Soo Im Chung

Comparative study on the hypoglycemic and antioxidative effects of fermented paste (doenjang) prepared from soybean and brown rice mixed with rice bran or red ginseng marc in mice fed with high fat diet.

The effects of fermented paste made from soybean, brown rice, or brown rice in combination with rice bran or red ginseng marc on the glucose metabolism and antioxidative defense system in high fat-fed mice were investigated. The mice were given experimental diets for eight weeks: Normal control, high fat, and high fat supplemented with soybean fermented paste, brown rice fermented paste, brown rice-rice bran fermented paste, or brown rice-red ginseng marc fermented paste. The high fat group showed markedly higher blood glucose level and erythrocyte lipid peroxidation than the normal control group. Diet supplementation of fermented paste inhibited the high fat-induced hyperglycemia and oxidative stress via regulation of the glucose-regulating and antioxidant enzymes activities. The soybean and brown rice-red ginseng marc fermented pastes were the most effective in improving the glucose metabolism and antioxidant defense status in mice under high fat diet condition. These findings illustrate that brown rice, in combination with red ginseng marc, may be useful in the development of fermented paste with strong hypoglycemic and antioxidative activities.

Influence of Aging Process on the Bioactive Components and Antioxidant Activity of Ginseng (Panax ginseng L.)

The effects of aging process on the ginsenosides and antioxidant activity of ginseng was investigated. Fresh ginseng roots were aged in oven at 70 or 80 °C for 7, 14, 21, or 28 d. Their ginsenosides, phenolics, and antioxidant activity were analyzed. Ginseng aged at 80 °C for 14 d exhibited the highest amounts of total saponins and phenolics. It also showed markedly higher free radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and ferrous ion chelating ability than the other aged ginsengs. The ginsenosides Rb1 , Rb3 , Rg3 , Re, Rg1 , and Rg2 were generated during aging. The Rg2 was the most abundant ginsenoside in aged ginseng, with samples treated at 80 °C for 14 d having the highest amount. These findings provide the first evidence that aging, particularly at 80 °C for 14 d, could increase the bioactive compounds, indicating that this heating process may be useful in enhancing the biological activity of ginseng. PRACTICALAPPLICATION: Ginseng has long been recognized for its various health beneficial effects. The present study showed that aging of ginseng roots at 80 °C for 14 d substantially increased the amount of bioactive compounds ginsenosides and phenolics and enhanced the antioxidant activity. The food industry could use the aging process to improve the functional quality of ginseng.

Effect of Instant Cooked Giant Embryonic Rice on Body Fat Weight and Plasma Lipid Profile in High Fat-Fed Mice

The comparative effects of instant cooked rice made from giant embryo mutant or ordinary normal rice on body weight and lipid profile in high fat-fed mice were investigated. The animals were given experimental diets for seven weeks: normal control (NC), high fat (HF), and HF supplemented with instant normal white (HF-NW), normal brown (HF-NB), giant embryonic white (HF-GW), or giant embryonic brown (HF-GB) rice. The HF group showed markedly higher body weight, body fat, plasma and hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations, and atherogenic index relative to NC group. However, instant rice supplementation counteracted this high fat-induced hyperlipidemia through regulation of lipogenesis and adipokine production. The GB rice exhibited greater hypolipidemic and body fat-lowering effects than the GW or NB rice. These findings illustrate that the giant embryo mutant may be useful as functional biomaterial for the development of instant rice with strong preventive action against high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia and obesity.

Aged ginseng ( Panax ginseng Meyer) reduces blood glucose levels and improves lipid metabolism in high fat diet-fed mice

Aged ginseng is unpeeled ginseng root that has been dried and heat-treated in an oven at 80°C for 14 days. The effects of aged ginseng, in comparison with white and red ginseng, on the lipid and glucose metabolism in high fat-fed mice were investigated. C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into six dietary groups of normal control, high fat, and high fat supplemented with white, red, aged four-year old, and aged five-year old ginseng. After 8 weeks, ginseng counteracted high fat dietinduced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia via a mechanism involving modulation of hepatic lipogenesis, adipokine production, and glucose-regulating enzyme activities. Aged ginseng showed greater antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic activities than white ginseng and exhibited physiological effects similar to red ginseng, perhaps due to a relatively high ginsenoside content. Aged ginseng can be beneficial as a functional food.

Dietary supplementation of germinated pigmented rice (Oryza sativa L.) lowers dyslipidemia risk in ovariectomized Sprague–Dawley rats

Background In the recent years, cases of elderly women suffering from metabolic diseases such as dyslipidemias brought about by hormonal imbalance after menopause are continuously increasing. In this regard, a continuous and escalating demand to develop a more functional and highly nutritional food product as an adjunct supplement that can help alleviate these diseases is still being sought. Objective This study investigated the effects of germinated blackish-purple rice cultivars Keunnunjami, Superjami, and reddish-brown cultivar Superhongmi in the lipid metabolism of ovariectomized Sprague–Dawley rats. Method The animals were randomly divided into nine groups (n=5) and were supplemented with either non-germinated or germinated rice for 9 weeks. Then the plasma, liver, and fat samples were collected for the lipid metabolism effects analyses. Results Animals fed with germinated rice cultivars had improved lipid profile levels relative to the groups supplemented with non-germinated rice cultivars. The germinated rice groups, Keununjami and Superjami in particular, showed a low total cholesterol levels, high levels of high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol, high fecal lipid output, low hepatic lipid values, and low hepatic adipocyte accumulation. There was also an increase in the rate of lipolysis and decrease in lipogenesis based on the lipid-regulating enzyme activity profiles obtained for the groups that fed on germinated rice. Also, results revealed that pigmented rice cultivars had superior effects in improving the lipid metabolism relative to the non-pigmented normal brown rice variety. Conclusion Based on the results, this study suggests that germinated pigmented rice consumption can confer better lipid metabolism than ordinary white rice and constitutes as an effective functional food in alleviating the risk of having dyslipidemias like those suffering from menopausal co-morbidities.

Hypolipidemic and Body Fat–Lowering Effects of Giant Embryo Brown Rice (Seonong 17 and Keunnunjami) in High-Fat-Fed Mice

ABSTRACT The effects of giant embryo brown rice Seonong 17 and Keunnunjami, in comparison with that of ordinary normal brown rice, on the body weight and lipid profile in mice under a high-fat diet condition were investigated. The animals were fed with experimental diets for eight weeks: normal control, high fat (HF), and high fat supplemented with normal brown rice, Seonong 17 rice, or Keunnunjami rice powder. Their body and fat weights, lipid profiles, lipogenic enzyme activities, and adipokine concentrations were determined. Significant differences between the animal groups were analyzed with Tukeys test (P < 0.05). A marked increase in the body weight and fat, plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations, and free fatty acid level were found in HF mice relative to the control group. On the other hand, diet supplementation with rice, particularly the giant embryo rice samples, significantly suppressed this high-fat-induced body weight gain and hyperlipidemia via regulation of lipogenesis a...

Effect of Bran Extract from Pigmented Rice Superjami on the Lipid and Glucose Metabolisms in a Postmenopause-Like Model of Ovariectomized Rats

The effect of rice bran ethanolic extract from Superjami, a new blackish-purple pigmented cultivar, on the lipid and glucose metabolisms in a postmenopausal-like model of ovariectomized rats was investigated. Sprague-Dawley female rats were subjected to either bilateral ovariectomy or a sham operation and randomly divided into three dietary groups (n = 6): sham-operated fed with normal diet (SHAM), ovariectomized fed with normal diet (OVX-AIN76), and ovariectomized fed with normal diet supplemented with Superjami bran extract (OVX-SJ). The OVX-AIN76 group showed significantly higher body weight, triglyceride, total cholesterol, blood glucose, and insulin than the SHAM group. On the other hand, supplementation of Superjami bran extract markedly reduced the body weight gain and improved the lipid and glucose profiles in ovariectomized rats through inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis and adipokine production and modulation of glucose-regulating enzyme activities. These findings demonstrate that extracts from S...

Instant rice made from white and pigmented giant embryonic rice reduces lipid levels and body weight in high fat diet-fed mice

PROBLEM With the growing health problem on obesity and its associated metabolic disorders, functional foods with hypolipidemic and body fat-lowering effects are greatly needed. The effects of instant rice made from a combination of pigmented giant embryonic rice (Keunnunjami) and white rice, in comparison with those of instant non-pigmented giant embryonic brown rice and instant ordinary brown rice, on the lipid metabolism and body weight in mice under high fat diet condition were investigated. METHODS Male C57BL/6N mice (n=48) were given experimental diets for seven weeks: normal control (NC), high fat (HF), and HF supplemented with instant normal brown rice (HF-NB), non-pigmented giant embryonic brown rice (HF-GB), and white rice with 8% Keununnjami (HF-KJ8) or 18% Keunnunjami (HF-KJ18). Their body weight gain, plasma lipid profile, adipokine level, lipid-regulating enzymes activities, and mRNA expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) were determined. RESULTS At the end of the experimental period, the HF mice exhibited significantly higher body weight and fat, plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, and atherogenic index and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration than the NC group. However, diet supplementation of instant rice counteracted this high fat-induced body weight gain and hyperlipidemia through inhibition of lipogenesis and adipokine production and alteration of PPARs expressions. CONCLUSION The instant KJ8 and KJ18 rice showed generally similar hypolipidemic and body weight-lowering effects to instant NB and GB rice. These findings demonstrate that instant white rice with added 8% Keunnunjami may be beneficial as functional food with strong hypolipidemic and anti-obesity properties.

Germinated Pigmented Rice (Oryza Sativa L. cv. Superhongmi) Improves Glucose and Bone Metabolisms in Ovariectomized Rats

The effect of germinated Superhongmi, a reddish brown pigmented rice cultivar, on the glucose profile and bone turnover in the postmenopausal-like model of ovariectomized rats was determined. The ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three dietary groups (n = 10): normal control diet (NC) and normal diet supplemented with non-germinated Superhongmi (SH) or germinated Superhongmi (GSH) rice powder. After eight weeks, the SH and GSH groups showed significantly lower body weight, glucose and insulin concentrations, levels of bone resorption markers and higher glycogen and 17-β-estradiol contents than the NC group. The glucose metabolism improved through modulation of adipokine production and glucose-regulating enzyme activities. The GSH rats exhibited a greater hypoglycemic effect and lower bone resorption than SH rats. These results demonstrate that germinated Superhongmi rice may potentially be useful in the prevention and management of postmenopausal hyperglycemia and bone turnover imbalance.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Activity of Aged Ginseng (Panax ginseng)

Fresh ginseng roots were aged in an oven at 80°C for 14 d. The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of this aged ginseng, in comparison with those of the white and red ginsengs, were evaluated. In in vitro antioxidant assays, the ethanolic extracts from aged ginseng showed significantly higher free radical scavenging activity and reducing power than those of the white and red ginsengs. In in vivo antioxidant assays, mice were fed a high fat diet supplemented with white, red, or aged ginseng powders. High fat feeding resulted in a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and a substantial decrease in antioxidant enzymes activities in the animals. However, diet supplementation of ginseng powders, particularly aged ginseng, markedly reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced the antioxidant enzymes activities. The results illustrate that the aged ginseng has greater in vitro and in vivo antioxidant capacity than the white and red ginsengs. The aged ginseng also showed considerably higher total saponin, phenolic, and flavonoid contents, indicating that its antioxidant capacity may have been partly due to its high levels of antioxidant compounds. This new ginseng product may be useful as a functional food with strong antioxidant potential.