Physalis alkekengi var. francheti Hort. is known as an insecticide and traditional remedy for liver related diseases. Therefore, this study investigated the chemopreventive effects of extracts and several solvent fractions (n-hexane, dichloromethane, n-butanol, water) of Physalis alkekengi var. francheti Hort. First, their cytotoxicity and NQO1 activity were measured using an MTT assay, plus a quinone reductase [NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (quinone); NAD(P)H: (quinone acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.2]-inducing activity assay was performed using cultured murine hepatoma cells (Hepa1c1c7) and its mutant cells(BpRc1). The reduction of electrophilic quinones by NQO1 is an important detoxification pathway and major mechanism of chemoprevention. When compared with the other solvent soluble fractions with different polarities, the dichloromethane fraction of Physalis alkekengi var. francheti Hort. showed a higher NQO1-inducing activity that was also dose-dependent. Moreover, the dichloromethane fraction of Physalis alkekengi var. francheti Hort. induced ARE-luciferase activities in HepG2-C8 cells that were generated by transfecting the ARE-luciferase gene construct, suggesting the Nrf2-ARE-mediated induction of anti-oxidative enzymes. In conclusion, the dichloromethane-soluble fraction of Physalis alkekengi var. francheti Hort. showed a relatively strong induction of detoxifying enzymes, thereby meriting further study to identify the active components and evaluate their potential as cancer preventive agents.

The colored sweet potato, particularly purple sweet potato, has been well known to contain anthocyanins abundantly. This study was conducted to examine the antioxidant properties of purple sweet potato. The chopped purple sweet potato was extracted 2 times with water or acetone for 18 hours at . The antioxidative potential of each solvent extract was assessed by DPPH free radical scavenging activity assay, FRAP assay, and total phenolic contents. The results showed that both extracts had not only high DPPH free radical scavenging activity but had high level of total phenolic compounds. Furthermore, both solvent extracts were found to have antioxidative effects in human colon cancer cells (HCT 116, HT 29) in DCFDA assay. The notable antioxidant activity of purple sweet potato suggests its significant health benefit and deserves further study to develop into functional food ingredient.

본 연구에서는 갈근 및 그의 주 이소플라본인 puerarin의 활성을 세포 수준에서 분석하였다. 먼저 갈근에 함유된 이소플라본의 양을 분석한 결과, puerarin이 총 이소플라본의 90 % 차지하였다. 다음으로는 puerarin의 항당뇨 활성을 검정한 결과 먼저 탄수화물 및 지방소화효소 저해활성에 대해서는 거의 미비한 것으로 나타났으나 인슐린 감수성 및 지방세포의 분화의 유도에 대해서는 농도 의존적으로 작용하는 것으로 관찰되었다. 따라서 puerarin은 지방조직내로 포도당의 흡수를 촉진함으로서 항당뇨 효능을 발휘하는 것으로 추정된다.