• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.117-122
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• 2016

In the current study, the ethanol extracts and their subsequent organic solvent fractions from lees of sweet potato soju were prepared and the prepared samples were designated as from KSD-E8-1 to KSD-E8-5. Their effects on cell viability and nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells were investigated. The results showed that the ethyl acetate fraction (KSD-E8-3) of lees extracts from sweet potato soju significantly decreased nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells, whereas they did not affect cell viabilities. The fraction KSD-E8-3 reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as COX-2, iNOS and TNF-alpha and also decreased protein expression of iNOS in a dose dependent manner, which were detected with RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. In addition, we detected the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as p38, JNK, and ERK1/2 and their phosphorylated forms. The results indicated that the treatment of the fraction KSD-E8-3 did inhibit phosphorylation of p38, JNK, and ERK1/2 MAPKs, indicating that the fraction KSD-E8-3 regulates LPS-induced inflammatory response via suppressing MAPK signaling pathway. Overall, these results may contribute to understand the molecular mechanism of anti-inflammatory effects by the ethyl acetate fraction of lees extracts from sweet potato soju.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.258-266
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• 2014

Sweet potato soju (SPS), a form of traditional distilled alcoholic liquor in Korea, is manufactured by the distillation of fermented broth under normal pressure, thus providing it for a uniquely smooth taste infused with the flavor of sweet potato. After distillation, the lees of SPS is produced as by-product and discarded. In this study, the ethanol and hot water extracts of lees of SPS, and their subsequent organic solvent fractions using hexane, ethylacetate (EA), butanol, and water residue were prepared in an effort at the efficient re-use of the lees of SPS. The ethanol extraction yield was 1.36-fold higher than that of the hot water extraction, and the EA fraction revealed the highest total polyphenol content among the solvent fractions. The various extracts and solvent fractions did not demonstrate hemolytic activity at up to 0.5 mg/ml concentrations against human red blood cells. In the bioactivity assay, only the EA fraction displayed a broad spectrum of anti-microbial activity against different pathogenic and food spoilage bacteria, and demonstrated significant anti-coagulation activity by inhibitions of thrombin, prothrombin and blood coagulation factors. Furthermore, only the EA fraction from the hot water extract of the lees of SPS showed anti-platelet aggregation activity, which is comparable to aspirin (a commercially available drug). Our results suggest that the EA fraction of the hot water extract prepared from the lees of SPS has a high potential as a novel resource for anti-microbial and anti-thrombosis agents.