Biological Activities of Yellow Garlic Extract

Abstract

This study investigated the quality characteristics and biological activities, such as antioxidant, whitening, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory activities, of yellow garlic, by simplify processing time and manufacturing process compared with black garlic. Extracts were prepared various ratios of water and ethanol solvent [water : ethanol (v/v)= 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, 0:100] from yellow garlic. Alliin content of yellow garlic showed no difference compared with fresh garlic, whereas S-allyl cysteine content of yellow garlic was higher than that of fresh garlic. Alliin content of yellow garlic extracts increased in an ethanol concentration-dependent manner. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were highest in 100% ethanol extract. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities did not show significant differences among 0∼70% ethanol extracts, whereas 100% ethanol extract showed the highest contents of 93.45% and 91.46%, respectively. Tyrosinase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities were also highest in 100% ethanol extract, but did not show significant differences among the extract solvents. Water and ethanol extracts from yellow garlic showed anti-inflammatory effects by modulating production of NO and cytokines at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. We suggest that yellow garlic has antioxidant, whitening, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory activities and can be used as a functional material similar to black garlic.