Probiotic properties including antioxidant and immune-enhancing effects of Lactobacillus plantarum 200655 isolated from kimchi were evaluated. The tolerance of three strains (L. plantarum 200655, L. plantarum KCTC 3108, and L. rhamnosus GG to bile salts (0.3% oxgall, 24 h) was similar, and L. plantarum 200655 showed the highest tolerance to gastric juice (0.3% pepsin, 3 h). All strains presented similar autoaggregation ability. L. plantarum 200655 showed higher cell surface hydrophobicity and adhesion ability on HT-29 cells. L. plantarum 200655 did not produce b-glucuronidase and was sensitive to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and doxycycline. Additionally, L. plantarum 200655 showed the highest antioxidant effects in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, and b-carotene bleaching assays. RAW 264.7 cells treated with L. plantarum 200655 produced more nitric oxide, induced nitric oxide synthase, and cytokine related to immune-enhancing effects such as interleukin-1b and interleukin-6. Therefore, L. plantarum 200655 could be useful as a probiotic strain for older people.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the probiotic characteristics and neuroprotective effects of bacteria isolated from Korean fermented foods. Three bacterial strains (Lactobacillus fermentum KU200060, Lactobacillus delbrueckii KU200171, and Lactobacillus buchneri KU200793) showed potential probiotic properties, such as high tolerance against artificial gastric juice and bile salts, sensitivity to antibiotics, nonproduction of carcinogenic enzymes, and high adhesion to intestinal cells. Heat-killed L. fermentum KU200060 and L. buchneri KU200793 showed higher antioxidant activity than heat-killed L. delbrueckii KU200171. The conditioned medium (CM) was used to evaluate the reaction between HT-29 cells and each heat-killed strain. All CMs protected SH-SY5Y cells from 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-induced toxicity. The expression of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) mRNA in HT-29 cells treated with CM containing heat-killed L. buchneri KU200793 was the highest. The CM significantly reduced the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and increased BDNF mRNA expression in SH-SY5Y cells treated with MPP+. These results indicate that L. buchneri KU200793 can be used as a prophylactic functional food, having probiotic potential and neuroprotective effects.

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Subcritical water extract (SWE) of Brassica juncea was studied for antiviral effects against influenza virus A/H1N1 and for the possibility of application as a nonfat milk supplement for use as an "antiviral food." At maximum nontoxic concentrations, SWE had higher antiviral activity against influenza virus A/H1N1 than n-hexane, ethanol, or hot water (80°C) extracts. Addition of 0.5mg/mL of B. juncea SWE to culture medium led to 50.35% cell viability (% antiviral activity) for Madin-Darby canine kidney cells infected with influenza virus A/H1N1. Nonfat milk supplemented with 0.28mg/mL of B. juncea SWE showed 39.62% antiviral activity against influenza virus A/H1N1. Thus, the use of B. juncea SWE as a food supplement might aid in protection from influenza viral infection.