This study was carried out to investigate antimicrobial activity and characteristics of Asparagus cochinchinenesis which was steamed and fermented with lactic acid bacteria. A. cochinchinensis was prepared to steaming process which was washed and freeze dried. A. cochinchinensis was steamed at 95oC for 12 h and dried by hot air at 50oC for 24 h. After steaming process, A. cochinchinensis was fermented with lactic acid bacteria (Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395, Lactobacillus sakei 383 and Lactobacillus plantarum KCCM 11322). Ethyl acetate extracts of fermented A. cochinchinensis had antimicrobial activities for the respiratory disease bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). A. cochinchinensis had highest antimicrobial activity for the P. aeruginosa which fermented with L. mesenteroides 4395. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of A. cochinchinensis fermented with L. mesenteroides 4395 was 10 mg/mL for S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli and 5 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa. The MIC of A. cochinchinensis fermented with L. sakei 383 and A. cochinchinensis fermented with L. plantarum KCCM 11322 were the same. Total sugar was decreased from 863.33±17.47 mg/mL to 722.67±5.51 mg/mL during the steaming process. But reducing sugar was increased from 99.36±1.32 mg/mL to 109.29±2.71 mg/mL during the steaming process. Total sugar was decreased to 301.50-361.42 mg/mL and reducing sugar was decreased to 27.39-62.20 mg/mL during the fermentation process.

This study was carried out to investigate antimicrobial activity and characteristics of Asparagus cochinchinenesis which was steamed and fermented with lactic acid bacteria. A. cochinchinensis was prepared to steaming process which was washed and freeze dried. A. cochinchinensis was steamed at 95oC for 12 h and dried by hot air at 50oC for 24 h. After steaming process, A. cochinchinensis was fermented with lactic acid bacteria (Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395, Lactobacillus sakei 383 and Lactobacillus plantarum KCCM 11322). Ethyl acetate extracts of fermented A. cochinchinensis had antimicrobial activities for the respiratory disease bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). A. cochinchinensis had highest antimicrobial activity for the P. aeruginosa which fermented with L. mesenteroides 4395. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of A. cochinchinensis fermented with L. mesenteroides 4395 was 10 mg/mL for S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli and 5 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa. The MIC of A. cochinchinensis fermented with L. sakei 383 and A. cochinchinensis fermented with L. plantarum KCCM 11322 were the same. Total sugar was decreased from 863.33±17.47 mg/mL to 722.67±5.51 mg/mL during the steaming process. But reducing sugar was increased from 99.36±1.32 mg/mL to 109.29±2.71 mg/mL during the steaming process. Total sugar was decreased to 301.50-361.42 mg/mL and reducing sugar was decreased to 27.39-62.20 mg/mL during the fermentation process.

Asparagus cochinchinensis is known to ameliorate respiratory disease. We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of non-fermented and fermented A. cochinchinensis using lactic acid bacteria and investigated the physicochemical characteristics of the fermented A.cochinchinensis. Non-fermented A.cochinchinensis showed lower levels of antimicrobial activity than the fermented A.cochinchinensis. Ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts of the fermented A. cochinchinensis showed antimicrobial activities against the indicator strains at lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The MIC of the EtOAc extract of non-fermented A. cochinchinensis against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Stphylococcus aureus were 100, 75, and 100 mg/ml. In contrast, the MIC of the EtOAc extract of ACLM was 25 mg/mL against E. coli. The MIC of the EtOAc extract of ACLS was 12.5 mg/mL against S.epidermidis, and the MIC of the EtOAc extract ofACLP was 12.5 mg/mL against S.aureus. The viable cell number, pH, and acidity of A. cochinchinensis fermented by Lactobacillussakei 383 were similar to those of A. cochinchinensis fermented by Leuconostocmesenteroides 4395, but were different from those of A. cochinchinensis fermented by Lactobacillus.plantarum KCCM 11322. These results suggested that the fermented A. cochinchinensis by lactic acid bacteria may be a good candidate for application to ameliorate respiratory disease.

Cultural practices of Asparagus cochinchinensis in highland area were performed for a potential medicinal crop. These studies were examined to propagation methods, planting densities, nitrogen treatments, and cropping years. The results are summarized as follows. The adequate number of buds per tuberous root was 4 for vegetative propagation because the number of tuberous root harvested was 16.8 and the yield was also the highest, exhibiting 1,060 kg/10a. The suitable planting time for vegetative propagation was later than early April. If the earlier tuberous roots were planted, the less they emerged. The highest emergence rate was obtained from the planting density of 30×20cm as 97.2% while the yield was highest in the 30×15cm density, exhibiting 1,883 kg/10a with emergence rate at 94.9. It seemed that the higher planting density promoted plant height growth and yield in Asparagus cochinchinensis. The highest fresh weight was recorded at 6 kg/10a of nitrogen fertilizer into the sandy loam soil compared to the level of 0, 3, 9 kg/10a. The yield was increased with cropping years. However, the proper harvesting time was the second year of cultivation because the rate of weight increase was maximized in the 2-year-old tuberous root. The yield in the third year was decreased as compared to that of the second year.

This study was carried out to investigate the distribution of native Asparagus cochinchinensis and ecological characteristic in South Korea. Natural vegetative areas were investigated at 5 areas; Taean, Buan, Geoje, Namhae and Jindo. In this study, the 5m×5m quadrat was established for recording coverage and appearance species by phytosociological method. The flora of the studied area in native habitats were listed as 130 species. The native habitats was classified into Pinus thunbergii community and typical community. Two communities were located in a coastal cliff and have been destroyed. Therefore Asparagus cochinchinensis native habitats must be protected by regulation. In the studied sites, soil pH, organic matter, nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable K, exchangeable Ca, exchangeable Mg and cation exchange capacity were ranged from 5.1~5.7%, 1.77~3.59%, 0.19~0.54%, 5.4~18.7 (mg/kg), 0.24~0.48 (cmol+/kg) 0.76~2.83 (cmol+/kg), 3.11~6.22 (cmol+/kg) and 8.7~24.5(cmol+/kg), respectively.

천문동 (Asparagus cochinchinesis (Lour.) Merr.)의 기내생장과 증식의 가능성을 검토하기 위하여 신초의 유기, 생장 및 발근에 적합한 배지, 식물생장조절제, 배양온도를 검정한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. MS 기본배지에 3.0 mg/l BA 처리시 신초의 유기 및 생장이 가장 양호하였으며 MS 기본배지에 0.5 mg/l IBA 처리가 발근에 가장 효과적이었고 기내배양 온도는 23~25℃가 적합하였다.

한약재 및 식품으로의 개발가능성이 높지만 현재 멸종위험에까지 처해있는 천문동의 체계적 보호 및 보존을 위하여 자생지 분포특성조사와 유전자원을 수집한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 서해안(충남 이남)과 남해안, 동해안(경북 이남)의 45개 지역을 중심으로 유전자원의 분포특성 조사를 실시하였으며 자생이 확인된 26지역으로부터 천문동 자생종을 수집하였다. 2. 자생지분포 조사 결과 섬을 제외한 육지부 천문동 자생지는 북위 36˚15' (충남 보령군 남포면 월전리 죽도) 이남의 서해안으로부터 동경 128˚02' (경남 사천시 실안동 강포) 이서의 남해안이었다. 3. 천문동은 해안선에 주로 분포하고, 자생지 주요 식생은 소나무가 우점 하였다. 4.자생지 천문동의 생육상황은 햇볕의 투과정도가 좋을수록 지하부 생장량이 많았다.

한약재 및 식품으로의 개발가능성이 높지만 현재 멸종 위험에까지 처해있는 천문동의 체계적 보호 및 보존을 위하여 수집된 유전자원의 유전 유연관계 분석을 실시한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 수집된 자생 천문동 23종에 대한 RAPD분석을 실시한 결과 primer 당 평균 8.5개의 PCR 밴드가 얻어졌으며 polymorphism 비율이 42.9~91.7% 이었으며 평균 72.9%를 나타내어 객관적 다형 현상 분석이 가능하였다. 2. 유사도 0.82를 기준으로 23개의 천문동 수집종을 구분한 결과 6개의 group으로 분리되었는데 group I 은 전남 여수의 은적암, 경남 남해 이동, 전북 부안 위도, 전남 진도 지산과 전북 부안 하서종 이었고 Group II는 전남 영광 송이도와 전북 부안 계화. 전북 고창 아산 2, 전북 군산 개야도(적경종), 전북 고창 아산 1 그리고 일본 자생종 이었으며 group III는 전남 여수의 향일암, 충남 보령 남포, 전북 군산 선유도 1, 전북 군산 선유도 2, 전북 군산 오식도, 충남 서천 서면 자생종, Group IV는 경남 사천종과 전북 군산 선유도 2 적경종이었고 Group V는 전북 익산 금마 자생종과 중국 호남성의 적경종, Group IV는 중국종(청경종)과 군산 개야도 자생종(청경종)으로 각각 나뉘어겼다. 3. BLOTTO 사용에 의한 효율적 유연관계 분석에서는 BLOTTO를 사용할 경우 PCR 효율이 향상되어 band 획득수가 증가하고 좀더 선명한 PCR 산물의 획득이 가능하였으며 적절한 사용농도는 1% 이었다.