In vitro and in vivo studies on the antioxidant activities of the aqueous extracts of Douchi (a traditional Chinese salt-fermented soybean food)

The aqueous extracts of Douchi were obtained and evaluated for their antioxidant properties. The isoflavones and peptides contents of extracts were determined. Antioxidant activities in vitro of extracts were conducted by determining the α,α-diphenyl-β-pricrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities, and the chelating ability of ferrous ions, of which IC50 values were found to be 0.658, 0.204 and 206 mg/mL, respectively. Antioxidant enzymatic activities of extracts in cholesterol-fed rats and an index of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)) were determined, and hepatic tissue ultramicrostructure was also observed under transmission electron microscope (TEM). These results showed that, in Douchi extracts groups, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in liver and kidney, catalase (CAT) activity in liver, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in kidney increased significantly compared with the negative control group (p < 0.05). TBARS in liver and kidney of extracts groups decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Less fatty degeneration in hepatocytes of extracts groups was found on TEM photos. The percentage of total isoflavones and peptides contents in aqueous extracts were 0.087% and 40.7%, respectively. These results showed that Douchi extracts had excellent antioxidant activities, might affect the activities of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation, and mitigate the lipidosis of hepatocytes.