Journal of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences ISSN:2233-8322(Print) 2508-870X(Online) 농업생명환경연구

Aloe-fermented products (G. lucidum- aloe- fermented product: AG, H. erinaceum-aloe-fermented product: AH and P. linteus-aloe-fermented product: AP) were obtained by fermenting Ganodorma lucidum, Hericium erinaceum, and Phellinus linteus with aloe for different fermentation periods. In this study, the aloe-fermented products were examined to determine their effects on improving gastrointestinal function. Regarding inhibition of β-glucuronidase and tryptophanase, β-glucuronidase was significantly inhibited by all of the aloe-fermented products when compared to that in the control group (Natural aloe vera: AN) which showed 15.8±4.8% inhibition. When 0.5 mg and 1 mg of AG were added, regardless of the fermentation period and amount of AG used, the inhibition effect of AG was a minimum of 56%, which was very significant. Regarding inhibition of tryptophanase, the test groups with 1 mg of the aloe-fermented products exhibited better inhibition effects than the control group (AN), which showed 17.0±2.0%. When the amount of aloe-fermented product was reduced from 1 mg to 0.5 mg, the inhibition effect decreased. AG showed a maximum of 72% inhibition with four days of cultivation. To determine their effects on improving gastrointestinal function in inflammatory bowel disease, AG and AH were administered to Balb/c mice for five days after trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid solution (TNBS) injection. The test material AG, which was administered a week before colitis induction by TNBS, did not affect colitis induction. The test material AH, however, showed a slight preventive effect on colitis induction. AG and AH were also administered continuously after inducing colitis, and an alleviation of colitis was observed. Therefore, aloe-fermented products can be considered functional foods for improving gastrointestinal function, especially in case of inflammatory bowel disease.