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Due to their high nutritional value and functional content, barley sprouts are commonly ground into powder for human use. This study investigated the effect of drying methods, viz., hot-air drying (HAD), freeze-drying (FD), and infrared drying (IRD), and storage conditions for the removal of Escherichia coli quality parameters of barley sprouts. Herein, the barley sprouts were subjected to HAD, FD, and IRD and stored at different temperatures, such as −20, 4, and 25°C, for six months. The changes in the colony count of E. coli and food quality indicators, viz., Hunter color, chlorophyll, and saponarin, were measured once a month. The HAD and FD were found to reduce E. coli from 7 log CFU/g to 4 log CFU/g, whereas IRD eliminated them (limit of detection ⟨ 1 log CFU/g). In the case of HAD, the E. coli counts and the quality of dried leaves did not change significantly (p>0.05) for six months under all storage conditions. Freeze-dried leaves stored at 25 and 4°C showed a decrease in E. coli counts from 4.5 to 1.2-1.5 log CFU/g after six months (p⟨0.05), and no significant change in quality during their storage was observed (p⟩0.05). In the case of infrared-dried samples, E. coli was not detected even after six months under all storage conditions, storing at −20°C was the best condition for the chlorophyll content and Hunter color (p⟨0.05). On the other hand, the content of saponarin was constant regardless of the drying method and storage.

Cold plasma treatment has been studied to enhance the germination, growth, and bioactive phytochemical production in crops. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of cold plasma treatment on the growth, bioactive metabolite production, and protein expression related to the physiological and osteogenic activities of oat sprouts. Oat seeds were soaked for 12 h, and then exposed to plasma for 6 min/day for 3 days after sowing. Plasma exposure did not significantly change the growth of oat sprouts; however, increased the content of bioactive metabolites. A single exposure for 6 min on the first day (T-1) increased the content of free amino acids (39.4%), γ-aminobutyric acid (53%), and avenacoside B (23%) compared to the control. Hexacosanol content was the highest in T-3 (6 min exposure on each day for 3 days), 28% higher than that in the control. Oat sprout extracts induced the phosphorylation of adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase and osteoblast differentiation was enhanced by increasing the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity; all these effects were induced by plasma treatment. Avenacoside B content was positively correlated with ALP activity (r = 0.911, p

We investigated the germination rate, color values, physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and amino acid content of germinated brown rice varieties (milyang356, nampyeong, and dasan), and their statistical correlation were analyzed. Milyang356 rice was characterized by the highest germination percentage and total color difference value (3.89) at 24 h. In all varieties, the amylose and crude protein content increased on the 1st day of germination but decreased over time (p

Epimerization can change the catechin content and composition of samples during extraction and analytical analyses. To control the effect of epimerization, we developed a novel and stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) method using catechin-2,3,4-13C3 and epicatechin-2,3,4-13C3 as stable-isotope-labeled internal standards (SIL-ISs). When the SIL-ISs were used, the catechin and epicatechin contents were stable (104–109% and 100–109% of the initial concentration, respectively) despite long storage times. In contrast, when L-2-chlorophenylalanine was used as an internal standard, catechin and epicatechin concentrations of 88–97% and 164–277% of the initial concentration, respectively, were obtained after long storage times. Furthermore, the least significant epimerization effect and highest extractability were observed when extraction was performed at 70 ℃ for 30 min. The recoveries for red rice using the developed isotope dilution LC–MS method at two different concentrations were between 100.72 and 118.67%, with relative standard deviations less than 3.67%.

Here, we identified sequence variations of CYP72A69 and UGT73F4 genes from the Sojeongja and Haepum cultivars, and revealed that accumulation patterns of soyasaponin Aa and Ab were different in the Sojeongja and Haepum cultivars. Several genes related in soyasaponin biosynthetic pathway showed significant changes in their expression patterns in two soybean cultivars and soyasaponin contents were also altered under several abiotic stress conditions, albeit no significant correlations between soyasaponin contents and biosynthetic gene expression were observed. We also demonstrated that UGT73F4 gene could be responsible for biosynthesis of soyasaponin Aa in the Socheongja by investigating gene expression and soyasaponin accumulations. Our results provide a molecular basis to improve the commercial properties of soyasaponin in Korean domestic soybean cultivars.

The purpose of this study was to improve the processability of rice powder using fluidised-bed granulation technology. Bukkyungmi-rice granules were prepared by fluidised-bed granulation for 1 and 2 h using water, 5% lactose (w/v) and 5% dextrin (w/v) solutions as dispersants. The particle size of Bukkyungmi-rice granules increased from 574.83 to 728.07 μm. Granules were produced due to pore formation, and the produced particles could be dispersed easily without any entanglement. The water solubility of the produced rice granules is 1.91–6.74%, which reflects the improvement in their quality with increased treatment time. In particular, Bukkyungmi-rice granules processed in 5% dextrin showed excellent settleability. The enthalpy (ΔH) was found to be the highest for Bukkyungmi-rice granules processed in 5% dextrin for 2 h by differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that rice granules obtained by fluidised-bed granulation could be used in various types of rice-based foods.

In order to increase the usability of rice, this study was investigated the quality characteristics of extruded rice snacks based on the rice cultivar (‘Aromi’, ‘Hanahreum’, ‘Jasmin 85’ and ‘Bukkyeong 2012’) and ratio of corn flour (0, 30, 50, 70 and 100% w/w) to rice flour. The moisture content and bulk density decreased as the amylose content decreased, whereas the porosity and expansion ratio tended to decrease with increasing amylose content. The strength and hardness increased significantly with the amylose content. The water solubility index and water absorption index decreased and increased, respectively, as the amylose content increased. The moisture content and the L value increased significantly as the proportion of rice flour was increased, whereas the b value decreased significantly. The bulk density increased with increasing rice flour content. The porosity, expansion ratio and specific length tended to increase as the amount of rice flour was increased. The strength and hardness were the lowest in extruded snacks made with 70% of rice flour. The water solubility index and water absorption index increased significantly with increasing rice flour content. Therefore, the best quality characteristics were observed in extruded snacks made with the Aromi, and the optimal proportion of rice flour was 70%.

Osteoporosis is a common disease that increases the risk of fractures due to decreased bone density and weakens the bone microstructure. Preventing and diagnosing osteoporosis using the available drugs can be a costly affair with possible side effects. Therefore, natural product-derived therapeutics are promising alternatives. Our study demonstrated that the oat seedlings’ extract (OSE) inhibited the receptor activator of the nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis from the bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). The OSE treatment significantly attenuated the RANKL-mediated induction of the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity as well as the number of TRAP-positive (TRAP+) multinucleated cells (MNCs) counted through the TRAP staining in a dose-dependent manner. It was also confirmed that the OSE suppressed the formation of the TRAP + MNCs in the early stage of differentiation and not in the middle and late stages. The results of the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and the western blotting showed that the OSE dramatically inhibited the mRNA and protein expressions of the osteoclastogenesis-mediated transcription factors such as the c-Fos and the nuclear factor-activated T cells c1 (NFATc1). In addition, the OSE strongly attenuated the mRNA induction of the c-Fos/NFATc1-dependent molecules such as the TRAP, the osteoclast-associatedimmunoglobulin-like receptor (OSCAR), the dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP), and the cathepsin K. These results suggest that the naturally derived OSE may be useful for preventing bone diseases.

The physiological or dietary advantages of germinated grains have been the subject of numerous discussions over the past decade. Around 23 million tons of oats are consumed globally, making up a sizeable portion of the global grain market. Oat seedlings contain more protein, beta-glucan, free amino acids, and phenolic compounds than seeds. The progressive neurodegenerative disorder of Alzheimer’s is accompanied by worsening memory and cognitive function. A key indicator of this disorder is the unusual buildup of amyloid-beta protein (or Aβ) in human brains. In this context, oat seedling extract (OSE) has been identified as a new therapeutic candidate for AD, due to its antioxidant activity and AD-specific mechanism of action. This study directly investigated how OSE affected AD and its impacts by examining the cognitive function and exploring the inflammatory response mechanism. The dried oat seedlings were grounded finely with a grinder, inserted with 50% fermented ethanol 10 times (w/v), and extracted by stirring for 10 h at 45 °C. After filtering the extract by 0.22 um filter, some of it was used for UHPLC analysis. The results indicated that the treatment with OSE protects against Aβ25–35-induced cytotoxicity in BV2 cells. Tg-5Xfad AD mice had strong deposition of Aβ throughout their brains, while WT mice did not exhibit any such deposition within their brains. A drastic reduction was observed in terms of numbers, as well as the size, of Aβ plaques within Tg-5Xfad AD mice exposed to OSE. This study indicated OSE’s neuroprotective impacts against neurodegeneration, synaptic dysfunction, and neuroinflammation induced by amyloid-beta. Our results suggest that OSE acts as a neuroprotective agent to combat AD-specific apoptotic cell death, neuroinflammation, amyloid-beta accumulation, as well as synaptic dysfunction in AD mice’s brains. Furthermore, the study indicated that OSE treatment affects JNK/ERK/p38 MAPK signaling, with considerable inhibition in p-JNK, p-p38, and p-ERK levels seen in the brain of OSE-treated Tg-5Xfad AD mice.

Improvement of bone formation is necessary for successful treatment of the bone defects associated with osteoporosis. In this study, we sought to elucidate the osteogenic activity of peanut sprouts and their bioactive components. We found that peanut sprout water extract (PSWE) enhanced bone morphogenetic protein-2-mediated osteoblast differentiation in a dose-dependent manner by stimulating expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) via activation of AKT/MAP kinases. We identified a major component of PSWE, soyasaponin Bb, as the bioactive compound responsible for improvement of anabolic activity. Soyasaponin Bb from PSWE enhanced expression of the osteogenic transcription factor Runx2 and alkaline phosphatase. The soyasaponin Bb content depended on sprouting time of peanut, and the anabolic action of PSWE was dependent on soyasaponin Bb content. Thus, PSWE and soyasaponin Bb have the potential to protect against bone disorders, including osteoporosis.

It has been reported that cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (C3G) is an inhibitor of Helicobacter pylori toxin secretion. C3G is classified as an anthocyanin and is a major component of black rice extract (BRE). The present study aimed to identify a new functional food material to prevent H. pylori infection in Mongolian gerbil model. Toxicity in the liver and kidney were not detected after BRE administration (10 or 50 mg/kg). BRE treatment reduced bacterial colonization in animal gastric tissue, as well as infection signs as observed on the analysis of the hematological data. It was also found that the relative mRNA levels of the inflammatory cytokines were reduced in BRE-treated groups. These findings suggest that BRE acts as a potent inhibitor of H. pylori infection and pathogenesis in Mongolian gerbils. We propose that BRE may be used to manage gastroduodenal diseases caused by H. pylori infection.

Saponarin content in barley sprouts may vary greatly with environmental conditions, such as climate, leading to difficulty in uniformly producing saponarin-rich barley sprouts in situ farmlands throughout the year. This research was an early attempt to identify the optimal conditions of various climatic factors, such as temperature, light, and humidity according to seasonal change, for maximizing the saponarin content of sprouted barley through the two-year field experiment. As a result, the growth index, as leaf length relative to growth period, of barley sprouts varied greatly with sowing time, and they tended to decrease with an increase in the ambient temperature, such as average daily temperature. In contrast, higher saponarin contents were observed in the sprouts collected in March, April, September, and October than those collected from May to August. We also found significantly positive correlations of saponarin content with daily temperature range and average light period, indicating that they could be decisive climatic factors for the production of barley sprouts with a higher saponarin content. Interestingly, the polynomial relationship between saponarin yield and leaf length showed the highest yield with 2.18 mg plant−1 at 15.9 cm in length, suggesting a best cutting time for the production of saponarin-rich barely sprouts based on the leaf length. Overall, the decisive climatic factors according to seasonal change for saponarin biosynthesis may be considered to be daily temperature differences and light hours.

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell dysfunction caused by excessive oxidative damage is partly involved in age-related macular degeneration, which is among the leading causes of visual impairment in elderly people. Here, we investigated the protective role of chrysoeriol against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in RPE cells. The cellular viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitochondrial function of retinal ARPE-19 cells were monitored under oxidative stress or pre-treatment with chrysoeriol. The expression levels of mitochondrial-related genes and associated transcription factors were assessed using reverse transcription&ndash, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, the protein expression of antioxidant signal molecules was characterized by Western blot analysis. Chrysoeriol significantly increased cell viability, reduced ROS generation, and increased the occurrence of antioxidant molecules in H2O2-treated ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, mitochondrial dysfunction caused by H2O2-induced oxidative stress was also considerably diminished by chrysoeriol treatment, which reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and upregulated mitochondrial-associated genes and proteins. Chrysoeriol also markedly enhanced key transcription factors (Nrf2) and antioxidant-associated genes (particularly HO-1 and NQO-1). Therefore, our study confirms the protective effect of chrysoeriol against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in RPE cells, thus confirming that it may prevent mitochondrial dysfunction by upregulating antioxidant-related molecules.

The spectral quality and intensity of light, photoperiodism, and other environmental factors have profound impacts on the metabolic composition of light-dependent higher plants. Hence, we investigate the effects of fluorescent light (96 &mu, mol m&minus, 2s&minus, 1) and white (100 &mu, 1), blue (100 &mu, 1), and red (93 &mu, 1) light-emitting diode (LED) light irradiation on the C-glycosylflavone and policosanol contents in young seedlings of wheat and barley. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analyses of C-glycosylflavone contents in barley reveal that the saponarin content is significantly enhanced under blue LED light irradiation. Under similar conditions, isoorientin and isoschaftoside contents are improved in wheat seedlings. The contents of these C-glycosylflavones differed along with the light quality and growth period. The highest accumulation was observed in sprouts after three days under blue LED light irradiation. GC/MS analyses of policosanol contents showed that 1-hexacosanol (C26:o&ndash, OH) in barley and 1-octacosanol (C28:o&ndash, OH) in wheat seedlings were reduced under LED light irradiation, compared to seedlings under fluorescent light conditions. Nonetheless, the policosanol contents gradually improved with the extension of growth times and treatments, irrespective of the light quality. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the expression pattern of biosynthesis-related genes and the respective metabolite content in barley. This study demonstrates that blue LED light irradiation is useful in maximizing the C-glycosylflavone content in barley and wheat sprouts.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is an important therapeutic target in the regulation of high blood pressure. This study was conducted to investigate the alterations in blood pressure associated with ACE inhibition activity of the polyphenols (1–10), including 3-O-feruloylquinic acid (1), lutonarin (2), saponarin (3), isoorientin (4), orientin (5), isovitexin (6), isoorientin-7-O-[6-sinapoyl]-glucoside (7), isoorientin-7-O-[6-feruloyl]-glucoside (8), isovitexin-7-O-[6-sinapoyl]-glucoside (9), and isovitexin-7-O-[6-feruloyl]-glucoside (10), isolated from barley seedlings (BS). All the isolated polyphenols exhibited comparable IC50 values of ACE inhibition activity (7.3–43.8 µM) with quercetin (25.2 ± 0.2 µM) as a positive control, and their inhibition kinetic models were identified as noncompetitive inhibition. Especially, compound 4 was revealed to be an outstanding ACE inhibitor (IC50 = 7.3 ± 0.1 µM, Ki = 6.6 ± 0.1 µM). Based on the compound structure–activity relationships, the free hydroxyl groups of flavone-moieties and glucose connections at the A ring of the flavone moieties were important factors for inhibition of ACE. The alcohol extract of BS also demonstrated potent ACE inhibition activity (66.5% ± 2.2% at 5000 µg mL−1). The polyphenols from BS had strong inhibitory activity on ACE and this study results suggest that BS can be used as an effective blood pressure regulator through ACE inhibition.

Perilla and sesame are traditional sources of edible oils in Asian and African countries. In addition, perilla and sesame seeds are rich sources of health-promoting compounds, such as fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols and policosanols. Thus, developing a method to determine the geographic origin of these seeds is important for ensuring authenticity, safety and traceability and to prevent cheating. We aimed to develop a discriminatory predictive model for determining the geographic origin of perilla and sesame seeds using comprehensive metabolite profiling coupled with chemometrics. The orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis models were well established with good validation values (Q2 = 0.761 to 0.799). Perilla and sesame seed samples used in this study showed a clear separation between Korea and China as geographic origins in our predictive models. We found that glycolic acid could be a potential biomarker for perilla seeds and proline and glycine for sesame seeds. Our findings provide a comprehensive quality assessment of perilla and sesame seeds. We believe that our models can be used for regional authentication of perilla and sesame seeds cultivated in diverse geographic regions.

Soybeans are used worldwide as food and as a healthy ingredient. Specifically, soy germ (SG) has received considerable attention owing to its abundant nutritional and biological components. This study aimed to elucidate the contents of isoflavone and soyasaponin of SG in 24 Korean soybean cultivars and the osteogenic activity of individual compounds. The isoflavone content in the SG ranged from 1110.9 to 3131.1 mg/100 g, and the soyasaponin content in SG ranged from 1173.5 to 3582.3 mg/100 g. The isoflavone and soyasaponin content depended on soybean cultivars. All isoflavone and soyasaponin compounds enhanced bone morphogenetic protein-2-mediated osteoblast differentiation in a dose-dependent manner, especially soyasaponin Ab. In conclusion, our results suggest that Seonpung cultivar with high soyasaponin Ab is beneficial for developing functional materials.

As international food trade increases, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in food safety and authenticity, which are linked to geographical origin. Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis) are cultivated worldwide, but there are no tools for accurately discriminating their geographical origin. Thus, our study aims to develop a method for discriminating the geographical origin of adzuki beans through targeted and non-targeted metabolite profiling with gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with multivariate analysis. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis showed clear discrimination between adzuki beans cultivated in Korea and China. Non-targeted metabolite profiling showed better separation than targeted profiling. Furthermore, citric acid and malic acid were the most notable metabolites for discriminating adzuki beans cultivated in Korea and China. The geographical discrimination method combining non-targeted metabolite profiling and pareto-scaling showed excellent predictability (Q2 = 0.812). Therefore, it is a suitable prediction tool for the discrimination of geographical origin and is expected to be applicable to the geographical authentication of adzuki beans.

Seedlings of natural crops are valuable sources of pharmacologically active phytochemicals. In this study, we aimed to identify new active secondary metabolites in Avena sativa L. (oat) seedlings. Two new compounds, avenafuranol (1) and diosgenoside (2), along with eight known compounds (3–10) were isolated from the A. sativa L. seedlings. Their chemical structures were elucidated via 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution ESIMS, IR spectroscopy, optical rotation analysis, and comparisons with the reported literature. The effect of each isolated compound on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity for osteoblast differentiation induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) was investigated using the C2C12 immortal mouse myoblast cell line. Compounds 1, 4, 6, 8, and 9 induced dose-dependent increases in ALP expression relative to ALP expression in cells treated with only BMP-2, and no cytotoxicity was observed. These results suggest that A. sativa L. seedlings are a natural source of compounds that may be useful for preventing bone disorders.

Oats and their seeds, stems, and leaves are approved for use as safe food ingredients. Oat seedlings are environmentally friendly and are becoming increasingly popular as they provide several health benefits. We used the UPLC-CAD to quantitatively analyze isolated compounds (1–11) between 15 cultivars of oat seedlings and their harvest time. Maximum average amount of total contents of isolated compounds was observed after the harvest time of 5 days (4711.3 mg/100 g), while the minimum was observed after the harvest time of 7 days (4184.8 mg/100 g). We demonstrated that all isolated compounds (1–11) showed neuraminidase inhibitory effects, with 6 and 7 being the most active with IC50 values of 3.7 and 20.5 µM, respectively. High content of compounds 6 and 7 was observed (2306.6 mg/100 g) in the Dahan cultivar at 9 days, indicating potential good cultivars with a high content of active compounds and neuraminidase inhibition activity.

Rice bran is widely used in various types of food supplement as oil, functional materials. In this study, we compared the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of rice bran extracts according to extraction solvent (water, 80% ethanol, and 80% methanol) and cultivar (Bukkyeong 2012-2, Han-ahreum, and Jasmin 85) to develop a useful food processing materials. The moisture content of rice bran powder was 8.19-9.00% depend on cultivars. Its color variables ranged as follows: L value, 50.06-55.18; a value, 2.35-2.97; and b value 11.65-13.88. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid content of 80% ethanol extract of Bukkyeong rice bran (E-BRB) extract were 6.75 and 5.18 g/100 g, respectively, which were higher than those of other extracts. Whereas, the total protein content of hot-water extract of Bukkyeong rice bran (H-BRB) was the highest, with 18.46 g/100 g. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of E-BRB extract at 10 mg/mL concentration were 95.94% and 96.47%, respectively. The ferric-reducing antioxidant power and reducing power of E-BRB extract at 10 mg/mL concentration were 1.39 mM and 1.97, respectively. These results suggest that 80% ethanol extract of Bukkyeong rice bran can be used as a physiologically active substance for functional materials and functional food in food industry.

In this study, the physicochemical properties of aromatic rice prepared using different milling recoveries and roasting procedures were investigated. As a result, we found that the L value of different milling recoveries of aromatic rice (BA-1, BA-2, BA-4, and BA-6) increased as the aromatic rice (BA-0) decreased, while the a and b values decreased as the different milling recoveries increased. The major contributors to the different milling recoveries of aromatic rice were total polyphenol (28.11-33.84 mg/100 g), amylose (24.97-31.06 mg/100 g), total starch (68.27-73.04%) content. In addition, three different roasting methods were applied; the aromatic rice was roasted at 250℃ for 0 min (BAR-0M), 15 min (BAR-15M), or 30 min (BAR-30M). As a result, the color in terms of the L value decreased, whereas the a and b values increased. Also, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in BAR-30M (41.65 mg/100 g and 22.30 mg/100 g, respectively) were higher than those in BAR-0M (33.00 mg/100 g and 20.78 mg/100 g, respectively). Similarly, the amylose and total starch contents in BAR-30M (26.10 g/100 g and 81.81%, respectively) were higher than those in BAR-0M (22.10 g/100 g and 74.26%, respectively). Furthermore, the DPPH, superoxide radical scavenging activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant potential of BAR-0M at 5,000 μg/mL were found to be 67.78%, 52.90%, and 0.79 mM, respectively. Based on these results, we can conclude that in order to provide the best physicochemical characteristics of aromatic rice, it should be manufactured in the following conditions: 20% milling recovery of the aromatic rice and roasting at 250℃ for 30 min.

Chronic alcohol consumption leads to hepatic lipid accumulation and alcoholic fatty liver disease. Previously, we demonstrated that barley sprout extract, which contains saponarin as an active compound, reduces hepatic steatosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of barley sprout extracts (BSE) on hepatic lipid accumulation in a mouse model of alcoholic fatty liver disease. Seven-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed an alcohol-containing diet (5% ethanol) and a low or high dose of BSE (100 or 200mg/kg body weight, respectively) for 10days. The high dose of BSE significantly decreased hepatic lipid accumulation compared with the ethanol-only control group. In the second animal study, mice were fed an alcohol-containing diet for 10days, followed by a 45% high-fat diet with oral administration of BSE (100 or 200mg/day/kg body weight) for 4weeks. Mice in both BSE-fed groups showed reduced hepatic steatosis. In the livers of mice fed BSE, phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was increased, and expression of hepatic autophagy markers was elevated. In cultured hepatocytes, BSE (200μg/mL) increased the rate of fatty acid oxidation and reduced that of fatty acid synthesis. Taken together, these findings suggest that BSE promotes degradation of lipid droplets and subsequent activation of fat oxidation by activating AMPK in the liver, thus protecting against development of hepatic steatosis in alcohol-fed mice. Saponarin, a major flavonoid in BSE and an activator of AMPK, increased the activity of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, which suggests that the reduction in hepatic triglyceride levels was mediated by this component of BSE. In conclusion, BSE ameliorated hepatic steatosis in a mouse model of ethanol-induced fatty liver by activating AMPK, an effect possibly mediated by the saponarin component.

Policosanols have hypocholesterolemic activity; however, the molecular mechanism of the policosanol effects is currently poorly characterized. We hypothesized that hexacosanol, a policosanol compound derived from barley sprout, may decrease cellular and plasma cholesterol levels; we thus investigated the hypocholesterolemic activity and mechanism of hexacosanol on both hepatocytes and high-fat-induced obese C57BL/6J mice. The reduction of total cholesterol, free cholesterol, and cholesteryl ester concentrations was confirmed in hexacosanol-stimulated hepatocytes (-38%, -33%, and -53%, respectively). Plasma, hepatic cholesterol concentrations, and hepatic steatosis were significantly reduced in high-fat-fed mice orally administered with hexacosanol (0.7 mg/kg body weight a day) for 8 weeks compared with those of vehicle-fed control mice (-15% and -40%, respectively). Hexacosanol in fact bound to the allosteric regulation site of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-β subunit and thus activated AMPK that inhibited the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase by inhibitory phosphorylation. In addition, activation of AMPK by hexacosanol induced hepatic autophagy activity, which could further reduce hepatic lipid accumulation. Alternatively, hexacosanol suppressed the nuclear translocation and activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), a key transcription factor in cholesterol biosynthesis. These results collectively suggest that hexacosanol is a major hypocholesterolemic compound in barley sprouts with regulation of AMPK activation and SREBP-2 suppression. These suppress 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase at both mRNA expression and protein activity levels. In conclusion, hexacosanol activates AMPK and hepatic autophagy and inhibits SREBP2, resulting in hypocholesterolemic activities and improvement of hepatic steatosis.

This is the first study to investigate antioxidant capacities of isoflavones prepared using microwave-assisted hydrolysis method from different parts (seeds, leaves, leafstalks, pods, stems and roots) of soybean at growth stages. In addition, the fluctuations in the isoflavone, protein, fatty acid, and oil contents in R6-R8 (R6: beginning; R7: beginning maturity; R8: full maturity) seeds were confirmed. The R7 seeds exhibited the most predominant contents of isoflavones (1218.1±7.3 μg/g) in the following order: daidzein (48%)>genistein (35%)>glycitein (17%). The second highest isoflavone content was found in the leaves (1052.1±10.4 μg/g), followed by R8 seeds>roots>R6 seeds>leafstalks> pods; the stems exhibited the lowest isoflavone content (57.2±1.7 μg/g). Interestingly, daidzein showed the highest individual isoflavone content with remarkable variations (57.2-766.8 μg/g), representing 46-100% of the total isoflavone content. R8 exhibited higher protein, fatty acid, and oil contents than R6 or R7. Moreover, the antioxidant capacities against two radicals in different parts of soybean plant showed considerable differences depending upon the isoflavone content. Our results suggested that soybean leaves and seeds might be useful materials for functional foods.

The present study is the first to investigate the germination properties regarding phytochemicals, amino acids, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacities of white and black sesame seeds. Nutritional components and antioxidant effects showed considerable differences. Sesamine and sesamolin composition decreased (white: 4.21→1.72, 3.57→1.57 mg/g; black: 2.43→0.58, 1.36→0.45 mg/g) during germination. Moreover, catechin displayed the predominant composition in sprouted seeds with values of 13.50 mg/g (white) and 19.09 (black) mg/g followed by (-)-epicatechin and sinapic acid. Total phenolics increased by approximately 4 times upon germination, i.e., 503.1±27.1→ 2085.0±56.7 (white) and 645.8±31.5→2480.1±49.5 (black), mg GAE/g. Amino acids also remarkably increased in sprouted white (7.04→31.69mg/g) and black (6.55→26.97mg/g) seeds, with individual composition occurring in the following order: asparagine>arginine>tryptophan>leucine>alanine. In particular, arginine and tryptophan exhibited the greatest variations. The antioxidant effects against DPPH radical were stronger in sprouted seeds depending on the phytochemicals. Therefore, sprouted sesame can be utilized as an excellent source for functional foods.

Policosanols is a health promoting aliphatic alcohol known as lipid-lowing agent. To enable maximising the functional properties of wheat, this research investigates the policosanol profiles and adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation potential of Korean wheat seedlings according to cultivars and growth times. GC-MS revealed six policosanols that differed markedly in content between 17 cultivars, especially, octacosanol (8) showed the most predominant component (49–83%), varying significantly in average concentrations with growth times as 361.4 (3 days) → 613.0 (6 days) → 203.1 (9 days) → 196.5 (12 days) → 50.9 mg/100 g (19 days). The highest average policosanol (738.7 mg/100 g) exhibited after 6 days, while the lowest was 104.4 mg/100 g on 19 days. Moreover, the wheat cultivars including Shinmichal 1, Anbaek, Namhae, and Joah at 6 days may be recommended as potential sources because of high policosanols (921.7–990.6 mg/100 g). Western blot analysis revealed markedly higher AMPK activation in cells treated with the hexane extracts (150–370% at 100 μg/ml) and octacosanol (8) possessed potent AMPK activator (control; 100 → 280% at 200 μg/ml). It is confirmed that the AMPK activation by wheat seedlings are positively related to the highest policosanol content at the 6 days of growth time, independent of the cultivar. Our results may be contributed to enhance the wheat value regarding development of new cultivars and functional foods.

H. pylori is classified as a group I carcinogen by WHO because of its involvement in gastric cancer development. Several reports have suggested anti-bacterial effects of menadione, although the effect of menadione on major virulence factors of H. pylori and H. pylori-induced inflammation is yet to be elucidated. In this study, therefore, we demonstrated that menadione has anti-H. pylori and anti-inflammatory effects. Menadione inhibited growth of H. pylori reference strains and clinical isolates. Menadione reduced expression of vacA in H. pylori, and translocation of VacA protein into AGS (gastric adenocarcinoma cell) was also decreased by menadione treatment. This result was concordant with decreased apoptosis in AGS cells infected with H. pylori. Moreover, cytotoxin-associated protein A (CagA) translocation into H. pylori-infected AGS cells was also decreased by menadione. Menadione inhibited expression of several type IV secretion system (T4SS) components, including virB2, virB7, virB8, and virB10, that are responsible for translocation of CagA into host cells. In particular, menadione inhibited nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-&kappa, B) activation and thereby reduced expression of the proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1&beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-&alpha, in AGS as well as in THP-1 (monocytic leukemia cell) cell lines. Collectively, these results suggest the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of menadione against H. pylori.

H. pylori is classified as a group I carcinogen by WHO because of its involvement in gastric cancer development. Several reports have suggested anti-bacterial effects of menadione, although the effect of menadione on major virulence factors of H. pylori and H. pylori-induced inflammation is yet to be elucidated. In this study, therefore, we demonstrated that menadione has anti-H. pylori and anti-inflammatory effects. Menadione inhibited growth of H. pylori reference strains and clinical isolates. Menadione reduced expression of vacA in H. pylori, and translocation of VacA protein into AGS (gastric adenocarcinoma cell) was also decreased by menadione treatment. This result was concordant with decreased apoptosis in AGS cells infected with H. pylori. Moreover, cytotoxin-associated protein A (CagA) translocation into H. pylori-infected AGS cells was also decreased by menadione. Menadione inhibited expression of several type IV secretion system (T4SS) components, including virB2, virB7, virB8, and virB10, that are responsible for translocation of CagA into host cells. In particular, menadione inhibited nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-κB) activation and thereby reduced expression of the proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in AGS as well as in THP-1 (monocytic leukemia cell) cell lines. Collectively, these results suggest the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of menadione against H. pylori.