LAUSR

BACKGROUND Japanese fermented foods, including funazushi, have proved to be the physiological functional food, although the kinds of function in the fermented food and the relation of various functions to fermentation process have been studied insufficiently. From the related researches about fermented product, the hopeful functions relating to blood circulating system including anti-thrombosis have been found. Therefore, the function to fibrinolytic system as antithrombotic effect was examined about funazushi. RESULTS Administration of the water extractive components (extract) from funazushi increased the activities of plasmin and tissue plasminogen activator in the fibrinolytic system but decreased the activity of plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1). This decrease was positively correlated with the decreased plasma triglyceride levels. Funazushi extract directly inhibited PAI-1 activity in vitro despite of alimentary enzyme digestion, though direct PAI-1 inhibition was not observed in the extract from salted crucian carp, a processing material of funazushi. CONCLUSION These results suggest that funazushi extracts are closely involved in the antithrombotic effects of the fibrinolytic system via a decrease of PAI-1 activity. These results also indicate that fermentation processing is necessary to achieve the antithrombotic effects of funazushi. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.