Velvet antler is widely used as a traditional medicine, and numerous studies have demonstrated its tremendous nutritional and medicinal values including immunity-enhancing effects. This study aimed to investigate different deer velvet extracts (Sample 1: raw extract, Sample 2: dried extract, and Sample 3: freeze-dried extract) for proximate composition, uronic acid, sulfated glycosaminoglycan, sialic acid, collagen levels, and chemical components using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-light mass spectrometry. In addition, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of the deer velvet extracts on BV2 microglia, HT22 hippocampal cells, HaCaT keratinocytes, and RAW264.7 macrophages using the cell viability MTT assay. Furthermore, we evaluated acute toxicity of the deer velvet extracts at different doses (0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg) administered orally to both male and female ICR mice for 14 d (five mice per group). After treatment, we evaluated general toxicity, survival rate, body weight changes, mortality, clinical signs, and necropsy findings in the experimental mice based on OECD guidelines. The results suggested that in vitro treatment with the evaluated extracts had no cytotoxic effect in HaCaT keratinocytes cells, whereas Sample-2 had a cytotoxic effect at 500 and 1000 μg/mL on HT22 hippocampal cells and RAW264.7 macrophages. Sample 3 was also cytotoxic at concentrations of 500 and 1000 μg/mL to RAW264.7 and BV2 microglial cells. However, the mice treated in vivo with the velvet extracts at doses of 500–2000 mg/kg BW showed no clinical signs, mortality, or necropsy findings, indicating that the LD50 is higher than this dosage. These findings indicate that there were no toxicological abnormalities connected with the deer velvet extract treatment in mice. However, further human and animal studies are needed before sufficient safety information is available to justify its use in humans.

This study was carried out to identify medicinal mushrooms with protective effects against oxidative stress in PC12 neuronal cell line, followed by evaluation of their antioxidant property. Extracts of medicinal mushrooms, including Ganoderma lucidum extract (GLE), antler-shaped Ganoderma lingzhi extract (AGLE), Hericium erinaceus extract (HEE), and Sanghuangporus baumii extract (SBE), were screened for cytotoxicity using MTT assay. None of the extracts up to 10 μg/ml concentration affected cell viability. These extracts were further checked for their protective effect against oxidative stress-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Exposure to 50 μM H₂O₂ induced ROS generation in PC12 cells, which was inhibited only by treatment with AGLE. In addition, inhibition of H₂O₂-induced ROS generation by AGLE was found to be in a dose-dependent manner (2.5, 5, and 10 μg/ml). Microscopic examination of DCF fluorescence for detection of ROS showed a similar pattern. Further, antioxidant activity of AGLE was determined by ABTS radical cation assay, and its IC50 was found to be 46.90±0.31 μg/ml. Taken together, these results suggest that AGLE may help to alleviate oxidative stress in PC12 neuronal cells.

Antler of deer have been used in Asia as a dietary supplementary or alternative medical substance. The antler contains various biological active substances, including ganglioside has been known to promote growth, bone hyperactivity, immune function, protein synthesis and various pharmacological action. Therefore, this study was to investigate the effect of antler on productivity of broiler chicks. Feeding trial has a number of 240 broiler chicks was conducted to investigate the effect of antler extract (AE) treated feeds on body performance, breast meat composition and characteristics in broilers. Each treatment had 15 chicks with 4 replications. The supplementation level of AE treated feeds was 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9% in the experimental diets. The results obtained were summarized as follows: Average body weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) increased in broilers fed with AE compared to that of control during overall periods. Especially, the body weight gain of 0.9% AE treated chickens showed highly increased by 6.0% compare to the control. Average feed intake was not significantly different among the treatments. Average feed efficiency was significantly (p<0.05) improved by 4% in broiler chicks fed with AE compare to that of control. Average breast meat composition and concentration of cholesterol were also not different by feeding the AE. In breast meat characteristics, the shear force (kg/0.5inch2) of breast meat showed similar results in all treatments. The cooking loss of breast meat was significantly lower in the chick fed AE than that of control. But the water holding capacity (%) of breast meat was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the chicks fed AE than that of control. In breast meat color of chicks were not significantly different in all treatments. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and volatile base nitrogen (VBN) value were not showed different with all treatments. Also, the fatty acids composition of breast meat were showed similar results in all treatments. In conclusion, the dietary feed of AE tended to improve the body weight gain and feed efficiency, but did not influenced breast meat characteristics of broiler chicks

본 연구에서는 젖산발효를 통해서 얻어진 목이버섯과 녹각 추출액 혼합물의 항산화 및 생리활성평가를 수행하였다. 녹각 추출액의 GABA생성 최적조건에서 probiotics 및 기능성 강화를 위해 목이버섯을 2.5% 첨가하여 30℃에서 7일간 젖산발효를 하였다. 발효 7일 pH 5.06, 산도 0.77%로 나타났으며 1.3×108 CFU/mL로 높은 균수를 유지하였고 GABA를 1.4% 생성하는 것으로 나타났다. 목이버섯을 첨가했을 때 젖산균 발효물의 물성이 개선되며 단기간에 고농도의 GABA를 생성하는 것으로 나타났다. 녹각 추출액의 젖산발효물의 세포 생존율을 실험한 목이버섯 2.5% 조건에서 발효 전 6 mg/mL에서 독성이 나타났으나 발효 후 독성이 완화되는 것으로 나타났다. 발효 후 6 mg/mL 농도에서는 5.58 μM로 발효 후 NO 생성이 감소되는 것으로 나타났다. 결론적으로 녹각 추출액과 목이버섯 혼합물의 젖산균을 이용한 정치배양을 통해 단기간에 고농도의 GABA 생산이 가능하였으며, 젖산 발효물은 세포독성 완화 효과 및 NO 생성을 저해하는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 발효물은 GABA, probiotic, 식이섬유 등을 함유하여 기능성 식품소재로 이용이 가능할 것으로 기대된다.