95% ethanol extract. This test was orally administered once by gavage to 20 male and 20 female mice at dose levels of 0 (control group), 1250, 2500 and 5000mg/kg body weight, respectively. Mortalities, clinical findings, autopsy findings and body weight changes were monitored daily for the 14 days following the administration. HPLC analysis was performed for the simultaneous determination of ursolic acid and p-hydroxycinnamic acid in FM. Reverse-phase chromatography using a C18 column and photodiode array detection at 211 nm was used for quantification of the two maker components. The mobile phase for gradient elution consists of water and acetonitrile. Results : We observed survival rates, general toxicity, change of body weight, and autopsy. The mice did not die after single oral administration of maximum dose of FM. Autopsy of animal revealed no abnormal gross finding. Therefore, $LD_{50}$ value of FM for ICR mice was more than 5000mg/kg on oral route. The HPLC analysis showed that ursolic acid and p-hydroxycinnamic acid amounts to 9.75- and 0.12% in the extract with the retention times of 47.99- and 15.38 minutes, respectively. Conclusions : These results suggest that no toxic dose level of FM in mice is considered to be more than 5000mg/kg. Consequently, it was concluded that FM have no effect on acute toxicity and side effect in ICR mice. For the quality control of FM extract, simultaneous determination of ursolic acid and p-hydroxycinnamic acid was established.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.424-429
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• 2010

Prunus mume is rich in organic acid, and excels in antioxidant activity. However, development of processed foods using Prunus mume is very limited, and characteristics of its products are different according to the region they are processed in. In this study, we collected 13 kinds of sugar-preserved Prunus mume home-made products in Hadong, and investigated their physical and manufacturing characteristics to select a superior product. 5 kinds of sugar-preserved Prunus mume products were selected according to results of sensory evaluation, and the overall acceptability of product No.13 was superior. Moisture contents of the 5 samples ranged from 45.2~53.3%, and pH and acidity showed similar values at about 2.8 and 0.4%, respectively. Sugar content of product No.13 were slightly lower than other products. Crude protein and lipid contents were similar at about 0.4 and 0.5%, respectively. Hardness value of product No.13, selected by its texture in sensory evaluation, was higher than others. The main components of organic acids were oxalic, malic, citric and fumaric acid, and citric acid content occupied more than 60% of total organic acid content. Also, the main components of free sugar were glucose and fructose.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.1409-1416
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• 2012

This study examined the effects of four herbal sports drinks containing Prunus mume, Liriope platyphylla, and Acanthopanax senticosus fruit extracts on body fat and endurance of rats trained by a progressive loaded exercise program. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old) were divided into five groups and fed experimental diets for 6 weeks according to the following protocol: C, exercise-trained control group (n=8); A, exercise group with Acanthopanax senticosus extract (n=8); L, exercise group with Liriope platyphylla extract (n=8); PA, exercise group with Prunus mune fruit extract plus Acanthopanax senticosus extract (n=8); PL, exercise group with Prunus mune fruit extract plus Liriope platyphylla extract (n=8). Endurance was measured by a progressive loaded exercise test using a treadmill. PA and PL supplementation significantly extended time to exhaustion compared to the control group (p<0.05). Further, the four herbal sports drinks all significantly reduced epididymal and interscapular white adipose tissue weights compared to the control group (p<0.05). Plasma triglyceride concentration was significantly lower in the A group compared to the control group. Plasma free fatty acid concentration was higher in the A group compared to the control group. On the other hand, Acanthopanax senticosus fruit extract supplementation tended to reduce the plasma glucose concentration compared to the control group. PA and PL supplementation significantly increased gastrocnemius muscle LDH activities compared to the control group (p<0.05). These results show that sports drink containing Acanthopanax senticosus improved endurance capacity, plasma lipids, and glucose concentrations. Sports drink with Prunus mume and Liriope platyphylla or Acanthopanax senticosus was synergistically improved endurance.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.645-649
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• 2007

The effects of the ratio of 45% alcohol and Maesil(Prumus mume) (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, w/v) on quality changes of Maesil liqueur during leaching and ripening for 5 months were examined. Total acidity increased with an increase ratio of Maesil and leaching and ripening periods. The pH increased as increase ratio of alcohol. The color of liqueur became dark as an increase ratio of Maesil and leaching and ripening periods. The contents of alcohol after leaching and ripening for 2 months were 24.3%(1:1), 32.2%(1:2), and 36.0%(1:3), respectively and decreased as an increase the ratio of Maesil. The contents of reducing sugar and polyphenol in the liqueur increased with an increase ratio of Maesil and leaching and ripening periods. The major components of free sugar in the liqueur were fructose, glucose, sucrose and maltose but sucrose and maltose did not detect regardless the ratio of Maesil after leaching and ripening for 2 months. The major components of organic acid in the liqueur were citric, lactic, malic, and acetic acids. The total amount of organic acid increased as an increase the ratio of Maesil but the changes of individual organic acid in the liqueur contained different ratio of Maesil showed the different tendency each other.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.511-519
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• 2004

The optional ingredient, Maesil juice, was adopted to improve the quality of Yulmoo Mul-Kimchi during fermentation. The final weight of the Maesil juice as a percentage of the water content in the Yulmoo Mul-Kimchi was adjusted to 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7%. The physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics were determined during fermentation at 10$^{\circ}C$ over a 30 days period. After fermentation, the additions of 3 and 5% Maesil juice gave the highest pH values and lowest total acidities. With regard to the reducing sugars, the 3 and 5% treatments gave the highest contents. The number of the total cell count and lactic acid bacteria increased to their maxima during fermentation, but began to decrease during the latter stages. Here, the additions of 3 and 5% Maesil juice showed distinctive lower and higher numbers of total cells and lactic acid bacteria, respectively, during the latter stages of fermentation. With regard to the sensory evaluation on the addition of Maesil juice, the results obtained with 3 and 5% additions to the fermented Yulmoo Mul-Kimchi were favored for color, smell, sour and carbonated tastes and overall acceptability of the products. Therefore, the optimum levels of Maesil juice addition to Yulmoo Mul-Kimchi were estimated to be between 3 and 5%.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1109-1119
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• 2011

In the present study, the pro-apoptotic effects of methanol extract of Prunus mume fruits (MEPM) in human leukemia U937 cells were investigated. It was found that exposure to MEPM resulted in growth inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis. The induction of apoptotic cell death in U937 cells by MEPM was correlated with a down-regulation of inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, such as X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and survivin, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, up-regulation of FasL and cleavage of Bid. MEPM treatment also induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9, and degradation of caspase-3 substrate proteins, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and ${\beta}$-catenin. In addition, apoptotic cell death induced by MEPM was significantly inhibited by z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 specific inhibitor, which demonstrates the important role of caspase-3 in the apoptotic process by MEPM in U937 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that P. mume extracts may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human leukemia cells and further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Objectives : The fruit of Prunus mume Siebold & Zucc. has been used as an alternative medicine and functional food in Korea and Japan for preventive and therapeutic purposes. However, its molecular actions and mechanism on anti-inflammatory activity have not been clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to clarify the anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanol extract of P. mume fruit (EEPM) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, and sought to understand the associated molecular mechanisms. Methods : Cytotoxicity was assessed by an MTT assay. The amount of nitric oxide (NO) production was determined by nitrite assay. The mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was analyzed by RT-PCR. In addition, expression levels of iNOS, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein were detected by Western blotting. Results : Our data indicated that EEPM inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. At the mRNA and protein levels, EEPM suppressed LPS-induced iNOS expression. On the other hand, EEPM markedly enhanced HO-1 expression, which was associated with an induction and nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of EEPM against LPS‑induced NO production was significantly enhanced by hemin, a HO-1 inducer; however, EEPM's effect on the production of NO was abolished by zinc protoporphyrin IX, a HO-1 inhibitor. Conclusion : The results suggest that EEPM can act as a suppressor agent on NO production through an activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, and may be a promising candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.