山苦瓜（Momordica charantia）因具有保健及藥理學功效，近年來被廣泛地進行研究，其中有多篇文獻指出山苦瓜能有效地降低血糖，可被應用於治療第二型糖尿病。然而雖有許多專注於山苦瓜生物活性功能之研究，對於山苦瓜透過微生物發酵的文獻卻相對較少。微生物的發酵製程不僅可以改善風味、延長食品的保存期限，亦可改變原料的生物活性，進而提升其營養及經濟價值。因此本研究利用胚芽乳酸菌Lactobacillus plantarum對山苦瓜進行發酵，欲了解山苦瓜成分與生物活性之關係，並提升其降低血糖及抗氧化之能力。 好氧厭氧、培養溫度及營養源皆是影響微生物生長及表現的因素，對發酵山苦瓜的成份及生物活性產生影響，因此本研究將探討不同培養方式、溫度及以豆漿作為營養源之不同濃度下，利用Lactobacillus plantarum BCRC15478發酵山苦瓜對其成份及生物活性之影響。 苦瓜素（Charantin）為山苦瓜中的一種類固醇糖苷化合物，能對碳水化合物代謝酶進行抑制作用，故本研究觀察此成分在發酵過程中的變化，並與作為抗糖尿病指標的α-澱粉酶抑制率相比較。結果顯示經發酵，微生物分解苦瓜細胞壁，釋放出更多苦瓜素，進而對山苦瓜提取液貢獻更好的澱粉酶抑制效果。此外，亦發現山苦瓜發酵液及提取液中的抗氧化性與多酚物質相關，發酵後可有效提升抗氧化活性。經由實驗結果，L. plantarum於30°C厭氧培養下添加10 %豆漿作為營養源，有最好的菌種生長狀況，且發酵後的山苦瓜液具91.55 %的DPPH自由基清除力，山苦瓜乾粉提取液則有47.14 %的DPPH自由基清除力及64.75 %的α-澱粉酶抑制活性，相比未發酵前增加37.07 %的苦瓜素含量。 ;Various biological activities and pharmacological effects of Momordica charantia have been reported recent years. Lots of them demonstrated that bitter melon can used for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, although there are many studies focusing on the biological activity of M. charantia, there is no sufficient literature to use on the microbial fermentation. Fermentation process not only improved the flavor of the raw material, but also extended the shelf life of the food and enhanced its nutritional value and economic value. Therefore, M. charantia fruit was used to fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum to enhanced its anti-diabetes and antioxidant activities. Moreover, the relationship between compounds and bioactive functions will be discuss in this study. Charantin is a steroidal glycoside present in the Momordica charantia which can inhibit the key enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate charantin content and α-amylase inhibition ability during the fermentation. Research is also focusing on total phenolic compounds and antioxidant ability via fermentation with L. plantarum. Results showed that inhibition of α-amylase activity and DPPH scavenging activity can be improved in fermented M. charantia juice. The M. charantia juice with 10 % soymilk as a nutrient supplementation under 30°C provide good environment for the growth of cell viability. The fermented juice and the extraction of fermented M. charantia powder showed higher DPPH scavenging activity and α-amylase inhibition activity compared with the unfermented juice.
