This review summarizes recent insights into the effects of foods and natural products on brain function, focusing on neuron-glia interactions and the Gut-Brain Axis. Bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, and ginsenosides exert neuroprotective effects by attenuating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation through activation of the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and suppression of NF-?B-mediated inflammatory cascades. They also enhance synaptic plasticity via the CREB-BDNF pathway, improving learning and memory function. Fermented foods and microbiota-related metabolites, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), modulate the Gut-Brain Axis, leading to increased hippocampal BDNF expression and emotional stability. Traditional Korean fermented foods and marine-based dietary components further contribute to the regulation of neuron-glia networks, providing a scientific rationale for the neurofunctional benefits embedded in Korean dietary culture. This review highlights that food-derived bioactive components act not only as nutrients but also as neuromodulatory agents maintaining brain homeostasis. Future perspectives emphasize integrating molecular neuroscience with food culture research to advance the emerging field of food neuroscience and promote functional food innovation grounded in traditional dietary wisdom.

Edible mushrooms are recognized as a rich source of diverse metabolites, including polysaccharides, amino acid derivatives, terpenoids, polyphenols, sterols, and flavonoids. These compounds have been extensively reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anticancer, and metabolic regulatory activities, thereby underscoring their scientific and industrial significance in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. However, conventional extraction methods, which are simple and cost-effective, have limitations in large-scale processes, including long processing times, excessive use of solvents, low yields, and degradation of heat-sensitive compounds, which limit scalability. Therefore, eco-friendly extraction methodologies have emerged as sustainable alternatives. Advanced extraction strategies using food-grade solvents, such as deep eutectic solvents, in conjunction with ultrasound or microwave assistance, enable selective recovery of metabolites under mild conditions, enhancing yield and minimizing the environmental impact. In this review recent progress in advanced extraction methodologies, with respect to efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability, are critically assessed. The industrial implications, including case studies of advanced extraction methodologies applied to secondary metabolites, and the potential of edible mushrooms as renewable bioresources or the development of nextgeneration functional foods and natural therapeutics, are also discussed.

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) is a medicinal herb traditionally used to treat digestive disorders and stomach ulcers. In this study, the extraction characteristics of the major bioactive compounds of tarragon, estragole, eugenol, and herniarin, were determined using subcritical-water extraction (SWE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). Their efficiencies, compared to conventional solvent extraction, were evaluated. For SWE, the highest yields were obtained for estragole (0.66±0.04 mg/g) at 200°C for 5 min, eugenol (0.11±0.00 mg/g) at 200°C for 15 min, and herniarin (3.35±0.09 mg/g) at 190°C for 5 min. For UAE, only herniarin (1.49±0.07 mg/g) was detected, with a maximum yield of <350 W for 10 min. For conventional solvent extraction, eugenol was not detected, for 100% methanol (45°C, 120 min), the highest yield for estragole was 0.37±0.05 mg/g, and for hot water extraction (90°C, 120 min), the yield for herniarin was 1.59±0.04 mg/g. Among the tested methods, SWE had the highest overall efficiency without the use of organic solvents, highlighting its potential as a rapid and eco-friendly technique for effective extraction of bioactive compounds from tarragon.

As a result of analyzing bioactive compounds according to the maturity stage of strawberry fruits, there was no difference in callistephine content according to the extraction solvent and tended to increase as the maturity stage progressed. There was a difference in accumulation patterns between cultivars with different fruit colors, but the callistephin content of the red strawberry, Seolhyang, was high, while the pink strawberry, Manyeonsel, tended to be low. The extraction efficiency of cyanidine-3-glucoide was higher when water was used as the extraction solvent than ethanol, which was the highest in the green stages in both cultivars and tended to decrease as the maturity stage progressed. The (+)-catechin content according to the maturity stage showed the highest content in the green stages overall, and tended to decrease as the maturity stage progressed. The extraction efficiency of (+)-catechin was good in ethanol, and the (+)-catechin content according to the maturity stage was generally high in the green stages and tended to decrease as the maturity stage progressed. The catechin content in green stages of Manyeonsel was 205.3 mg per 100 g of dry weight, which was very high compared to 115.6 mg in the Seolhyang. The extraction efficiency of epi-catechin was better in water than in ethanol, and the content of epi-catechin tended to be higher in Seolhyang than in Manyeonsel. When extracted with water, the epi-catechin content of Seolhyang increased 16.0-fold from 15.7 mg per 100g dry weight in green stages to 250.3 mg in mature stages, and 3.1-fold from 50.1 mg to 154.2 mg in Manyeonsel. The content of quercetin-3-glucoside tended to be higher when ethanol was used as an extraction solvent than water, and it was 12.2 and 15.7 mg per 100 g of dry weight in Seolhyang and Manyeonsel, respectively, in the highest-content green stages. Quercetin had a higher extraction efficiency from ethanol than water, which tended to be slightly higher, at 2.5 mg in the mature stages of Seolhyang, while at 3.2 mg in Manyeonsel. The extraction efficiency of chlorogenic acid was higher in water than in ethanol, and the content was highest in the green stages and tended to decrease as maturation progressed. When extracted with water, the content in the green stages of Seolhyang and Manyeonsel decreased by 45.3 and 33.9%, from 14.8 and 18.9 mg, respectively, to 8.1 and 12.5 mg during the mature stages, respectively. The content of ellagic acid tended to be higher when water was used as an extraction solvent than ethanol, but there was no difference in content according to maturity stages in the two cultivars. The cinchonine was more efficient in extraction from water than ethanol and tended to increase as the maturation stage progressed in both varieties, the highest at 148.6 mg per 100 g of dry weight in the mature stages of the Manyeonsel.

본 연구에서는 단기간의 UV-A 조사가 시금치(Spinacia oleracea L.)의 생장과 생리활성물질에 미치는 영향을 평가 하였다. 시금치 묘는 200μmol·m-2·s-1 PPFD, white LED, 광 주기 12시간, 온도 20°C, 상대습도 70%, 이산화탄소 농도 500μmol·mol-1의 수직농장 모듈에서 재배되었다. 파종 후 5 주된 묘는 7일 동안 20W·m-2와 40W·m-2의 두 가지 에너지 수 준에서 연속적으로 UV-A(피크파장: 385nm) 조사한 후 생육 특성, 광합성 파라미터, 이미지 형광, 총 페놀 함량, 항산화도, 그리고 총 플라보노이드 함량을 분석하였다. 결과적으로, UV-A20W 처리는 시금치의 생체중과 건물중을 증가시켰다. 하지만, UV-A 처리구와 대조구 사이의 광합성 파라미터에는 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 광계Ⅱ의 최대양자수율 (Fv/Fm)은 모든 UV-A 처리에서 7일동안 지속적으로 감소했 다. 또한, UV-A20W 처리에서 식물체당 총 페놀 함량과 항산화 도는 처리 7일째 증대되었으며, 총 플라보노이드 함량은 처리 5일째부터 유의적으로 증가하였다. 이러한 결과는 UV-A LED 보광이 수직농장과 같은 폐쇄형 식물 생산 시스템에서 재배되는 시금치의 생장과 품질을 향상시킬 수 있음을 시사 한다.

This study aimed to investigate the changes in bioactive compounds across the ripening stages of three pepper cultivars, each characterized by unique skin colors. The samples used in this study consisted of three pepper cultivars distinguished by their skin colors as green, purple, and yellow green at breaker ripening stage. Samples were harvested at each of the four ripening stages, including premature, breaker, turning, and mature, and subjected to analysis for various bioactive compounds, including capsaicin, ascorbic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, and sugars. In all cultivars with varying skin colors, the capsaicin content within green pepper fruits consistently increased as the ripening stages advanced. Ascorbic acid was most abundant during the premature stage of development in purple and green cultivars, subsequently declining as maturation progressed. In the case of the purple cultivar, kaempferol content decreased by approximately 30% at the mature stage, while the green cultivar exhibited a gradual increase in kaempferol content with maturation. Conversely, the kaempferol content of the yellow green cultivar rapidly declined as maturation progressed. Regarding quercetin content, the purple and green cultivars tended to decrease with maturity, while the yellow green cultivar displayed an increasing trend. Furthermore, the accumulation patterns of glucose, fructose, and sucrose, the predominant free sugars in green pepper fruit, demonstrated an inclination to increase as the maturation stage advanced in both purple and green cultivars. In contrast, the yellow green cultivar initially showed an elevation in free sugar content during the immature stage, followed by a minor reduction during maturation and a subsequent rise during the mature stage. Each pepper cultivar, distinguished by its unique skin color, exhibits varying levels of bioactive substances at different ripening stages. Therefore, optimal harvesting and utilization should align with periods when the desired substance content is at its peak.

본 연구는 새만금 간척지와 주산지인 무안에서 재배하였을 때 양파의 생육과 퀘르세틴 등 기능성 성분을 분석하였다. 양파는 중생종 품종인 ‘맵시황’, 중만생 품종인 ‘선파워’, ‘헬시큐’를 사용하였다. 전남 무안에 9월 상순 파종 후 육묘하여 간척지와 무안에 각각 11월 상순에 정식하고 이듬해 6월 초순에 수확하였다. 중만생종 품종인 ‘선파워’와 ‘헬시큐’가 간척지에서 구중 336.5g, 248.3g으로 생육이 우수하였다. 피루브산은 ‘헬시큐’, ‘맵시황’, ‘선파워’ 순으로 높았고 지역 별로는 ‘헬시큐’, ‘맵시황’ 품종이 간척지 재배 시 각각 48.3μmol·g-1, 41.1μmol·g-1으로 무안에서 재배하였을 때보다 높았다. 총 퀘르세틴은 품종 별로 비교하였을 때 ‘헬시큐’가 219.1μg·g-1으로 가장 높았고 ‘선파워’, ‘맵시황’의 순이었으며 재배지역에 따른 차이는 확인되지 않았다. 또한 총 페놀은 총 퀘르세틴 함량과 유사한 경향을 보였으며, ‘헬시큐’의 함량이 853.7μg·mL-1으로 가장 높았고, ‘선파워’는 무안에서 재배할 경우 페놀 함량이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 결과적으로, 피루브산, 총 퀘르세틴, 총 페놀의 함량은 재배지역 보다는 품종에 따른 영향이 큰 것으로 판단되었다.

Sucrose (suc) is a disaccharide that consists of glucose (glu) and fructose (fru). It is a carbohydrate source that acts as a nutrient molecule and a molecular signal that regulates gene expression and alters metabolites. This study aimed to evaluate whether suc-specific signaling induces an increase in bioactive compounds by exogenous suc absorption via roots or whether other factors, such as osmotic stress or biotic stress, are involved. To compare the osmotic stress induced by suc treatment, 4-week-old cultured mugwort plants were subjected to Hoagland nutrient solution with 10 mM, 30 mM, and 50 mM of suc or mannitol (man) for 3 days. Shoot fresh weight in suc and man treatments was not significantly different from the control. Both man and suc treatments increased the content of bioactive compounds in mugwort, but they displayed different enhancement patterns compared to the suc treatments. Mugwort extract treated with suc 50 mM effectively protected HepG2 liver cells damaged by ethanol and t-BHP. To compare the biotic stress induced by suc treatment, 3-week-old mugwort plants were subjected to microorganism and/or suc 30 mM with Hoagland nutrient solution. Microorganisms and/or suc 30 mM treatments showed no difference about the shoot fresh weight. However, sugar content in mugwort treated with suc 30 mM and microorganism with suc 30 mM treatment was significantly higher than that of the control. Suc 30 mM and microorganism with suc 30 mM were effective in enhancing bioactive compounds than microorganism treatment. These results suggest that mugwort plants can absorb exogenous suc via roots and the enhancement of bioactive compounds by suc treatment may result not from osmotic stress or biotic stress because of microorganism, but by suc-specific signaling.

This study examines the effects of different cooking methods (stir-frying, steaming, superheated-steaming) on the contents and the true retention of moisture, water-soluble vitamins, and bioactive compounds of ten selected vegetables: broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, eggplant, green bean, onion, red cabbage, red onion, squash, and tomato. The total color difference (ΔE) values were decreased after stir-frying the samples, except for eggplant, green bean, and tomato. The true retention of water-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, and C) was increased in most vegetables after superheated-steaming, as compared to steaming and stir-frying. Moreover, compared to the uncooked vegetables, a higher true retention of total polyphenol and flavonoid was obtained for most vegetables subsequent to superheated-steaming. Total anthocyanin content was detected only in eggplant, red cabbage, and red onion, and a smaller loss of anthocyanin was determined after subjecting red cabbage to superheated-steaming. Also, the free radical scavenging activities were higher in superheatedsteaming vegetables, except in eggplant and squash. These results indicate that superheated-steaming induces a positive effect for retaining water-soluble vitamins and functional components of vegetables.

본 연구는 플라즈마 발생 장치를 수경재배 시스템과 결합하여 상추를 재배하고 수확 후 플라즈마 활성수와 과산화수소 0, 3, 6% 농도에 침지 처리를 하여 생육량 및 바이오 활성 물질 함량을 비교하였다. 고농도의 과산화수소로 인하여 근권부 생체중이 저해되는 결과를 나타냈으며, 엽장과 근권부 생체중을 제외하고는 유의적 차이가 발생하지 않았다. 상추 지상부의 chlorogenic acid와 4-hydroxy3-benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid 그리고 지상부 총 페놀 함량은 과산화수소 6%에 서 유의적으로 가장 높았다. 하지만 근권부에서 측정된 이차 대사산물인 quercetin 및 근권부 총 페놀 함량은 과산화수소 처리구보다 플라즈마 활성수에서 유의하게 높았다. 과산화수소 처리 기간 동안 상추의 뿌리는 직접적인 피해를 받으며 괴사하였으나, 잎에서는 과산화수소 6% 처리에서 바이오 활성 물질이 증가하는 결과를 나타내었다. 플라즈마 활성수 처리 상추는 생리 장해가 발생하지 않았으며, 과산화수소 6% 처리와 유사한 양의 이차대사산물 증대 효과를 나타내었다. 또한, 뿌리의 바이오 활성 물질 함량이 가장 높았던 결과 등을 고려 할 때 근채류 및 엽채류의 수경재배에 플라즈마 기술을 적용할 시 작물의 바이오 활성 물질 함량을 증대시키는 데 효과적일 것으로 판단된다.

수경재배시 양액 내 탄산정 처리를 통한 상추의 생육 및 생리활성물질 변화를 조사하기 위해 네덜란드에서 시판되는 고형 탄산정을 사용하였다. 실험은 무처리를 대조구로 하여 0.5 배, 1배, 2배 처리구로 구성하였다. 실험결과, 탄산정 처리 후 챔버내 대기 CO2 농도는 처리 직후 2배 처리구에서 472.2μL·L -1 로 가장 높은 수치를 보였으며, 양액내 pH는 2배 처리구는 pH 6.03로 가장 많이 감소하였다. 이후 시간이 경과함에 따라 CO2 농도와 pH는 처리 전 수준으로 회복하는 모습을 나타냈다. 상추의 엽폭과 엽면적은 탄산정 2배 처리시 17.1cm, 1067cm 2로 가장 큰 값을 나타내었으며 지상부 생체중, 건물 중은 0.5배 처리구에서 63.87g, 3.08g으로 가장 높게 나타났다. 상추의 근장은 대조구에서 28.4cm로 가장 길었으나 처리 구들간에 지하부의 생체중, 건물중은 유의적인 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 외관상 탄산정 처리에 의해 상추의 근장이 짧아 지고 곁뿌리가 많이 발생한 것이 관찰되었다. 또한 뿌리가 갈색으로 약간 변하는 결과가 있었지만, 지상부 생육에는 부정적인 영향을 미치지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 탄산정 처리에 의 한상추의 생리활성물질을 분석한 결과 chlorogenic acid와 quercetin 두가지 물질이 검출되었으며 이를 정량분석한 결과 1배 처리구에서 chlrogenic acid는 대조구보다 249% 증가하였지만 quercetin은 37% 감소한 결과를 나타냈다. 항산화 활 성을 나타내는 DPPH 라디컬 소거능을 비교한 결과 대조구와 0.5배 처리가 1배, 2배 처리보다 유의적으로 높은 값을 나타냈다. 이를 통해 탄산정 처리가 수경재배 상추의 생육과 생리활 성물질을 증대에 효과가 있음을 제시한다.

Centella asiatica (CA) has been widely used as herbal plants. It is a valuable resources. The aim of the present study was to evaluate physiological activities of solvent extracts from CA cultivated in Chungju, Korea (Good tiger care). After preparing water (cold-water, CA-WE; hot-water, CA-HWE) and EtOH extracts (50% EtOH, CA-50E; 70% EtOH, CA-70E), their total polyphenol, flavonoid, and triterpenoid contents, and anti-oxidant activities, and anti-inflammatory activities were examined and compared. CA-70E showed the most potent anti-oxidant activity based on ABTS radical scavenging activity and reducing ability assays, while CA-50E and CA-70E showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity. Among major triterpenoid glycosides present in CA, madecassoside and asiaticoside contents were found to be the highest in CA-70E, and madecassic acid and asiatic acid were the highest in CA-50E. In LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, CA-70E showed the highest TNF-α inhibitory activity, although CA-50E and CA-70E similarly inhibited nitric oxide production. Ethanol extracts significantly inhibited IL-6 and IL-8 production more than water extracts using TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells, indicating its better inhibitory against skin inflammation. Therefore, Chungju-CA EtOH extract, especially 70% EtOH extract, has high physiologically active ingredients and potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, suggesting its industrial application as a functional material.

This study examined the contents of bioactive compounds and the biological activity of okra seed oil. Okra seed oil consisted mainly of linoleic acid (44.2%). The content of total phytosterols was 2.180 mg/g oil, with β-sitosterol being the highest (1.756 mg/g oil). The vitamin E content was 1.278 mg/g oil; the content of α-tocopherol was higher than γ- tocopherol. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were 2.463 mg gallic acid equivalent/g and 1.602 mg cathechin equivalent/g, respectively. The 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and α-α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activities were 15.297% and 22.265%, respectively, and the reducing power was 4.524 mg gallic acid equivalent/g. The okra seed oil inhibited 77.692% of the α-glucosidase activity. The present study showed that okra seed oil had a considerable amount of phytochemicals and exhibited biological activity. These results suggest that okra seed oil is a potential natural therapeutic for the management of metabolic syndromes.

Lilium dauricum is a rare and endangered species belonging to the family Liliaceae. The species contains several bioactive compounds used as functional foods and medicinal agents in Northeast Asia. This study aimed (1) to establish an in vitro bulblet culture using an air-lift bioreactor and callus culture for the conservation of L. dauricum and obtaining its bioactive compounds; (2) investigate the plant phenolic compounds from both cultures system. The highest bulblet production with 12.5-fold increase in growth rate was obtained using MS medium supplemented with 0.5 g L-1 BA and 3% sucrose. Addition of 7% sucrose facilitated bulblet enlargement, with approximate 2.5- and 7-fold increases in diameter and fresh weight, respectively. The highest rate of callus (100%) was obtained using a combination of 1.0 mg L-1 picloram and 0.5 mg L-1 Kinetin. The callus proliferation occurred on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L-1 picloram, 0.25 mg L-1 kinetin, and 0.25 g L-1 casein hydrolysate. There was a significant difference in the total phenolic compound content of callus, which was 1.5-fold higher than that in the bulblets. These findings indicate a suitable system for optimizing both bulblet and callus culture of L. dauricum, therefore, providing useful bio-materials for industrial purposes and contributing to the conservation of this species.