Chemopreventive potential of kimchi, an ethnic food from Korea, against colorectal carcinogenesis associated with red meat intake

Surya Reggie,Surya Ervan,Nugroho David,Romulo Andreas,Kamal Nurkhalida,Rahayu Winiati Pudji,Benchawattananon Rachadaporn,Jin‑Seok Oh 한국식품연구원 2023 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.10 No.-

Kimchi, the traditional fermented vegetables with seasonings from Korea, is globally renowned as healthy food with anticancer properties. Colorectal cancer is the world’s third leading cancer with an increasing incidence rate over the past years. High red meat intake is strongly associated with colorectal cancer, and the World Health Organization has identified red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A). This study aimed to investigate the chemopreventive potential of cabbage kimchi against the promotion of colorectal cancer by red meat in vivo using carcinogen-injected rats. Rats were fed by AIN-76 diet enriched in freeze-dried beef sirloin supplemented or not with kimchi powder for 120 days prior to killing. Kimchi supplementation at moderate (5%) and high (10%) concentration significantly suppressed the formation of precancerous lesions in the colon of red meat-fed rats. Using fecal water, the aqueous extract of feces, we found out that kimchi supplementation limited iron-mediated oxidation and reduced lipid peroxidation in the feces of rats. Furthermore, kimchi supplementation reduced the toxicity of fecal water of red meat-fed rats toward human colonic epithelial cells in vitro by suppressing the formation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The chemopreventive effects of kimchi were associated with the acidification of fecal matrix and increase in fecal lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Gene expression analysis in the colon of rats demonstrated that kimchi supplementation prevented colorectal carcinogenesis by up-regulating the expression of tumor-suppressor genes and antioxidant enzymes, as well as by down-regulating the expression of proinflammatory proteins. Taken together, our findings suggested that kimchi consumption is correlated with lower promotion of colorectal cancer associated with red meat intake.

Chemopreventive potential of kimchi, an ethnic food from Korea, against colorectal carcinogenesis associated with red meat intake

Surya Reggie,Surya Ervan,Nugroho David,Romulo Andreas,Kamal Nurkhalida,Rahayu Winiati Pudji,Benchawattananon Rachadaporn,Jin‑Seok Oh 한국식품연구원 2023 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.10 No.-

Kimchi, the traditional fermented vegetables with seasonings from Korea, is globally renowned as healthy food with anticancer properties. Colorectal cancer is the world’s third leading cancer with an increasing incidence rate over the past years. High red meat intake is strongly associated with colorectal cancer, and the World Health Organization has identified red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A). This study aimed to investigate the chemopreventive potential of cabbage kimchi against the promotion of colorectal cancer by red meat in vivo using carcinogen-injected rats. Rats were fed by AIN-76 diet enriched in freeze-dried beef sirloin supplemented or not with kimchi powder for 120 days prior to killing. Kimchi supplementation at moderate (5%) and high (10%) concentration significantly suppressed the formation of precancerous lesions in the colon of red meat-fed rats. Using fecal water, the aqueous extract of feces, we found out that kimchi supplementation limited iron-mediated oxidation and reduced lipid peroxidation in the feces of rats. Furthermore, kimchi supplementation reduced the toxicity of fecal water of red meat-fed rats toward human colonic epithelial cells in vitro by suppressing the formation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The chemopreventive effects of kimchi were associated with the acidification of fecal matrix and increase in fecal lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Gene expression analysis in the colon of rats demonstrated that kimchi supplementation prevented colorectal carcinogenesis by up-regulating the expression of tumor-suppressor genes and antioxidant enzymes, as well as by down-regulating the expression of proinflammatory proteins. Taken together, our findings suggested that kimchi consumption is correlated with lower promotion of colorectal cancer associated with red meat intake.

Hepatoprotective effects of ethnic cabbage dishes: a comparison study on kimchi and pao cai

Nugroho David,Surya Reggie,Nurkolis Fahrul,Surya Ervan,Thinthasit Aphinya,Kamal Nurkhalida,Oh Jin-Seok,Benchawattananon Rachadaporn 한국식품연구원 2023 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.10 No.-

Consuming ethnic vegetable dishes, that has been an integral part in the food culture of many countries, is suggested to bring health benefits to humans. Kimchi from Korea and pao cai from China are two distinct vegetable dishes made from Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) through different processes. While kimchi is a fermented food, pao cai is produced by pickling in brine or vinegar. The present study aimed to investigate and compare the hepatoprotective effects of kimchi and pao cai in vivo using animal model and in vitro using a cell line. Despite having similar nutritional profiles, kimchi and pao cai exhibited different chemical and microbiological properties. Compared to pao cai, the pH during fermentation of kimchi dropped more rapidly and the antioxidant activity of kimchi was also stronger. In addition, total microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria were consistently higher in kimchi than in pao cai. In vivo, the hepatoprotective properties of kimchi and pao cai were associated with the increase in expression and activity of major liver antioxidant enzymes, particularly glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. In vitro, both kimchi and pao cai promoted the formation of glutathione. Upon exposure to chemically induced oxidative stress, kimchi protected liver cells by inhibiting glutathione depletion and limiting lipid peroxidation. In general, kimchi demonstrated stronger hepatoprotective properties compared to pao cai. Thus, the present study provides promising insights into the development of ethnic foods, particularly kimchi and pao cai, as functional foods beneficial for human health.

Immunoenhancing and antioxidant potentials of kimchi, an ethnic food from Korea, as a probiotic and postbiotic food

Nugroho David,Thinthasit Aphinya,Surya Ervan,Hartati Hartati,Oh Jinseok,Jang Ji-Gyeol,Benchawattananon Rachadaporn,Surya Reggie 한국식품연구원 2024 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.11 No.-

Kimchi, the traditional lactic fermented vegetables from Korea, is globally praised for its potential as a functional food owing to the presence of beneficial microorganisms known as probiotics. However, the serving of kimchi in traditional Korean dishes often involves cooking at high temperature, thus killing the probiotics. Recently, non-viable or inactivated microorganisms and their metabolites, known as postbiotics, were shown to confer health benefits when consumed, thus giving rise to a novel potential of kimchi as a postbiotic food with health functionalities. The present study aimed to explore the potential of uncooked and cooked kimchi, both as a probiotic and postbiotic food, respectively, using an animal model. Mice were fed by AIN-76 diet enriched in 10% freeze-dried uncooked or cooked kimchi for 28 days prior to kill. Several parameters related to immune system and antioxidant were evaluated. Exposure of kimchi toward heat in steaming process killed the microorganisms in kimchi, but did not alter its antioxidant activity. Interestingly, the consumption of uncooked and cooked kimchi stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria in the intestine indifferently, as shown in the fecal matter. In addition, kimchi supplementation, either uncooked or cooked, increased the number of splenic lymphocytes and intestinal IgA, supporting the role of kimchi in the immune system. Furthermore, kimchi supplementation reduced the level of lipid peroxidation in the fecal matter, indicating its antioxidant activity in vivo. Taken together, the findings in this study suggest the potential of kimchi both as a probiotic and postbiotic food with antioxidant and immunoenhancing properties. Kimchi, the traditional lactic fermented vegetables from Korea, is globally praised for its potential as a functional food owing to the presence of beneficial microorganisms known as probiotics. However, the serving of kimchi in traditional Korean dishes often involves cooking at high temperature, thus killing the probiotics. Recently, non-viable or inactivated microorganisms and their metabolites, known as postbiotics, were shown to confer health benefits when consumed, thus giving rise to a novel potential of kimchi as a postbiotic food with health functionalities. The present study aimed to explore the potential of uncooked and cooked kimchi, both as a probiotic and postbiotic food, respectively, using an animal model. Mice were fed by AIN-76 diet enriched in 10% freeze-dried uncooked or cooked kimchi for 28 days prior to kill. Several parameters related to immune system and antioxidant were evaluated. Exposure of kimchi toward heat in steaming process killed the microorganisms in kimchi, but did not alter its antioxidant activity. Interestingly, the consumption of uncooked and cooked kimchi stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria in the intestine indifferently, as shown in the fecal matter. In addition, kimchi supplementation, either uncooked or cooked, increased the number of splenic lymphocytes and intestinal IgA, supporting the role of kimchi in the immune system. Furthermore, kimchi supplementation reduced the level of lipid peroxidation in the fecal matter, indicating its antioxidant activity in vivo. Taken together, the findings in this study suggest the potential of kimchi both as a probiotic and postbiotic food with antioxidant and immunoenhancing properties.