Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res.

, 80 (2), 2010, 97 – 106 97

Original Communication

The Effects of Yellow Soybean,

Black Soybean, and Sword
Bean on Lipid Levels and
Oxidative Stress in
Ovariectomized Rats
Jae Soon Byun, Young Sun Han and Sang Sun Lee
Department of Food & Nutrition, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

Received for publication: May 11, 2009; Accepted for publication: January 19, 2010

Abstract: Soy isoflavones have been reported to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal
women. However, the effects of dietary consumption of soybean have not been explored. In this study,
we evaluated the effects of consuming yellow soybeans, black soybeans (Glycine max), or sword beans
(Canavalia gladiate) on lipid and oxidative stress levels in an ovariectomized rat model. Forty-seven
nine-week-old female rats were ovariectomized, randomly divided into four groups, and fed one of the
following diets for 10 weeks: a diet supplemented with casein (NC, n = 12), a diet supplemented with
yellow soybean (YS, n = 12), a diet supplemented with black soybean (BS, n = 12), or a diet supple-
mented with sword bean (SB, n = 11). Plasma triglyceride (TG) levels in the BS and SB groups were
significantly lower than that in the NC group. Notably, the BS group had significantly lower plasma
total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels than the other groups.
Hepatic total lipid levels were significantly lower in the YS and SB groups, and cholesterol levels were
significantly lower in the SB group than in the NC group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase
(CAT) activities were significantly higher in the groups fed beans compared to the NC group. Hepatic
thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were also significantly lower in the BS and SB
groups than the NC group. In conclusion, our results suggest that consumption of various types of beans
may inhibit oxidative stress in postmenopausal women by increasing antioxidant activity and improving
lipid profiles. Notably, intake of black soybean resulted in the greatest improvement in risk factors
associated with cardiovascular disease.

Key words: Yellow soybean, black soybean, sword bean, lipid metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activities.

DOI 10.1024/0300–9831/a000010 Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
98 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism
Introduction
Hypercholesterolemia is regarded as a major risk
factor for the development of atherosclerosis and
coronary heart disease (CHD) [1]. Atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of mor-
tality in many societies throughout the world [2].
Free radical-induced lipid peroxidation is associated
with the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and reactive
oxygen molecules are known to be initiators of lipid
peroxidation [3]. Endogenous antioxidant enzymes,
such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase
(CAT), as well as antioxidant nutrients, can help to
protect cells against free radical damage. Antioxidant
enzymes therefore play an important role in control-
ling lipid peroxidation [4]. Among premenopausal
women, CHD is rare, and the overall incidence of
cardiovascular complications are much lower than in
men of similar age, but the incidence of CHD increases
considerably after menopause [5, 6]. Menopause is
associated with ovarian hormone deficiency, which
results in many physiological changes, including in-
creased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and
total cholesterol, leading to an increased risk of ath-
erosclerotic cardiovascular disease [7, 8]. Soy protein
has gained considerable attention because of its po-
tential to improve risk factors for cardiovascular dis-
ease. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approved labeling of food containing soy protein as
protective against CHD [9]. Whole soybeans contain
large amounts of isoflavones, anthocyanins, and other
phytochemicals that have beneficial effects on the pre-
vention of menopause symptoms in humans and in an
ovariectomized rat model [10, 11].
Epidemiological studies have suggested that con-
sumption of soybeans has protective effects against
cardiovascular disease as demonstrated by the low
plasma cholesterol levels of East Asian populations
[12]. While the cholesterol-lowering properties of soy-
bean are widely accepted, the cholesterol-lowering
mechanism is not yet fully understood. Neverthe-
less, it is presumed to be a result of the isoflavones
present in soybean, as well as other components [13,
14]. Isoflavones found in soybeans include daidzein
and genistein, and these are good candidates for the
cardio-protective effects of soybean because of their
biological and chemical similarities to estrogens [15].
Furthermore, anthocyanins are able to react with many
active substances in the human body because of their
structure, particularly the presence of hydroxyl groups
[16]. Anthocyanins, as one of the most abundant and
widely distributed flavonoids in plants, give most fruits
an attractive color and also contribute greatly to the
Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
antioxidant properties of certain colorful foods [17,
18]. In Korea, soybeans and their processed products
are commonly eaten to supplement the low protein
content of rice. Koreans usually ingest at least one
or more types of soybean or soybean-products with
every meal [19].
Black soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) are used
as medicinal materials in Asia, and contain natural
antioxidants, including anthocyanins, in their seed
coats [20,21]. Anthocyanins can scavenge free radicals
and inhibit lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. They
may also decrease the risk of coronary heart disease
and atherosclerosis by inhibiting the oxidation of low-
density lipoprotein (LDL) [22, 23].
Sword beans (Canavalia gladiate) belong to the
Leguminosae (Fabaceae) family, Phaseloeae tribe,
Diocleinae subtribe, and originated either in Africa or
southern Asia [24]. Sword beans are excellent sources
of starch (35 – 45 %) and protein (22 – 29 %), with a
good balance of amino acids [25]. Sword beans have
numerous traits that are currently exploited, and have
the potential to be valuable in both the phytophar-
maceutical and nutraceutical industries [26]. Despite
their desirable traits, however, there has been little
agronomic development of sword beans, hence sword
bean seeds are not universally utilized as a food source.
We hypothesized that the different phytochemicals
compositions of different beans would have different
effects on the lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation levels,
and antioxidant enzyme activities of ovariectomized
rats. To address this hypothesis, we used whole beans
rather than extracts in our experiments. Furthermore,
we focused on investigating beans that Koreans com-
monly consume.
Materials and Methods
Animals and diets
Forty-seven eight-week-old female Sprague-Dawley
(SD) rats weighing between 163 and 164 g were pur-
chased from Daehan Biolink Co. Ltd. (Chungcheon-
gbuk-do, Korea). The animals were all individually
housed in stainless steel cages. The temperature
(24 ± 2 °C) and humidity (60 ± 5 %) of the animal
room were kept constant and the rats were kept un-
der a 12-hour light/dark cycle (artificial light from
07:00~19:00). They were acclimated for one week and
fed a pelletized regular chow diet. At nine weeks of
age, all 47 rats were bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX)
under anesthesia with ketamine (50 mg/kg b.w.) and
 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism 99

xylazine (45 mg/kg b.w.). The abdominal area was to decrease their trypsin-inhibiting activity. After cool-
sterilized with 75 % ethanol and opened by a surgical ing, beans were converted to powder using a 60 mesh.
operation. The uterus and ovaries were taken out, and Each diet was prepared by mixing various quantities
only the ovary was ligated and cut off. Then, the uterus of the powdered beans with the AIN-93M-based diet.
and adipose tissue were put back into the abdomen The yellow soybean, black soybean, and sword bean
and sewn up. The OVX rats were randomly divided powders accounted for 35 %, 35 %, and 50 % of the
into four groups and fed one of four diets: a casein diet experimental diet, respectively, to ensure isonitroge-
without soybean addition (NC group, n = 12), a yellow neous contents (15 %). Since each bean has a different
soybean diet (YS group, n = 12), a black soybean diet protein content (34.4 % for yellow soybean, 35.2 % for
(BS group, n = 12), or a sword bean diet (SB group, black soybean, and 22.7 % for sword bean). Thus, the
n = 11) for 10 weeks. The beans were purchased from protein source in the diet was either casein or whole
a local market and autoclaved for 16 minutes at 121 °C soy powder (Table I). All diets were isonitrogeneous
and isocaloric, and the energy ratio of carbohydrates
to proteins to lipids was adjusted to be 65:15:20, re-
Table I: Compositions of casein, yellow soybean, black spectively. All rats received water and food ad libitum.
soybean and sword bean (g/100 g edible portion). The composition of the normal experimental diet is
Ingredients Water Protein Fat Carbohydrate
provided in Table II. During the experimental period,
body weight was measured once per week and food
1)
Casein 0.96 98.3 0.05 0.63 intake was measured three times a week. All animals
Yellow soybean2) 9.6 34.4 18.6 28.4 were housed and cared for in accordance with the US
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guide for the
Black soybean3) 11.0 35.2 18.2 26.4 Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
Sword bean4) 10.4 22.7 3.2 52.2

1)
Lactic Acid Caseins (Nice Ltd., Ukraine)
Sample collection
2)
Powdered yellow soybean was autoclaved and dried
3)
Powdered black soybean was autoclaved and dried At the end of the experimental period, the rats were
4)
Powdered sword bean was autoclaved and dried deprived of food overnight and sacrificed under ethyl

Table II: Composition of experimental diet (g/kg).

Ingredient NC YS BS SB
Casein 150
Yellow soybeans 350
Black soybeans 350
Sword beans 500
D,L-methionine 3 3 3 3
Corn starch 350 240 240 65
Sucrose 300 300 300 300
Cellulose 50 30 30 10
Corn oil 100 30 30 75
1)
Mineral Mix 35 35 35 35
2)
Vitamin Mix 10 10 10 10
Choline bitartrate 2 2 2 2
1)
AIN-93M mineral mixture
2)
AIN-93M vitamin mixture
NC: ovariectomized rats fed a casein diet
YS: ovariectomized rats fed a yellow soybean diet
BS: ovariectomized rats fed a black soybean diet
SB: ovariectomized rats fed a sword bean diet

Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
100 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism

ether anesthesia. Blood samples were collected im-
mediately into heparin-coated sterile tubes by car-
diac puncture. Plasma was obtained from the blood
samples by centrifugation (4000 × g for 10 minutes) at
4 °C and stored at –70 °C until further analysis. The
livers were removed, washed with cold saline, patted
between paper towels, weighed, and then stored at
–70 °C for laboratory analysis.
Plasma lipid profiles
The concentrations of triglycerides (TG), total cho-
lesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
(HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
(LDL-C) were measured using a commercial diag-
nostic kit (SIMENSE Germany Co, UK) and a pho-
tometric autoanalyzer (ADVIA 2400, Japan). The
TC and TG levels in the plasma were estimated by
the COD-POD method and the GK-GPO method,
respectively. The HDL-C level in plasma was deter-
mined after precipitation of apoB-containing lipopro-
teins by sodium phosphotungstate and MgCl2. The
LDL-C level in plasma was calculated using Friede-
wald’s formulation [27].
Liver lipid profiles
Total lipids in the liver were extracted according to the
Folch method [28]. One gram of liver tissue was ho-
mogenized with chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v), and
then 2 mL of ice-cold distilled water was added. After
filtration of extracts, the collected solution was cen-
trifuged at 3,000 × g for 10 minutes. The chloroform
phase was collected and vacuum-concentrated. Total
lipids were estimated by gravimetric analysis. The
liver cholesterol concentrations were measured using
a commercial diagnostic kit (SIMENSE Germany).
Hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities
Two grams of liver tissue were homogenized in 10 mL
of a 0.25 M sucrose buffer, then the homogenates
were centrifuged at 600 × g for 10 minutes to remove
the nuclear fraction, and the remaining separated
supernatant was centrifuged at 10,000 × g for 20
minutes to collect the mitochondrial fraction for a
catalase (CAT) assay. The supernatant was ultra-
centrifuged at 105,000 × g for 1 hour to isolate the
cytosolic fraction for the superoxide dismutase (SOD)
assay. SOD activity was estimated according to the
method of Marklund and Marklund [29], which uses
a color change due to auto-oxidation of pyrogallol.
One unit (U) of enzyme activity was calculated as the
protein content inhibiting 50 % of the auto-oxidation
of pyrogallol without an enzyme source. SOD activ-
ity was expressed as U/mg protein. CAT activity was
measured by the disappearance rate of H2O2 moni-
tored spectrophotometrically at 240 nm according
to the method of Aebi with slight modification [30].
One unit (U) of enzyme activity was defined as the
amount of enzyme catalyzing 1 μmol of H2O2 per
minute at 25 °C. The CAT activity was expressed as
U/mg protein.

Table III: The effects of various bean types on body weight, weight gain, food intake, and liver weight in ovariectomized
rats*.
Variables Groups

NC YS BS SB
Body weight (g)
Initial 164.83 ± 2.05NS 164.66 ± 2.83 164.08 ± 2.78 163.45 ± 1.42
a b b
Final 322.08 ± 11.69 288.75 ± 7.88 287.25 ± 9.70 221.40 ± 2.07c
Weight gain (g/day) 1.70 ± 0.12a 1.34 ± 0.08b 1.33 ± 0.11b 0.61 ± 0.02c
Food intake (g/day) 12.65 ± 0.33a 11.18 ± 0.19b 11.06 ± 0.35b 9.96 ± 0.05c
NS
Liver weight (g/100 g b.w.) 2.29 ± 0.09 2.48 ± 0.11 2.31 ± 0.07 2.25 ± 0.07
*
Data are expressed as mean ±S.E.M. of 11 to 12 rats per group. Values in the same row with different superscripts (a,
b, and c) are significantly different at a p-value less than 0.05 by one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple-range test.
NS: Not significant
NC: ovariectomized rats fed a casein diet
YS: ovariectomized rats fed a yellow soybean diet
BS: ovariectomized rats fed a black soybean diet
SB: ovariectomized rats fed a sword bean diet

Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism 101

Table IV: The effects of various bean types on plasma TG, TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C levels in ovariectomized rats* (mg/dL)..
Variables Groups

NC YS BS SB
a ab b
TG 54.58 ± 4.79 46.58 ± 4.29 36.75 ± 1.73 40.72 ± 2.60b
TC 53.36 ± 4.40a 40.33 ± 2.70b 27.50 ± 3.19c 34.54 ± 3.38bc
a b c
LDL-C 7.83 ± 0.68 6.50 ± 0.92 3.58 ± 0.65 4.54 ± 0.63bc
HDL-C 9.69 ± 0.54NS 10.51 ± 0.49 10.30 ± 0.90 11.02 ± 0.62
*
Data are expressed as mean ±S.E.M. of 11 to 12 rats per group. Values in the same row with different superscripts (a,
b, and c) are significantly different at a p-value less than 0.05 by one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple-range test.
NS: Not significant
NC: ovariectomized rats fed a casein diet
YS: ovariectomized rats fed a yellow soybean diet
BS: ovariectomized rats fed a black soybean diet
SB: ovariectomized rats fed a sword bean diet

Hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive sub- Results

stances (TBARS) assay
The concentrations of hepatic TBARS were deter-
mined using the method of Ohkawa et al. with slight
modification [31]. Approximately 0.2 mL of 8.1 %
sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1.5 mL of 20 % acetic
acid, 1.5 mL of 0.8 % tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), and
0.6 mL of distilled water were added to 0.2 mL of liver
tissue homogenate, and the solution was vortexed. The
reaction mixture was placed in a water bath at 95 °C
for 1 hour. After cooling, 1.0 mL of distilled water
and 5.0 mL of an n-butanol/pyridine mixture (15:1
v/v) were added and the solution was then vortexed.
Then, after centrifugation at 800 × g for 10 minutes,
the absorbance of the upper layer was measured at
535 nm. The quantity of TBARS is proportionate
to the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid
peroxidation product generated by the oxidation of
membrane lipids by reactive oxygen species. The re-
sults were expressed as nmol MDA/g liver.
Statistical analysis
Experimental results are presented as mean ± SEM
and statistical analyses were performed using the
SPSS program (Statistical Package for the Social Sci-
ences 12.0). Experimental groups were compared by
one-way ANOVA, and the significance of differences
between groups was validated by Duncan’s multiple-
range test (p < 0.05).
There were no significant differences in initial body
weight among rats in the four groups (Table III). How-
ever, at the end of the experiment, final weight, weight
gain, and food intake were the highest in the NC group
and the lowest in the SB group. The weights of rats
in the YS and BS groups were generally higher than
those in the SB group, but were generally lower than
those in the NC group. Liver weight per body weight
was not significantly different between the various
bean groups and normal control group. Accordingly,
consumption of the various beans did not influence
liver weight.
Plasma TG, TC, and LDL-C levels were generally low-
er in the groups fed a yellow soybean-, black soybean-,
or sword bean-supplemented diet than the untreated
control group (Table IV). Plasma TG levels were gen-
erally lower in the BS and SB groups than in the NC
group. Plasma TC and LDL-C levels were generally
lower in the various groups fed beans than in the NC
group. Notably, both plasma TC and LDL-C levels in
the BS group were the lowest among the various bean
groups. Plasma HDL-C levels were not significantly
different between the various bean groups and NC
group, although the various bean groups tended to
have higher plasma HDL-C levels than the NC group.
Hepatic total lipid and total cholesterol levels were
generally lower in the groups fed yellow soybean-,
black soybean-, or sword bean-supplemented diets
compared with the untreated control group (Table
V). Notably, hepatic total lipid levels were generally
lower in the YS and SB groups than in the NC group.
Hepatic total cholesterol levels were generally lower
in the SB groups than in the NC group, while total

Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
102 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism
cholesterol levels were not significantly different be-
tween the YS and BS groups.
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) ac-
tivities were higher in the groups fed yellow soybean,
black soybean, or sword bean than in the untreated
control group (Table VI). Notably, SOD activities
were generally higher in the YS and BS groups than
in the NC group. CAT activity was generally higher
in the groups fed various bean types than in the NC
group, but there were no significant differences in
CAT activity among the various bean-fed groups.
Hepatic TBARS levels were lower in the groups fed
beans than in the NC group. The SB group, and in
particular the BS group, had lower TBARS levels
than the NC group.
Discussion
We investigated the effects of consumption of three
bean types on lipid levels, lipid peroxidation, and an-
tioxidant enzyme activities in ovariectomized rats,
an animal model of the postmenopausal condition
characterized by ovarian hormone deficiency. The
lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation levels, and antioxidant
enzyme activities of OVX rats fed a diet supplemented
with yellow soybeans, black soybeans, or sword beans
were evaluated and compared with those of rats fed
a casein diet. The parameters measured above are
risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly
atherosclerosis.
Rats in the NC group showed the greatest weight
gain and food intake, followed by rats in the YS and
BS groups, and finally rats in the SB group. The re-
sults of this study indicate that consumption of beans
significantly reduced body weight gain and food intake
compared to consumption of casein. The lower body
Table V: The effects of various bean types on hepatic lipid profiles in ovariectomized rats*.
Variables
NC
Lipid profiles (mg/g wet liver)
Total lipids 50.87 ± 9.07a
Total cholesterol 4.84 ± 0.21a
*
Data are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. of 11 to 12 rats per group. Values in the same row with different superscripts (a,
b, and c) are significantly different at a p-value less than 0.05 by one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple-range test.
NS: Not significant
NC: ovariectomized rats fed a casein diet
YS: ovariectomized rats fed a yellow soybean diet
BS: ovariectomized rats fed a black soybean diet
SB: ovariectomized rats fed a sword bean diet
Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
weight gain in rats fed various bean diets is probably
due to the lower food intake of these rats compared
to rats fed casein diets. In addition to the lowest food
intake, the SB group had the lowest body weight gain
among the various bean groups. This may be due to
a difference in the taste and smell of the SB-supple-
mented diet compared to the other experimental diets.
In previous studies [32, 33], levels of various lipids
were significantly higher in OVX rats than in sham-
operated rats. In fact, because of the possibility that
an ovariectomy might in itself increase the levels of
various lipids, we did not include a sham group in
our study. In this study, rats fed various bean types
showed a decrease in plasma TG, TC, and LDL-C
levels compared with the NC group. Plasma TG levels
in the BS and SB groups were significantly lower than
in the NC group. Both plasma TC and LDL-C levels
in the groups fed beans were significantly lower than
those in the NC group. Notably, the BS group had
the lowest plasma TC and LDL-C levels among the
various bean-fed groups. Hepatic total lipid and total
cholesterol levels were also significantly lower in the
various bean groups than in the NC group. Notably,
hepatic total lipid levels were significantly lower in
the YS and SB groups, and hepatic total cholesterol
levels were significantly lower in the SB group, than
the NC group.
Sirtori et al. [34] and Descovich et al. [35] found
that diets high in soy protein (all animal protein re-
placed) substantially reduced blood LDL cholesterol
by 20~30 % in animals with severe hypercholester-
olemia. When soy protein is substituted for animal
protein, hypercholesterolemia does not occur. Thus,
either casein diets have a direct hypercholesterolemic
action, or soy protein diets have a cholesterol-lowering
action. In our study, consumption of various beans
resulted in a decrease in levels of TG, TC, and LDL-
C. The soy protein contents of the experimental diets
Groups
YS BS SB
32.83 ± 2.37b 40.49 ± 3.75ab 29.88 ± 2.79b
4.53 ± 0.20ab 4.65 ± 0.16ab 4.16 ± 0.17b
 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism
Table VI: The effects of various bean types on hepatic SOD and CAT activity and TBARS levels in ovariectomized rats*.
variables
NC
Antioxidant status
SOD (U/mg protein) 3.44 ± 0.05b
CAT (U/mg protein) 22.75 ± 0.48b
Oxidant status TBARS
(nmol/g wet liver) 8.53 ± 0.49a
*
Data are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. of 11 to 12 rats per group. Values in the same row with different superscripts (a,
b, and c) are significantly different at a p-value less than 0.05 by one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple-range test.
NC: ovariectomized rats fed a casein diet
YS: ovariectomized rats fed a yellow soybean diet
BS: ovariectomized rats fed a black soybean diet
SB: ovariectomized rats fed a sword bean diet
were the same (15 %) and the isoflavone contents of
the experimental beans were similar (0.25 % for yel-
low soybean, 0.27 % for black soybean, and 0.22 %
for sword bean). Postmenopausal women are gener-
ally at higher risk for cardiovascular disease because
ovarian hormone deficiency is associated with elevat-
ed levels of circulating TC and LDL-C. In previous
studies, dietary supplementation with soybean iso-
flavones significantly decreased plasma TC, TG, and
especially LDL-C levels, and significantly increased
HDL-C levels [36]. We hypothesize that the various
isoflavone-containing beans investigated in this study
may have lowered plasma cholesterol levels by their
estrogenic activity.
However, this hypocholesterolemic effect is not
simply an estrogenic effect, because soybeans are also
rich in anthocyanins and other phytochemicals. An-
thocyanins play important roles as dietary antioxidants
in the prevention of oxidative damage, and can reduce
the risk of coronary heart disease [37,38]. Black soy-
beans have a stronger anti-oxidative effect than yellow
soybeans and sword beans. The anti-oxidative activity
of dark-colored soybeans may be higher than those of
light-colored soybeans [39]. In our study, the rats fed
BS had lower plasma TG, TC, and LDL-C levels than
the rats fed YS or SB. Although the different beans
had similar isoflavone and soy protein contents, the
differential result may be because the BS seed coat
contains higher quantities of anthocyanins than the
SB and YS seed coats. LDL oxidation is one of the
more well-studied free radical-mediated processes.
Oxidized LDL is responsible for the pathogenesis of
atherosclerosis that can lead to the build-up of plaque
in arteries [40]. Therefore, consumption of food rich
in antioxidants may protect against cardiovascular
disease. Anthocyanins in BS appear to contribute to
Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
103
Groups
YS BS SB
3.82 ± 0.06a 3.82 ± 0.13 a 3.59 ± 0.05ab
26.87 ± 1.08a 30.10 ± 1.25a 28.23 ± 1.78a
7.12 ± 0.33ab 5.10 ± 0.60c 6.29 ± 0.49bc
the reduction in lipids observed after the consump-
tion of BS. Although the cholesterol-lowering effects
of soybeans are widely accepted, the mechanism(s)
underlying these effects is not well understood, but
is postulated to be due to soy proteins, isoflavones,
and anthocyanins, as well as other components [9, 13].
In addition, soybeans contain a wide range of phyto-
chemicals that are currently being investigated. It is
possible that the various phytochemicals interact syn-
ergistically to lower cholesterol. Our results suggest
that consumption of various types of beans, namely
soybeans and sword beans, has a beneficial effect on
lipid profiles in OVX rats, as indicated by decreased
TG, TC, and LDL-C levels in both the blood and liver.
Antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and CAT can
effectively convert superoxide radicals to molecular
H2O2 and oxygen, and can consecutively decompose
H2O2 to molecular water and oxygen [41]. In fact, CAT
and SOD are capable of eliminating lipid peroxidation
products and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby
directly protecting cells and tissues from deleterious
radicals [42].
Ozgocmen et al. [43] reported that postmenopausal
women appeared to have increased oxidative stress as
evidenced by high MDA levels and low CAT activity,
suggesting that lack of estrogen had a pro-oxidant
effect due to an increase in free radical formation.
Increased oxidative stress and reduced bioavailabil-
ity of antioxidants may induce oxidative damage in
postmenopausal woman and OVX rats. In this study,
SOD and CAT activities were higher in the groups
fed various types of beans than the NC group. Our
results are consistent with previous studies that dem-
onstrated that various types of beans had antioxidant
capacity both in vivo and in vitro [44, 45]. The protec-
tive roles of various beans against oxidative damage
104 J.S. Byun et al.: Effect of Various Beans on Lipid Metabolism
in OVX rats might be due to their ability to decrease
lipid oxidation, as it is known that isoflavones have
antioxidant activity [46]. However, SOD and CAT
activities were not significantly different between the
bean-fed groups in our study. Phytochemicals may act
by different mechanisms to defend against harmful
free radicals. Recently, soybeans have attracted atten-
tion because of their strong antioxidant, anti-cancer,
and anti-inflammation effects [26]. Based on these
results, we hypothesize that consumption of sword
bean as well as yellow soybean and black soybean
can increase the activities of antioxidant enzymes in
postmenopausal women. Further studies are needed
to confirm this hypothesis.
Hepatic TBARS levels are commonly used to as-
sess lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress [47]. In this
study, hepatic TBARS levels were the lowest in the BS
group, followed by the SB and YS groups, and highest
in the NC group. Soy isoflavones can directly quench
free radicals, though they may also decrease oxidative
damage through indirect mechanisms such as induc-
tion of cellular antioxidant- scavenging enzymes [48].
The different hepatic TBARS levels in rats fed vari-
ous types of bean may be due to the different levels of
isoflavones and anthocyanins in the beans. Notably, the
strong effect of black soybean on hepatic TBARS levels
may be related to the high anthocyanin content of this
type of bean. Anthocyanins may prevent the copper-
induced oxidation of LDL by both metal-chelating and
radical scavenging mechanisms [49]. Kowalczyk et al.
[50] demonstrated that anthocyanin supplementation
decreased hepatic TBARS levels and increased antioxi-
dant activity in animals. Oxidative stress is associated
with cholesterol accumulation and foam cell formation,
which are the hallmarks of early atherosclerosis in vas-
cular tracts [51]. Anthocyanins can thus protect against
oxidative damage and reduce the risk of coronary heart
disease [52]. Overall, consumption of various beans had
a beneficial effect on antioxidant enzyme activities in
OVX rats, as indicated by increased SOD and CAT
activities, and by decreased TBARS levels.
In conclusion, our results suggest that consump-
tion of beans containing soy protein and various an-
tioxidant micronutrients may inhibit oxidative stress
in postmenopausal women by enhancing antioxidant
activity and decreasing levels of harmful lipids. These
effects are likely to be mediated by soy proteins, isofla-
vones, anthocyanins, and other phytochemicals pres-
ent in these beans. Notably, intake of black soybeans,
which contain the highest anthocyanin levels, resulted
in the greatest improvement in risk factors associated
with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Fur-
thermore, sword beans as well as yellow and black
Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 80 (2), 2010, © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers
soybeans may protect against cardiovascular disease
and atherosclerosis. Further studies are required to
determine the potential implications of the consump-
tion of sword beans on lipid metabolism.
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Prof. Sang Sun Lee
Department of Food & Nutrition
Hanyang University,
#17 Haengdang-dong
Seongdong-gu
Seoul 133 – 791
South Korea
Telephone: +82–2-2220–1206
Fax: +82–2-2281–8285
E-mail: leess@hanyang.ac.kr