This study aimed to produce fermented soy-powder milk (FSPM) with Lactobacillus plantarum P1201 and to evaluate its anti-obesity activity. Isoflavone and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) of unfermented soy-powder milk (UFSPM) and FSPM and were analyzed via high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Their inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase were assayed. Their anti-obesity activities were evaluated on the basis of their inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells, and the expression of mRNAs associated with adipogenesis and lipid metabolism were analyzed via real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). FSPM with L. plantarum P1201 increased the isoflavone aglycones (daidzein, glycitein, and genistein) content and produced CLA in soy-powder milk (SPM), both of which possessed bio-activity. Both UFSPM and FSPM showed dose-dependent inhibitory activity for α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and pancreatic lipase. FSPM, but not UFSPM, suppressed adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells and reduced their triglyceride content by 23.1% after treatment with 1,000 μg/mL of FSPM, compared with the control group. The anti-obesity effect of FSPM can be attributed to CLA and isoflavone aglycones, which targeted CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBP-α) and down-regulated lipoprotein lipase (LPL), adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) mRNA. Furthermore, FSPM enhanced the inhibitory activity of glucosidase and pancreatic enzymes and anti-obesity activity. Further studies are required to investigate whether the anti-obesity effect of FSPM persists in an in vivo mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

The antioxidant and digestive enzyme inhibitory effects of Eisenia bicyclis extracted by various extraction methods (RE, reflux extraction; SE, ultrasonification extraction; AE, autoclave extraction; LE, low-temperature high-pressure extraction) were investigated. The extraction yield (55.21%) and the laminarin (39.03%), fucoidan (24.75%), total polyphenol (115.68 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (36.67 mg RHE/g) contents of AE were higher than those in other methods. The DPPH radical (86.60%, 500 mg%), ABTS radical (58.56%, 25 mg%), nitrite (86.38%, 100 mg%) scavenging activities of the Eisenia bicyclis extracted by AE were higher than those of Eisenia bicyclis extracted by other methods. The ABTS radical and nitrite scavenging activities were above 98% in all tested Eisenia bicyclis extracts and these activities were dependent on its concentration. The inhibitory effects of AE against amylase (50 mg%) and α-glucosidase (5 mg%) were 64.76% and 86.71%, respectively. The AE showed the best inhibitory effect of Eisenia bicyclis extracts (50 mg%) against trypsin (24.37%) and α-chymotrypsin (49.05%), respectively. These results suggest that Eisenia bicyclis extracted by AE can be used as a bioactive and functional material in the food industry.