Aster scaber is a wild vegetable cultivated in Korea and is known to contain phytochemicals with various biological activities. The potential antioxidant and anti-obesity effects of A. scaber and their mechanism are yet to be reported. We evaluated the total phenolic, flavonoid, and proanthocyanidin contents and oxygen radical absorbance capacity of A. scaber ethanolic extract (ASE), and analyzed the major phenolic compounds of ASE. Antioxidant activity was measured at the chemical level through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power assay, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assay. In addition, it was measured in vitro through inhibition of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in 3T3-L1 adipocyte, and inhibition of lipid accumulation was also evaluated. ASE reduced the expression of enzymes involved in the production of ROS and increased the expression of antioxidant enzymes that reduce increased ROS levels. They also reduced the expression of adipogenesis transcription factors that regulate adipocyte differentiation in relation to ROS production, inhibited the expression of lipogenesis-related genes related to fat accumulation through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity, and increased expression of lipolysis-related genes. Thus, ASE containing CGA (chlorogenic acid) inhibits ROS production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, owing to its strong antioxidant activity, and inhibits lipid accumulation caused by oxidative stress. The extract can be used as a potential functional food material for reducing oxidative stress and obesity.

본 연구는 차풀 잎을 70% 에탄올을 이용하여 추출한 후 항산화 성분 측정, 항산화 활성 측정과 피부섬유아세포에서의 항산화 및 항노화 효과를 측정하였다. 그 결과 차풀 잎 추출물에서 높은 수준의 페놀성 화합물을 함유한 것으로 나타났으며 DPPH, ABTS 라디칼 소거능, 환원력, hydrogen peroxide 소거능 및 NO 라디칼 소거능 등의 in vitro 실험에서 농도 유의적으로 높은 생리활성을 확인하였다. 피부 섬유아세포에서의 실험은 hydrogen peroxide를 이용하여 산화적 스트레스를 유도한 상태에서 차풀 잎 추출물의 세포 보호효과, 세포 내 항산화 효과 및 항산화 효소 단백질 발현을 관찰하였다. 산화적 스트레스로 인해 피부 섬유아세포의 생존율이 감소했지만 차풀 잎 추출물의 처리로 산화적 손상이 억제되어 생존율이 증가하는 것으로 관찰되었으며, H₂-DCFDA 염색을 통해 세포 내 활성산소의 생성을 확인한 결과 차풀 잎 추출물에 의한 활성산소 저감을 확인하였다. 또한 효소적 항산화 방어시스템인 SOD2, catalase, GR, GPX1을 측정한 결과 산화적 스트레스로 인하여 감소하였지만, 차풀잎 추출물 처리로 항산화 방어시스템의 단백질 발현 정도가 증가하였다. 이에 따라 세포 노화의 지표인 SA-β-galactosidase의 활성이 차풀 잎 추출물 처리로 인하여 감소하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서 차풀 잎 추출물은 천연물에서 유래한 항산화 및 항노화의 기능성 식품소재로써 활용가치가 매우 높다고 판단된다.

Owing to global population aging, instances of bone metabolic diseases have increased. Consequently, interest in natural and functional plant food products for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is also increasing. In this study, we determine the potential therapeutic effects of Benincasa hispida extract (HR1901-W) on osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. The potential preventive effects of Benincasa hispida in osteoporosis have not previously been reported. We identified and analyzed 2-furoic acid, a chemical component of HR1901-W. We evaluated whether HR1901-W promoted osteogenesis in the MC3T3-E1 cell line and whether it inhibited the differentiation of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells (osteoblast precursors). We observed that HR1901-W promoted significantly high dose-dependent proliferation and extracellular matrix mineralization in MC3T3-E1 cells. In fact, increased cell proliferation was found to be associated with increased protein expression of factors related to osteoblast differentiation, including alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and runt-related transcription factor 2. On the other hand, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (10 ng/mL) and nuclear factor-κB ligand (100 ng/mL) treated differentiated RAW264.7 macrophages exhibited a significant reduction in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity. Taken together, our results indicate that HR1901-W is a promising candidate of functional materials that regulate the balance between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts to prevent osteoporosis.

With the increase in bone metabolic diseases owing to the aging of the global population, interest in functional food ingredients for improving bone health is increasing. This study aimed to determine the anti-osteoporosis effect of Benincasa hispida extract (BHE, HR1901-W) and 2-furoic acid in ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis in female ICR mice. Thirty-five female ICR mice underwent OVX or sham operation and were randomized into seven groups of five animals as follows: normal, sham, OVX, OVX with genistein (10 mg/kg), 2-furoic acid (20 mg/kg), LBHE (100 mg/kg), and HBHE (200 mg/kg). After an 8-week treatment period, femur and blood samples were collected from mice. Bone density and bone formation markers were significantly recovered in the 2-furoic acid and HBHE supplementation groups compared with those in the OVX group. In addition, bone resorption markers were increased in OVX mice, whereas they were significantly decreased in the OVX + 2-furoic acid and HBHE supplementation groups. This study suggests that BHE supplementation prevents bone resorption and promotes bone formation in OVX mice. These findings indicate that BHE could be used as a promising natural means to prevent OVX-induced osteoporosis and bone metabolic diseases.

This study aimed to confirm the immunomodulatory effects of fermented Benincasa hispida extract (HR1901-BS) on RAW 264.7 macrophages. B. hispida was fermented for 72 h using Bacillus subtilis CJH 101. To evaluate the efficacy of HR1901-BS in enhancing macrophage function, we measured and compared the levels of macrophage activation-related markers in HR1901-BS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. We evaluated the effects on nitric oxide (NO) production and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor TNF-β) in the RAW 264.7 cell line. We confirmed that HR1901-BS affected macrophage activation by inducing a significantly high dose-dependent NO production and increasing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 macrophages. It also suggested that the immunomodulatory effect by HR1901-BS occurred mainly as a result of the activation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways. Our results indicate that HR1901-BS is a promising candidate as a functional material that enhances immune responses through macrophage activation.