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%).

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea M.) has been used for fiber materials in Korea traditionally, but in recent years, the concern with ramie leaves for the food industry such as tteok (a kind of Korean rice cake) industry has been increasing, so a study for eatable ramie is required for the expansion of ramie consumption. Moreover, the ramie varieties for the food industry are not established, so the natural species are cultivated in general; therefore, it is very important to select the ramie varieties for the food industry such as rice cakes, tea, beverage and so on. This study was undertaken to compare the physiochemical properties among 9 ramie lines selected in the Yeonggwang-gun Agricultural Technology Center to select the eatable ramie varieties for the food industry. The contents of the protein among 9 ramie lines was 6.21~7.56% and had the highest content in the YG55. The folic acid (folate) and vitamin C content had varying differences among the 9 lines; the content of folate showed 771.52~1,978.84 μg%, that of vitamin C showed 149.42~275.34 mg%. The ACE inhibitory activity appeared to be the highest in YG88 (21.5%) among the 9 ramie varieties tested.

This study was performed to determine the optimal time of harvest for ramie leaves with the two varieties (Seocheon Seobang and Seoncheon Baekpi) by comparison of physiological activity and physicochemical characteristics. The crude protein, minerals, ascorbic acid, folate, chlorophyll, ACE inhibitory activity and AChE inhibitory activity were determined. The amount of crude protein in ramie leaf, which was collected in Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, grew up steadily from early May to September. The content of calcium in was higher in Baekpi than in Seobang. Seobang displayed its highest value of 3,569.90 mg% in September, while Baekpi displayed its highest value of 3,163.84 mg% in October. Although, folate and vitamin C contents in the two varieties were slightly different, they were higher as the growth date grew in October. The highest value of chlorophyll content was observed in October, which was later in the vegetative state. ACE inhibitory activity and AChE inhibitory activity appeared to be higher in Baekpi than in Seobang. Between June and August, ACE inhibitory activity was highest in Baekpi variety.

본 연구는 제주도에 자생하는 차나무과 식물을 대상으로 식품소재 또는 생약으로의 활용 방안을 모색하고자 angiotensin I converting enzyme(ACE) 저해활성, aminopeptidase N(APN) 저해활성 및 α-amylase 저해활성을 조사하고, 항산화활성을 검색하고 TLC를 이용하여 분석하였다. ACE 저해활성은 후피향나무(수피)와 비쭈기나무(잎)에서 50% 이상의 저해활성을 보였으며, APN 저해활성은 비쭈기나무(잎과 수피)와 후피향나무(수피)에서만 양의 활성을 보였다. α-amylase 저해활성은 동백나무(열매), 우묵사스레피나무(수피), 후피향나무(수피)와 차나무(줄기)에서 30% 이상의 저해활성을 보였다. 항산화활성은 비쭈기나무(수피), 후피향나무(수피), 차나무(잎)에서 30% 이상의 다소 높은 전자공여능을 나타내었다. 특히, 비쭈기나무(수피)는 dot-blot test에 의해 다른 종에 비해 활성이 높아 1.25 μg/ml의 낮은 농도에서도 높은 항산화활성을 보였다. TLC 분석에 의해 비쭈기나무(수피)에서 EGC(Rf 0.26) 활성이 높았으며, 비쭈기나무, 우묵사스레피나무, 후피향나무의 수피에서 EGCG(Rf 0.09) 활성이 높게 검출되었다. 그리고, 표준 catechin류와는 다른 것으로 보이는 5개의 밴드(Rf 0.54, 0.46, 0.44, 0.16, 0.03)는 Folin-Ciocalteu Reagent 방법과 Ferric chloride-alcohol 방법을 이용하여 polyphenol류인 것으로 추정되었다. 이상의 결과를 토대로 사스레피나무를 제외한 차나무과 식물들은 생리활성이 높아 식품 소재 또는 생약으로의 활용이 가능할 것으로 보이며, 활성성분의 분리 및 동정 그리고 이들 물질을 이용한 임상실험 등 보다 심도있는 연구가 필요할 것으로 보인다.

Soybean quality is determined based on protein content, lipid content and fatty acid composition, and several functional components including isoflavones, anthocyanins and functional activity. Because the level of each component changes during seed development, it is necessary to know the concentration of quality-related components in developing seeds. Little is known of the pattern of changes in quality-related components. Seeds from field-grown soybean was harvest from the R6 stage to the R8 stage in 2004. Seed characteristics and the level of nutritional components were examined. Seed moisture content was dropped rapidly after the R7 stage in the tested varieties. Seed growth rate was the highest from the beginning of the R6 stage to the mid-R6 stage. Chlorophyll content was decreased rapidly in pods and seeds. However, seed growth period from the R6~;to~;R8 was 35 days. The crude protein content was. increased dramatically between 63 DAF and 70 DAF and then increased slightly. The pattern of isoflavone accumulation was nearly similar to that of seed weight increase. From the late R6 stage to the R7 , the accumulation rate was higher as compared to other stages. The angiotensin inhibitory activity was increased according to seed development from 63 (R6 ) to 84 DAF (R8 ). The difference of inhibitory activity in heated soybean powder, however, was not great among stages. The inhibitory activity was affected by heating treatment. The most effective heating time was 10 min. Excessive heating longer than 30 min resulted in a lowered inhibitory activity of soybean on ACE

46종의 약용식물에 대한 안지오텐신 전환효소 저해활성을 검색한 결과, 메탄을 추출물 중에서는 수비소 지상부가 70% 이상의 저해활성을 나타내었고, 질경이택사 덩이뿌리 등 6점이 50%~69%의 ACE 높은 저해활성을 나타내었다. 물 추출물 중에서는 하늘타리 종자 (78.6%), 큰조롱 덩이뿌리 (77.0%), 죽여 근간(根幹)의 중간층피 (72.0%), 겨자무 지상부 (71.2%)가 70%이상의 높은 저해활성을 나타내었으며 시호 뿌리 등 5점이 50%~69%의 ACE 저해활성을 나타내었다. 70% 이상의 높은 활성을 나타낸 식물들중에서도 특히 죽여 근간(根幹)의 중간층피의 물 추출물과 하늘타리 종자의 물 추출물은 1,000 μg ml-1 및 500 μg ml-1의 낮은 농도에서도 25% 이상의 ACE 저해활성을 나타내 산업화 소재로 개발 가능성이 높다고 사료되었다.

94종 식물자원을 대상으로 혈압상승을 주도하는 효소인 angiotensin converting enzyme의 저해활성을 검색하였다. 그 결과 추출물의 농도가 1mg에서 60%이상의 높은 ACE 억제활성을 보인 식물은 털여뀌 (81.6%), 결명자 (64.2%) 등의 2종이었으며, 40%이상의 ACE 억제 활성을 보인 식물은 금불초(49.7%), 골담초(49.4%), 황금(48.1%), 회향(45.2%)등 4종으로 ACE 억제활성이 비교적 높게 나타났다. 또한 30~40%의 ACE 억제활성을 보인 식물은 까마귀머루(35.5%), 부용(32.3%), 삼립국화(32.6%), 산비장이(33.2%), 산사나무(33.9%), 율무(34.8%), 제비꽃(37.1%), 진득찰(37.1%), 짚신나무(36.1%), 참죽나무(39.7%), 창질경이(33.5%), 컴프리(33.9%), 털냉초(39.7%), 하눌타리(39.4%), 해바라기(34.2%), 호두나무(39.4%), 회양목(30.6%), 희수(35.8%), 금불초(36.8%), 도꼬마리(34.8%), 두충나무(30.3%), 둥글레(35.2%), 방풍(33.5%), 산옥잠화(34.8%), 살구나무(39%), 섬오갈피(38.4%), 원추리(39.7%), 지모(31.9%)등 28종이었다. 그 외 흰제비꽃, 황해쑥, 쥐방울덩굴, 자귀나무, 일당귀, 오크라, 애기기린초, 순비기나무, 쇠뜨기 , 석창포, 석결명, 사위질방, 산수유나무, 부추, 뽕나무, 봉선화, 보리수나무, 큰꽃삽주, 범부채, 벌등골나무, 모감주, 동과, 도라지, 땃두릅, 도꼬마리, 산옥잠화, 방풍, 둥글레, 닭의장풀, 닥나무, 노루오줌, 가시오갈피, 개오동, 귀릉나무, 꽈리, 까실쑥부쟁, 골담초, 고삼, 고비고사리, 개발나물, 결명자, 형개, 향유, 한련초, 파고지, 초과, 지골피, 마두령, 금앵자, 곽향 등 50여 종의 추출물은 10~30%의 낮은 ACE 억제활성을 보였다. 앞으로 ACE 억제활성이 높은 식물자원의 유효성분에 대한 물질 확인과 동물모델을 이용한 효능검증에 대하여 더 많은 연구가 있어야 할 것으로 사료된다.