• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1007-1013
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• 2004

The study was conducted to investigate per oral (PO) effects of Raspberry wine on testosterone levels in Sprague-Dawley rats. Raspberry wine of 13% alcohol concentration, was prepared from ripen fruits of Rubus coreanus fermented with Saccharomyces cervisiae. PO administration of Raspberry wine for 15 week (group A) produced dramatic increases of serum testosterone levels. Increase in the testosterone level was observed, using gamma counter with 1251 testosterone, starting from 1 week post administration. Maximum increase in testosterone level was observed at 5 week post administration, 7.486±6.482ng/mL, which was 14.6 times higher than normal and at 15 weeks post administration it was recorded as 1.84±3.516ng/mL. However, PO administration of Saccharomyces cervisiae broth (Group B) and 13% brewed alcohol (group C) for 15 weeks resulted slight increase in testosterone levels, indicating Raspberry wine as an effective phyto-testosogenic beverage of the future.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.129-138
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• 2009

purpose : The purpose of this paper is to report that the fasting treatment was quick and effective against the menopausal depression. So that the further study on the fasting treatment for the menopausal depression is expected. methods : This fasting treatment included three periods. The first was to reduce the food intake and the sodium intake as well. The second was for fasting for two weeks. During this period, the patient drank 250cc of the fermented herbal juice and 2500cc of water a day and had the lactobacillus supplement twice a day. Then, the third was for rebuilding. During the rebuilding period, the patient followed the limited sodium diet for two weeks. results : After the fasting treatment done, the symptoms that patient complained before went away. The BDI score went down from 19 to 3. And, of course, the patient lost her body weight and the fat. conclusions : The 49-year-old female patient in the menopause period was suffering from the lack of energy, depression, sleeping disorder, constipation, and weight gain. She took the fasting treatment along with the acupuncture at the holistic medical clinic, 'The Seasons' from Jan 16th 2009 to Feb 27th(the main fasting period was for 14 days). The BDI score indicated that she had the depression as her score was 19 at the first examination. After the treatment was completed, the BDI score dropped to 3. Therefore, I report the immediate effect of the fasting treatment again the depression. Women are twice as likely to get the depression as men. Especially, the women in menopause period tend to get the depression as they are facing the physical, mental, and social changes which can act as the stressors. Besides, women tend to get depressed when they gain weights. Thus, I suggest the further study on the fasting treatment should be carried on so to apply it more positively to various problems in the field of the psychiatry.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.381-388
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to determine protein quality and hematological properties of infant diets formulated from local food materials. The food materials were obtained locally, fermented, and milled into flour. The flours were mixed as 70% popcorn and 30% African locust bean (FPA), 70% popcorn and 30% bambara groundnut (FPB), and 70% popcorn, 20% bambara groundnut, and 10% African locust bean (FPAB). Proximate analysis, protein quality, hematological properties, and anthropometric measurements of the animals fed with the formulations were investigated. The protein contents of the formulated diets were significantly higher than that of Cerelac (a commercial preparation) ($15.75{\pm}0.01g$/100 g) and ogi (traditional complementary food) ($6.52{\pm}0.31g$/100 g). The energy value of FPAB ($464.94{\pm}1.22\;kcal$) was higher than those of FPA ($441.41{\pm}3.05\;kcal$) and FPB ($441.48{\pm}3.05\;kcal$). The biological value (BV) of FPAB (60.20%) was the highest followed by FPB (44.24%) and FPA (41.15%); however, BV of the diets was higher than that of ogi (10.03%) but lower than that of Cerelac (70.43%). Net protein utilization (NPU) of the formulations was 41.16-60.20%, whereas true protein digestibility was 41.05-60.05%. Metabolizable energy (232.98 kcal) and digestible energy (83.69 kcal) of FPAB were the highest, whereas that of FPA had the lowest values. The protein digestibility values corrected for amino acid score of the diets (0.22-0.44) were lower than that of Cerelac (0.52), but higher than that of ogi (0.21). The growth patterns and hematological properties (packed cell volume, red blood cells, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume) of the formulated diets were higher than those of ogi, but lower than those of Cerelac. In conclusion, we established that the FPAB food sample was rated best in terms of protein quality over the other formulated diets. Therefore, a FPAB blend may be used as a substitute for ogi.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.1061-1067
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• 2018

The anti-melanogenic effects of the extract of Angelica tenuissima (AT) root and the extract of AT root fermented by Aspergillus oryzae (FAT) were investigated. These effects were determined by measuring the inhibitory activity of AT and FAT on melanin production in B16F10 melanocytes and with in vitro tyrosinase activity assays. The AT extract inhibited melanin production at concentrations above $250{\mu}g/ml$, and this inhibitory effect was significantly enhanced by the fermentation process with A. oryzae. HPLC analysis resulted in the isolation of two active compounds from both the AT and FAT extracts. Their chemical structures were identified as decursin and Z-ligustilide through comparison with previously reported NMR data. The decursin and Z-ligustilide contents were increased in the FAT extract and could be responsible for its enhanced inhibitory effects on melanin production and tyrosinase activity compared with that of the AT extract.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.109-118
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Bacillus-fermented Scutellariae Radix acupuncture solution (SB) on chemokine and growth factor production in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods : Productions of chemokine and growth factor were measured by High-throughput Multiplex Bead based Assay with Bio-plex Suspension Array System based on xMAP$^{(R)}$ technology. Firstly, cell culture supernatant was obtained after treatment with LPS (1 ${\mu}g$/mL) and SB for 24 hours. Then, it was incubated with the antibody-conjugated beads for 30 minutes. Detection antibody was then added and incubated for 30 minutes. After incubated for 30 minutes, strepavidin-conjugated phycoerythrin (SAPE) was added. After another 30 minutes incubation, the level of SAPE fluorescence was analyzed in Bio-plex Suspension Array System. Results : The results of the experiment are as follows. 1. SB significantly inhibited the LPS-induced production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interferon-inducible protein (IP)-10, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) at the concentration of 25, 50, 100, and 200 ${\mu}g$/mL in RAW 264.7 cells (P < 0.05). 2. SB significantly inhibited the LPS-induced production of Eotaxin at the concentration of 25, 100, and 200 ${\mu}g$/mL in RAW 264.7 cells (P < 0.05). 3. SB significantly inhibited the LPS-induced production of MIP-$1\alpha$ at the concentration of 25 and 100 ${\mu}g$/mL in RAW 264.7 cells (P < 0.05). Conclusions : These results suggest that SB has immuno-modulatory property related with its inhibition of VEGF, IP-10, G-CSF, and Eotaxin production in macrophages.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.206-217
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The immunomodulatory effect of Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) has been reported, but studies on its mechanism are still lacking. This study was undertaken to confirm whether the hydrolyzed and fermented PG extract (HFPGE) obtained by adding hydrolysis and fermentation to the extraction process has an immune-enhancing effect in the in vivo system. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups: normal control group (NOR), control group (CON), 150 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day HFPGE-treated group (T150), and 300 mg/kg BW/day HFPGE-treated group (T300). The mice were administered HFPGE for 4 weeks and intraperitoneally injected with cyclophosphamide (CPA, 80 mg/kg BW/day) on day 6, 7, and 8, respectively, to induce immunosuppression. The levels of immunoglobulins (Igs) and cytokines were measured in the serum. In splenocytes, proliferation and cytokine levels were measured. RESULTS: Serum IgA, IgG, and IgM levels were observed to decrease after CPA treatment, which was recovered by HFPGE administration. The levels of serum interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-8, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were also decreased after exposure to CPA but increased after HFPGE administration. Decreased splenocyte proliferation was seen in CPA-treated mice, but was observed to increase in the T150 and T300 groups as compared to the NOR group. Compared to the CON group, splenocyte proliferation stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the HFPGE-treated groups was significantly increased. The cytokines secreted by ConA-stimulated splenocytes (IL-2, IL-12, interferon-γ, TNF-α) were increased in the T150 and T300 groups, and cytokines secreted by LPS-stimulated splenocytes (IL-4, IL-8, TGF-β) were also increased by HFPGE administration. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that HFPGE stimulates the immunity in immunosuppressed conditions, thereby enhancing the immune response. Therefore, it is expected that HFPGE has the potential to be used as functional food and medicine for immune recovery in various immunocompromised situations.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2014

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been used as a traditional medicinal ingredient and the ginseng flower-buds also proved to have good medicinal properties. In this study, in order to enhance immune activities of ginseng flower-bud, the ginseng flower-bud extract was being fermented by Bacillus subtilis KCTC 1022 (BS), Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC3 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain CHY1011 (SC). Mice were orally administered daily for two weeks at two different concentrations (100 and 200 mg/kg B.W.). Treatment samples were water extracts of ginseng flower-buds (FD), water extracts of fermented ginseng flower-buds (FM) and controls for saline solution. Cytokine production (IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$) either stimulated with LPS or not stimulated with LPS was detected by the ELISA assay when using the cytokine kit. Cytokine was statistically increased at supplemented groups with LPS in both the 100 and the 200 mg/kg B.W. and treatment with FM significantly decreased the LPS-induced TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 production more than the treatment with FD. The results of this study may suggest that supplementation with FM increases the immune function by regulating cytokine production capacity for activated macrophages.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.269-280
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• 2022

Objectives : In this study, it was investigated the effects of solid-phase fermentation extraction with Phellinus linteus of discarded Schisandra chinensis extract (PS) and its action mechanism on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in mice. Methods : In mice, muscle atrophy model was induced by dexamethasone (5 mg/kg, I.p) once daily for 2 weeks and with PS extract administration (100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) as treatment groups. The changes in body weights, grip strength, Treadmill test, muscle weights, and the expression of atrophy-related genes were measured in muscle atrophy mice. The histological changes of gastrocnemius tissues were also observed by H&E staining with measurement of myofiber size. Results : The administration of PS extract increased significantly body weights, grip strength, treadmill test and muscle weights in muscle atrophy mice. PS extract administration increased significantly the area of myofibers and inhibited structural damages of muscle and increased significantly the expression of myogenin and decreased significantly the expression of MuRF1, Atrogin1 and phosphorylation of AMPK and PGC1α in muscle tissues of muscle atrophy mice. Conclusions : These results indicate that PS extract has a improvement effects on muscle atrophy with stimulation of myogenic differentiation and inhibition of mRNA degradation that could be related with the activation of AMPK and PGC1α signaling pathways in muscle. This suggests that PS extract can apply to treat muscle atrophy in clinics.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.365-373
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• 2011

Effective Microorganisms (EM), a fermented medium developed by Professor Higa at the University of the Ryukyus, is a mixed culture containing dozens of microorganisms which are beneficial to nature including people, animals, plants and many microbial species in environment. EM is known to contain more than 80 kinds of anaerobic or aerobic microbes including photosynthetic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, actinomycetes, fungi and so on, with yeast, lactic acid bacteria and photosynthetic bacteria as the main species of EM. Antioxidant effect generated by the concert of complex coexistence and coprosperity among these microbes is considered to be the main source of EM benefits. Currently, EM is earning an increasing attention with applications in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, environment and medicine among others. At the same time, however, a quantitative interpretation of EM system based on a mixed culture model needs efforts from biochemical engineers for efficient production and further promotion of EM. In this paper, we describe the functions of major microbes in EM and current researches and applications of EM in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, environment and medicine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1773-1777
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of Rhodosporidium toruloides as a new tool to evaluate the triglyceride (TG) reduction effects of anti-obesity candidate materials. Unfermented and fermented persimmon leaf hot water extracts (UFPLE and FPLE) were used as anti-obesity agents. The content of TG in R. toruloides treated with FPLE was less than those with UFPLE by about 11% (p < 0.05) relative to the control (R. toruloides incubated in YPD medium without the agents). Fat reduction in 3T3-L1 cells achieved by FPLE was about 13% higher than that achieved by UFPLE.