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Mycotoxins represent a potential risk to humans and animals. Under certain ecosystems; such as high humidity and temperature, and poor storage conditions, the mycotoxins are released and leaked into the agricultural produce, mainly crops such as legumes, rice, etc.

The purpose of this study was to examine the antiobesity effects of lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder (LDR) in Sprague-Dawley rats with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Rats were divided into 5 groups: normal diet group, control (high fat diet-vehicle) group, 0.4 g/kg LDR (high fat diet + 0.4 g/kg lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder) group, 1 g/kg LDR (high fat diet + lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder) group, 2.5g/kg LDR (high fat diet + lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder) group. Our results indicate that LDR administration has effects on decreasing of body weight, fat weight, blood parameters and adipocyte size in the obesity animals. In addition, verified that fat degeneration and ballooning degeneration were alleviated in the experimental group fed on a high fat diet combined with LDR groups. These results indicate that lactic acid bacteria-fermented Dioscoreae Rhizoma powder may reduce elevating body weight and lipid accumulation in rat fed a high fat diet, suggesting its usefulness as a functional food for reducing body fat and obesity.

This study is aimed to evaluate skin whitening effects of Sanguisorba officinalis and Stichopus japonicus for cosmeceutical ingredients. The extract of Stichopus japonicus showed 61.78% inhibition of tyrosinase activity, and the mixture of Sanguisorba officinalis extract and Stichopus japonicus extract showed 59.14% inhibition of tyrosinase activity. On the clone M-3 cell meloanocyte, the mixture of Sanguisorba officinalis extract and Stichopus japonicus extract showed remarkable inhibition of melanogenesis. Also, those extracts were not irritable in ocular irritation test. It is concluded from these results that Sanguisorba officinalis and Stichopus japonicus have skin whitening effect. It could be used as natural depigmental material in cosmeceutical ingredients.

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is strongly associated with duodenal and gastric ulcers. Substantial epidemiological data has revealed that high rates of H. pylori infection might be related to high rates of gastric cancer and gastric adenocarcinoma. In this study, a medicinal herbal plant, Cinnamomum cassia, was examined and screened for anti-H. pylori activity. Seventy percent ethanol was used for herbal extraction. For anti-H. pylori activity screening, inhibitory zone tests as an in vitro assay and in vivo study using a Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) model were performed. Also, the safety of herbal compounds was evaluated by animal study. As a result of inhibitory zone test, Cinnamomum cassia extract demonstrated strong anti-H. pylori activities. Also, as results of in vivo animal studies, Cinnamomum cassia demonstrated strong therapeutic effects against H. pylori infection according to the criteria of histological examination and rapid urease test. As results of the safety study, after 28 days treatment of the Cinnamomum cassia extract, the animals were not detected any grossly and histological changes. These results demonstrate that it can be successfully cured against H. pylori infection and protected from H. pylori-induced pathology with Cinnamomum cassia. It could be a promising native herb treatment for patients with gastric complaints including gastric ulcer caused by H. pylori.