Preparation and Characterization of KIOM-MA and KIOM-MA128

KIOM-MA and KIOM-MA128 were prepared according to previously described methods [6 (link)]; the herbal medicines in KIOM-MA (Glycyrrhizae radix, Polygoni cuspidati Rhizoma, Sophorae radix, Cnidii rhizoma, Arctii fructus, etc. [6 (link),14 ], was obtained from the Yeongcheon Oriental Herbal Market (Yeongcheon, Korea), and then identified by Dr. Ki-Hwan Bae, Professor Emeritus at the College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University (Daejeon, Korea). KIOM-MA (1 kg) was boiled in distilled water (10 liters) for approximately 3 h at 115 °C. The aqueous extract was filtered through a testing sieve (Aperture 500 μm and 150 μm). The filtered extract was inoculated with Lactobacillus rhamosus (1 × 10⁵–10⁷ CFU/mL; KFRI 128, KCTC 2182) provided by the Korea Food Research Institute, the pH of which was adjusted to 7.0 with 1 N NaOH and then autoclaved for 5 min, and then incubated for 48 h at 37 °C. KIOM-MA128 was filtered through a nylon net filter (60 μm; Millipore Co., Denver, MA, USA), and then deposited overnight. The supernatant was lyophilized, and then the dried pellet (the yield, 20.44%) was stored at −20°C until use. KIOM-MA128 were dissolved in a 10% DMSO solution or deionized water for in vitro or in vivo studies, respectively.