Antioxidant and Anti-Hemolytic Effects of Human Breast Milk from Koreans

Abstract

To confirm the antioxidant and anti-hemolytic activity in human breast milk (HBM), evaluated DPPH radical scavenging and anti-hemolytic activities against hemolytic strains. As a result of measuring the pH of HBM according to the days after childbirth, the pH of the HBM less than 10 days after childbirth was 6.63±0.26, the longer the lactation period, the lower the pH of breast milk. As a result of measuring the pH of HBM according to the days after childbirth, the pH of HBM less than 10 days after childbirth was 6.63±0.26 and over 30 days after childbirth was 6.45±0.15. These results indicated that the pH of HBM decreases as the days after childbirth increases. In contrast DPPH radical scavenging activity was the highest in HBM of over 30 days after childbirth (63.72±12.24%), that is presumed to be due to the fatty acid content in HBM. As a result of confirming hemolysis of HBM, weak hemolysis was observed in some HBM samples, that are caused to be hemolysis by bacteria produced the hemolysin in HBM. Therefore, result of analyzing the anti-hemolytic effect of HBM against the hemolytic bacteria, the effect of breast milk against the gram-positive S. aureus CCARM 3855 was 66.37±21.36%, gram-negative P. aeruginosa CCARM 0223 was 29.74±9.31%. In addition, HBM samples of the less than 10 days after childbirth showed highest each anti-hemolytic activity against hemolytic strain. Thus, this study can be suggested that it will be basic study for preventing hemolytic disease in newborns.