Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermented Yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) and Its Preventive Effects on Gastric Lesion

This study was carried out to find the possibility of fermenting yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) with Lactobacillus acidophilus and the protective role on stomach lesion of rats. The solutions of raw and extracted yam used were 2 and 6%, and they were fermented by L. acidophilus at 37 degrees C for 0, 12, 24, and 36 h. At intervals (0, 12, 24, and 36 h), viscosity, titratable acidity (TA), allantoin, and diosgenin were examined. In the results, it was observed the most desirable data at 12 h with 6% fermented raw yam (FRY) without any change in the content of allantoin and diosgenin. In the animal study by rats (Sprague-Dawley), the inhibition ratios on gastric lesion were 53.41% in FRY. Based on these data, it confirmed that raw yam powder fermented by L. acidophilus would be a functional food with the supplement of viable cells and nutraceutical component of allantoin and diosgenin.