Effects of a Korean traditional fermented soybean paste, Chungguk‐jang, on immunocompetent effect in the ovaryectomy‐induced osteoporotic ddy mice

Abstract

Chungguk-jang is a Korea traditional soybean-based fermented food. It is similar to soybean paste, Deonjang but, fermentation period is shorter than that of soybean paste. Chungguk-jang has been made traditionally with whole cooked soybean by fermenting with Bacilli without salt addition. According to several previous studies, it was identified that Chungguk-jang had the beneficial effects on improvements of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Also, in our laboratory experiment, immunocompetent effect of Chungguk-jang was investigated in normal healthy female balb/c mice (presented in 2005 Experimental Biology). The objective of this study is to examine the effect of Chungguk-jang on the change of T cell subset population and the enhancement of splenocyte proliferations. For faster induction, ovariectomized mouse (OVX) were fed low-calcium diet for six weeks whereas sham-operated mouse (control; Sham) were fed basal diet. Finishing the low-calcium diet period, the levels of ALP (alkaline phosphatase) were measured to estimate the induction of osteoporosis compared to control group. For experimental diet, half of OVX and Sham group are fed the diet composed of Chungguk-jang powder whereas control group are fed AIN-76 as basal diet. It has been established during the past few years that interleukin-1, 6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) can stimulate osteoclast development and thereby the process of bone resorption. Besides these cytokines, IL-2, 4, 10 and IFN-¥γ are to be measured. Also, the lymphocyte subcell population and splenocyte proliferation is under analysis. It would be expected to search the relations of Chngguk-jang and bone marker as well as those of immune marker for osteoporosis in mice through this research.