No abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Makgeolli (MG) and Makgeolli GiGemi (MGG) on blood flow, serum lipid improvement in vivo, and inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in vitro. The activities of serum AST and ALT were increased by ovariectomy. Serum AST levels were decreased to 77.71±13.97 and 74.57±14.90 unit/ml in the OVX-MG50 and OVX-MGG50 groups compared to the OVX-control group (91.14±12.02 unit/ml). Serum ALT levels were decreased to 34.00±8.41 and 30.43±3.60 unit/ml in OVX-MG50 and OVX-MGG50 groups compared to the OVX-control group (37.14±5.40 unit/ml). Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride contents decreased in the sham group compared with OVX-control group by ovariectomy. Six weeks feeding of MG and MGG resulted in a decrease to 116.14±36.02 and 109.14±11.55 mg/dl compared to the OVX-control group (120.43±8.36 mg/dl) in serum total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were decreased to 52.43±12.41 and 47.29±12.08 mg/dl in the OVX-MG50 and OVX-MGG50 groups compared to the OVX-control group (58.57±5.47 mg/dl). The level of HDL-cholesterol in the OVX-control group was significantly reduced to 51.29±20.49 mg/dl compared to the sham group (72.29±10.29 mg/dl), but it was increased to 70.71±19.53 and 62.00±20.20 mg/dl with MG and MGG supplementation. Furthermore, the effect of the MG group was higher than the MGG group. Microscopic observation showed that whole blood passed smoothly through the micro channels in the MG and MGG supplemented groups. The platelet aggregation ability of the groups treated with MG and MGG was less than that of the OVX-control group. In vitro assay, the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity was significantly inhibited by MG and MGG (82.6% and 68.9% inhibition at 0.4 g/ml). These results suggest that the beneficial effects of MG and MGG may be used to improve on the lipid metabolic syndrome of menopausal women. In addition, MG and MGG might improve blood homeostasis mediated activities via antiplatelets and MG and MGG may be used as antihypertensive functional foods and nutraceuticals.

No abstract

Menopause increases the onset of hypertension and heart disease. Whereas it increases the blood LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and total-cholesterol levels, the HDL-cholesterol concentration is reduced. Accordingly, we examined the effect of internal organs of Todarodes pacificus (IOT) on improvement in blood flow ability and changes in serum lipid content by using ovariectomized rats. For this study, the following four groups of 9-week-old Sprague-Dawley strain female rats were evaluated over 6 weeks: normal rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (CON) and ovariectomized rats that were treated with IOT extracts. Ovary removal promoted platelet aggregability. However, IOT administration in the CON group after ovary excision resulted in a hinderance of coherence. The blood vessel passing time of ovariectomized rats was slower than the SHAM group. But the blood flow ability, which was slowed down for ovary removal, was improved by IOT administration. Serum triglyceride levels were significantly reduced by IOT administration. Moreover, blood HDL-cholesterol levels were reduced by ovary removal. However, IOT administration after ovary excision significantly increase HDL-cholesterol levels. The biological activity of IOT could be confirmed from these results. Moreover, IOT can be used in the development of functional foods which are meant to improve blood circulation and anti-platelet aggregation function. According to these results, we could know that IOT improved blood flow and anti-platelet aggregation. Therefore, it is expected that IOT can be used for the development of functional foods.