Skeletal muscle is an organ that regulates biological metabolic energy. Its dysfunction causes decline of body functions and disability, thus deteriorating the overall quality of life. Various materials are being developed with an anti-sarcolytic effect. However, anti-sarcolytic effect of Sinomenium acutum rhizomes extract (SAE) remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate anti-muscle atrophy effects of SAE and its alkaloids, including sinomenine (SIN), magnoflorine (MF), acutumine (ACU), and N-ferultyramine (NFT) isolated from SAE, on dexamethasone (Dex)-induced myotubules. C2C12 myogenic cells differentiated for 6 days were treated with 1 mM Dex for 24 hours. Induction of muscular atrophy was confirmed by a decrease in myogenin expression. We found that Dex increased expression levels of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases MuRF1 and MAFbx/atrogin-1. However, mRNA and protein levels of these muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases were significantly reduced by cotreatment with SIN, MF, and NFT in myotubes. Glucose uptake reduced by Dex in myotubules were also restored by SIN, MF, and NFT treatments. These results suggest that SIN, MF, and NFT can reduce muscle wasting and enhance glucose uptake in Dex-treated myotubes, highlighting their potential as therapeutic agents to prevent muscle atrophy.

Seaweed-derived foods have long been popular in Korea because of their high content of nutrients that are beneficial to the human body. Recently, Korean seaweeds have been used as raw materials to produce new natural products with health benefits. Herein, we compared the antioxidant activity of 16 Korean seaweed extracts to explore their potential utility as health foods. The total phenolic content (TPC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of seaweed extracts were determined. We also investigated their ability to protect human diploid fibroblast (HDF) cells against hydrogen peroxide. The results showed that seaweed extracts at a concentration of 100 g/mL did not cause any cell toxicity. Sargassum thunbergii (Jichung-i) had the highest TPC and radical scavenging effects, followed by Porphyra tenera (Gim), Silvetia siliquosa (Tteumbugi), and Sargassum fusiforme (Tot). Hydrogen peroxide increased the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species, while P. tenera (Gim), Saccharina japonica (Dasima), and S. thunbergii (Jichung-i) extracts significantly decreased it. The effect was highest in the S. thunbergii (Jichung-i)-treated HDF cells. These findings indicate that S. thunbergii (Jichung-i) shows promise as a potential antioxidant raw material.

This study examines the trend of research on food and culture in papers published in the Journal of The Korean Society of Food Culture from 1986 to 2020. The journals published a total of 329 papers, which we classified into 5 main categories and 13 middle categories. Of these, 204 articles were on “Korean traditional food culture.” The most studied topic in the entire period was “Perception of Koreans towards traditional food, preference, satisfaction, and usage.” A total of 76 studies related to “Korean contemporary food culture.” The most advanced topic researched concerned “Recognition and attitude”; these studies were consistently carried out throughout the research period. The main classification of “World food culture” encompassed 32 studies, with major research focused on “World's Modern Food Culture” and the most advanced being “Comparison of Food Cultures of Foreign and Korean Food Cultures.” All studies were consistently spaced out during the study period. These studies provide an integrated knowledge in the field of food and culture and can be used as a basic material for related research in the future.

The fruit stalk of Hovenia dulcis (H.dulcis) is traditionally used to relieve hangovers in Korea. Theracurmin is a highly absorbable curcumin preparation which increases the bioavailability of curcumin. Curcumin is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the role of this combination in lowering alcohol levels in the body, thereby alleviating the severity of alcohol-induced hangover has not been investigated. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the eliminatory effects of a health drink containing the extract of the H. dulcis fruit stalk and theracurmin (theracurmin drink) on ethanol-induced hangover in rats. The theracurmin drink delivered orally to rats 30 mins before the administration of 40% ethanol (5 g/kg body weight), lowered the concentration of ethanol and acetaldehyde in the blood samples collected 1, 3, and 5 h after ethanol administration. Furthermore, the theracurmin drink increased the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes. The effectiveness of the theracurmin drink was thus superior to that of other health drink products, suggesting that its consumption may alleviate or prevent an alcohol-induced hangover.

Although fine dust pollution in Korea is increasing, there is no information regarding nutritional standards for fine dustrelated disease patients. This study analyzed the food and nutrient intake status in adult men with disease associated with fine dust in the area with the increased level of fine dust pollution using the sixth and seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2017). The daily intakes, and average nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) values of energy were significantly increased in the control group compared with patient groups. Compared with the control group, protein, fat and cholesterol intakes were significantly increased in the patient groups. Daily intakes of cereals and grain products in the control group were increased, whereas seasoning intake was decreased in the control group compared with patient groups. The patient groups had low daily water and vitamin B1 intakes, and the niacin intake of patient groups was significantly lower than that of the control group. Nutrition density and nutritional quality of vitamin C were significantly reduced in patient groups. This study can be used as basic data for nutrition education that emphasizes sufficient calorie, water and antioxidant vitamin intakes for patients related to fine dust pollution.

This study analyzed the health characteristics and comorbidity of adult men aged 40 years by dividing them into a control group of those without any disease related to fine dust and a patient group with one or more diseases related to fine dust in areas with high levels of fine dust pollution using the sixth and seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2017). Among the general characteristics, the mean age of the patient group was significantly older than that of the control group (p<0.001), and in terms of the health-related characteristics, the frequency of breakfast consumption in the patient group was higher than in the control group (p<0.043). The body measurements were similar in the patient and control groups. Regarding the prevalence of comorbidity, the patient group showed a higher prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and diabetes than the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant. On the other hand, the prevalence of other cancers (except stomach cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer) in the patient group was higher than in the control group (p<0.05). In terms of the clinical characteristics, the glycated hemoglobin levels in the patient group were significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.048). Information on nutrition and health in areas with frequent occurrences of fine dust was obtained through the study results, which can be used as basic data for measures of health and diet management against diseases that will increase in relation to fine dust.