Frequent urination is a serious problem and remarkably decrease the Quality of Life. However, frequent urination has been also reported as an adverse effect in anti-cancer drugs therapy using cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. Then, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of α-lactoalbumin on the frequent urination induced by cyclophosphamide in Sprague-Dawley strain female rats. Cyclophosphamide dissolved in saline was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 50 and 150 mg/kg. Distilled water for injection was administered orally in a volume of 20 ml/kg after 2 days of cyclophosphamide-treatment. Thereafter, urination number of times and urine volume were measured every 15 min till 120 min. At a dosage of 150 mg/kg, significant increase of urination number of times and significant decrease of the average urination volume were observed, but not at 50 mg/kg. Then, the effect of α-lactoalbumin was evaluated by the administration of 150 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide. α-Lactoalbumin and dexamathason were administered orally at a dosage of 1000 and 5 mg/kg, respectively, before and after cyclophosphamide administration. Urination test was performed 2 days after cyclophosphamide. α-Lactoalbumin and dexamathason markedly decreased the urination number of times, and at 120 min α-lactoalbumin showed a significant decrease (p<0.05). Moreover, α-lactoalbumin significantly attenuated the significant decrease of the average urination volume induced by cyclophosphamide. Dexamathason also showed almost the same efficacy as α-lactoalbumin. These results show that α-lactoalbumin is effective on the frequent urination induced by cyclophosphamide.

　Lactobacillus gasseri is one of representative probiotics, and its bacteriocins such as gassericin A (GA) and gassericin T (GT) are expected as beneficial food preservatives. Lb. gasseri poorly grows in milk and normally, MRS broth is used for Lb. gasseri cultivation, however, it is unsuitable for food utilization due to high cost and unauthorized ingredients as food additives. In this study, we aimed at construction of MRS-based food-grade medium (FGM) for Lb. gasseri and production of food-grade bacteriocins.

　Nine kinds of FGM were prepared by elimination of manganese sulfate from MRS ingredients and replacement of all nitrogen sources to only a food-grade yeast extract (YE: 9 kinds). Then, growth ability of each FGM against Lb. gasseri and other lactobacilli was examined with optical density at 620 nm. All tested strains except one strain of Lb. gasseri were demonstrated the highest growth in “FR” (YE-FR adding FGM). Furthermore, the optimal conditions of bacteriocin production were determined. GA and GT activity was reached to 246 and 15,754 AU/mL, which was equivalent to one half amount of MRS broth culture supernatant, by optimal “FR” (GA: 0.9% YE-FR and 0.02% Tween 80; GT: 1.5% and 0.075%) for 24 h at 37℃.

　This is the first report succeeding on development of the complete food-grade artificial medium for Lb. gasseri. Its lower cost (at least one tenth of MRS broth), enough growth, and high production ability of food-grade bacteriocins of Lb. gasseri show potential of improvement on utilization of Lb. gasseri and its bacteriocins in food industry.

　Milk oligosaccharides have long received great attention to their high potencies of anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and prebiotic activities. As a result, the structures of more than 130 human milk oligosaccharides have been reported until now. In order to investigate the structure, function, and application of milk oligosaccharides, the pure oligosaccharides are needed in large quantities. In this article, the syntheses by the transglycosylation reactions using glycosidase and the syntheses of higher oligosaccharides by glycosyltransferase are described in detail. In addition, the example of the syntheses by the genetically engineered metabolic systems are also demonstrated. Furthermore, the isolation of milk oligosaccharides from mammalian milk by the improved process of the traditional charcoal column method are described.