Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 202-220 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 209 Figure 2 Health benefits of mung bean functional protein drink on antioxidant status, inflammation, and vascular function in middle-aged adults (Adapted from Muchimapura et al., 2024) In hyperlipidemic rats, hydroalcoholic extracts of mung bean seeds significantly reduced the levels of TC, TG, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), while also alleviating pathological changes similar to atherosclerosis (Ganesan and Xu, 2018). Processed whole mung beans also showed good lipid-lowering effects. In rats fed a high-cholesterol diet, diets containing 30% raw, cooked, or germinated mung beans all reduced serum TG and non-HDL cholesterol levels while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Although cooking and germination reduced the levels of some phenolic compounds, they enhanced the cholesterol-lowering capacity of mung bean (Liyanage et al., 2018). Mung bean coat (MBC), which is rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols, also improves blood lipid profiles. In prediabetic mice, supplementation with 3% MBC reduced TC, TG, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by approximately 14%~24% (Hou et al., 2021b). In mice fed a high-fat diet, supplementation with 6% MBC not only reduced serum TG, TC, and LDL-C levels but also alleviated hepatic steatosis. These effects were associated with regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism and lipogenesis-related gene expression through the PPAR signaling pathway (Hou et al., 2021a). 5.3 Protection against vascular oxidative damage The protective effect of mung bean on the cardiovascular system is closely related to its strong antioxidant activity. Ethanol extracts of mung bean seeds showed strong ABTS radical scavenging activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and anti-lipid peroxidation capacity. In rats fed a high-fat diet, consumption of whole mung beans restored antioxidant enzyme activity, increased the expression of antioxidant-related genes, and reduced liver damage caused by oxidative stress associated with hyperlipidemia. Mung bean also shows protective effects on the myocardium. Flavonoids isolated from mung bean and whole-seed extracts significantly reduced isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemic injury in rats. After mung bean treatment, serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly decreased. In addition, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in tissues was reduced, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly increased. These results indicate that oxidative damage was effectively inhibited and myocardial tissue was better protected (Bai et al., 2016). 6 Hepatoprotective and Detoxifying Effects 6.1 Protective effects against oxidative liver injury Water extracts from germinated and fermented mung beans, which are rich in amino acids and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), can significantly increase the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ferric reducing antioxidant
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