Soy products fermented with sprouted garlic have increased neuroprotective activities and restore cognitive functions

Abstract

Enhanced antioxidant activities of sprouted garlic over garlic were considered. The popular Korean traditional fermented soybean product cheonggukjang (CGJ) was prepared as normal CGJ and prepared with fermentation of a mixture of cooked soybeans and sprouted garlic. Different varieties were investigated for anti-oxidative and protective activities against oxidative stress in neuronal cells. Normal CGJ was compared with CGJ prepared with garlic and sprouted garlic for anti-oxidative and neuroprotective activities and protection of cognitive function. CGJ prepared with sprouted garlic during fermentation exhibited higher anti-oxidative and neuroprotective activities in a mouse hippocampal model than the normal fermented soy product with enhanced cognitive function in the mouse model. Sprouted garlic can be used to improve the health benefits of fermented soy products.

Current Perspectives on the Physiological Activities of Fermented Soybean-Derived Cheonggukjang

“…Specifically, genistein was found to inhibit the formation of superoxide anion and exert antioxidant effects by removing the tumor-promoting factor hydrogen peroxide, which remarkably prevented the production of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine from oxidative damage to DNA under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation or in the Fenton reaction system. The antioxidant properties of soybeans confer resistance to oxidative stress in vivo and are expected to decrease or prevent the occurrence of various diseases or aging caused by oxidation in vivo ( Figure 7 ) [ 4 , 20 , 24 , 31 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 ]. In addition, powdered CGJ extracted with alcohol was shown to possess stronger antioxidant properties than butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) ( Table 5 ) [ 31 , 124 ].…”

“…ICR mice administrated CGJ exhibited a beneficial effect on neurodegenerative disease assessed by passive avoidance and cognitive tests, which was associated with induced secretion of nerve growth factors [ 4 , 146 ]. CGJ also exerted a neuroprotective effect in C57BL/6J mice by improving abnormal cognitive function [ 4 , 121 ], as shown in Table 8 . Moreover, CGJ improved neuroprotection by enhancing tyrosine inhibitory activity via arbutin production [ 124 ].…”