The purpose of this study was to investigate the flavor characteristics of Gondre (Cirsium setidens Nakai) essential oil. The essential oil was isolated from the aerial parts of the plant by the hydrodistillation extraction method and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectroscopy (MS). Seventy-eight (90.28%) volatile flavor components were identified in the essential oil from Gondre harvested in May. The major compounds were hexadecanoic acid (44.84%), phytol (15.57%), 6,10,14-trimethyl-2- pentadecanone (5.62%), and tertadecanoic acid (4.77%). Seventy (90.72%) volatile flavor components were identified in the essential oil from Gondre harvested in September. The major compounds were phytol (24.18%), 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (15.59%), tetracosane (8.87%), 2-methyl eicosane (3.55%), 6,10,14-trimethyl-5,9,13-pentadecatrien-2-one (3.12%), dibuthyl phthalate (2.35%), and viridiflorol (2.33%). The flavor components of the essential oil from Gondre harvested in May and September were characterized by higher proportions of aliphatic fatty acids and terpene compounds, respectively.
The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a natural product of cherry tree (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea: PS) as a test substance for improving cytokine and ovalbumin-specific IgE using an ovalbumin-induced asthma disease model of 5-week-old male BALB/c mice. Lung tissue pathology was analyzed to confirm anti-inflammatory and asthmatic effects. As a result of examining the effect on changes in inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in an ovalbumin-induced asthma disease model by administering the PS sample, total cells, eosinophil, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and monocytes were significantly decreased. Concentrations of cytokine-based TNF-alpha and IL-4 and immunoglobulin E in serum were significantly increased in the asthma-inducing negative control group than in the normal group. However, high concentrations of PS decreased them. In histopathological examination of the lung tissue, it was confirmed that inflammatory cells infiltrated around the alveoli and bronchioles were increased in ovalbumin-induced asthma disease model. After administration of cherry tree extract, bronchiolar morphological changes such as mucosal thickening were slightly improved. From the above results, it was confirmed that extract of cherry tree significantly reduced inflammation expression and tissue damage in alveolar tissues. It was also confirmed that the cherry tree extract had an excellent efficacy in improving asthma inflammation.
This study analyzed the chemical characteristics and physiological activity of five kinds of fresh vegetables produced in trees in early spring and tried to use them as basic data for wild vegetable producers and processed food manufacturers using wild vegetables. The crude protein, minerals, ascorbic acid, folate, total phenol, total flavonoid, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitory activity were determined. Five spring wild vegetables contain high protein and phosphorus, indicating that they are useful food ingredients as sources of protein and phosphorus. Vitamin C content was high in R. venicifera and C. sinensis shoots, and in particular, R. venicifera and A. cortex shoots have high folic acid (folate) contents of 1,903.91 ug% and 1,525.35 ug%, respectively, which is considered a good food for folic acid intake in spring. The total phenol content was between 0.52% and 1.27%, and it was the highest in C. sinensis of 1.27%, followed by the order of R. venicifera, A.cortex, K.pictus, and A. elata, which tended to be consistent with the total flavonoid content. As for DPPH radical scavenging ability, C. sinensis (55.93%) showed the highest activity, and ACE inhibitory activity showed the highest activity in A. cortex (88.04%).
Prebiotics are known as components of intestinal microbiota that can improve and maintain human health status by stimulating the growth and activity of the intestinal tract as a method of controlling the intestinal environment. In this study, we examined whether 2’-fucosyllactose (FL) could affect intestinal microbial population and bowel activity. Water content and frequency of mouse feces were increased in the 2’-FL treated group at a high concentration (1,000 mg/kg), with brightness of the color enhanced and physical properties diluted. In addition, intestinal microbial analysis showed that harmful bacteria Clostridium and Staphylococcus strains were decreased and beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus strains were markedly increased in the group treated with a high concentration of 2’-FL compared to those in the control group. These findings suggest that administration of 2’-FL can maintain healthy bowel activity by reducing harmful bacteria population and improving diluted physical properties.
FT-IR, GC/MS, and ATR-FT-IR analyses were performed to confirm the physicochemical characteristics of saw palmetto fruit (SPF) extract. FT-IR analysis of the standard product showed that the band corresponding to the carbonyl bond of free fatty acid was stronger than the band of acyl-glyceride. Sample E was identified as having the same trend as the standard sample. Fatty acid composition analysis revealed that the main fatty acids in the standard sample were lauric acid and oleic acid. The content of lauric acid ranged from approximately 30% to 38% in samples B, C, D, and E, while the content of oleic acid ranged from approximately 29% to 34%. The GC/MS analysis confirmed that the standard SPF extract consisted of fatty acids and fatty acid ethyl esters. Sample E demonstrated a similar pattern to the standard samples in terms of oleic acid, lauric acid, and fatty acid esters. ATR-FT-IR analysis indicated that only sample E was predicted to contain 100% saw palmetto extract. Therefore, these study findings can be considered fundamental data for analyzing the physicochemical characteristics of the composition of SPF extract.