We evaluated the antioxidant properties of adzuki beans and the quality characteristics of sediment using various cultivation methods. There were significant differences in total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in beans grown using different methods of cultivation (p<0.05). Also, DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities were significantly different depending on cultivation method (p<0.05). The sediment yield before drying of Chungju-pat, Hongeon, and Arari was 296.64~339.01, 271.36~282.24, and 268.21~292.32%, respectively, and the sediment yield after drying was 71.68~85.41, 77.90~85.19, and 74.15~78.65%, respectively. The L-value of Chungju-pat and Arari sediments revealed a significant difference given different cultivation methods (p<0.05), but Hongeon sediment did not show a significant difference. There was a significant difference in the a-and b-value of adzuki bean sediments cultivated using different methods (p<0.05). The particle size of Chungju-pat, Hongeon, and Arari sediments was 66.21~98.80, 61.62~97.07, and 82.96~106.71 μm, respectively, and all were significantly different depending on cultivation method (p<0.05). There were also significant differences in the water absorption index, water solubility index, and swelling power when different cultivation methods were used (p<0.05).

Adzuki bean is well known as a potential functional food that improves metabolic complications from obesity and diabetes. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) has been implicated to have an important role in obesity and diabetes. However, the protective roles of adzuki bean MY59 extract (ABE) on insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis are not fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ABE on LCN2 expression in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. ABE reduced HFD-induced fat mass and improved insulin resistance. In addition to hepatic steatosis, HFD-fed mice showed many apoptotic cells and neutrophils in the epididymal fat pads. However, these findings were significantly reduced by ABE supplementation. In particular, we found that increased LCN2 proteins from serum, epididymal fat pads, and liver in HFD-fed mice are significantly reduced by ABE. Furthermore, ABE reduced increased heme oxygenase-1 and superoxide dismutase-1 expressions in adipose tissue and liver in HFD-fed mice. We found that hepatic nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 expression in HFD-fed mice was also reduced by ABE. Thus, these findings indicate that ABE feeding could improve insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis by decreasing LCN2-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress in HFD-fed mice.

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