Mass spectrometry-based metabolomic study of traditional Doenjang effects against hepatic fibrosis

• Published in: Applied biological chemistry 2016, 59(5), , pp.775-780
• Main Authors: Lee, Jang-Eun, Park, So Rim, Lim, Seong Il
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acids; Applied Microbiology; Biological Techniques; Bioorganic Chemistry; Chain branching; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Fibrosis; Food; Isoflavones; Liver; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Metabolites; Metabolomics; para-Aminobenzoic acid; Scientific imaging; Soyasaponin; Spectroscopy; Traditional foods; 농학
• ISSN: 2468-0834; 2468-0842
• DOI: 10.1007/s13765-016-0225-0

Korean traditional Doenjang are currently certified as traditional food. Certified Doenjang are valuable as a traditional food, however, only a few studies have evaluated and researched their quality characteristics and functionality. In the present study, we investigated the metabolite profile of Doenjang according to its α-SMA expression suppressing effect through mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Also, the relationship between Doenjang metabolites and the suppression of α-SMA expression was identified. In the efforts to find traditional Doenjang metabolites related to liver functions, branched-chain amino acids, p -aminobenzoic acid, 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone, soyasaponin, and isoflavone aglycone were found to be higher in the Doenjang group and showed higher α-SMA expression suppression activity. The present study highlights the fact that comprehensive metabolite analysis of traditional Doenjang provides information on its ability to improve liver function as well as other useful information for better understanding of the factors related to the effects of Doenjang metabolites against hepatic fibrosis.