JP2005323604A - Health food - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new health food making the body itself healthy and having excellent skin-beautifying effect. <P>SOLUTION: This health food comprises (A) proanthocyanidin, (B) ascorbic acid or its derivative and (C) L-cysteine or its derivative. In the health food, proanthocyanidin containing ≥20 mass% oligoproanthocyanidin (OPC) is preferably used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a health food containing proanthocyanidin, ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and L-cysteine or a derivative thereof.

  Conventionally, various cosmetics have been used for the purpose of beautiful skin to make the skin look beautiful. However, since the use of cosmetics is only topical or coping, it does not result in true skin. That is, since the skin state reflects the health state of blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, tissue in the skin, etc., it is preferable to keep the skin beautiful by keeping the body healthy.

Various health foods are used for this purpose. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a food containing collagen powder and Tochu tea extract. However, this only supplies components to the skin, and does not make the body healthy and make it beautiful. In addition, health foods containing ascorbic acid and L-cysteine are commercially available to prevent skin pigmentation. However, since ascorbic acid is metabolized in 2 to 3 hours after ingestion, the effect is not maintained, and it is necessary to always ingest a certain amount of ascorbic acid. In addition, L-cysteine acts synergistically with ascorbic acid to prevent skin pigmentation. Therefore, if ascorbic acid is metabolized in the body, the effect of cysteine is not fully exhibited.
JP-A-8-205835

  Therefore, a health food that makes the body itself healthy and has an excellent skin beautifying effect is desired.

  The present invention provides a health food containing (A) proanthocyanidins, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof. This health food may make the body healthy and have an excellent beauty (skin skin) effect.

  In a preferred embodiment, 20% by mass or more of the proanthocyanidins is oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC).

  It has been found that by ingesting a health food containing (A) proanthocyanidins, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof, a beauty (skin-beautifying) effect can be obtained. . In particular, by using proanthocyanidins containing 20% by mass or more of OPC, an excellent beauty (skin) effect can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, the health food of the present invention will be described. The configurations described below are not intended to limit the present invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

  The health food of the present invention contains (A) proanthocyanidins, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof. Hereinafter, each component will be described.

(A) Proanthocyanidin In the present invention, proanthocyanidin refers to a compound group consisting of a condensation polymer having a degree of polymerization of 2 or more having flavan-3-ol and / or flavan-3,4-diol as a structural unit.

  Proanthocyanidins are known to have various activities such as antioxidant action.

  Examples of proanthocyanidins contained in the health food of the present invention include bark such as pine, persimmon, and wild peach; fruit or seed such as grape, blueberry, strawberry, avocado, black acacia, bilberry; barley; wheat; soybean; black soybean; Food ingredients such as red beans; torch husks; peanut skins; ground ginkgo biloba, or extracts thereof can also be used. In particular, it is preferable to use an extract of pine bark.

  In the present specification, among proanthocyanidins, a polycondensation polymer having a polymerization degree of 2 to 4 having flavan-3-ol and / or flavan-3,4-diol as a constituent unit is referred to as OPC (oligomeric proanthocyanidins; oligomeric proanthocyanidin). OPC is a type of polyphenol, a powerful antioxidant produced by plants, and is concentrated in the leaves, bark, fruit peels or seed parts of plants. Specifically, it is contained in grape seeds, bark such as pine, persimmon, and wild peach, tomato nut shell, peanut skin, ginkgo, false acacia fruit, cowberry and the like. It is also known that cola nuts in West Africa, Latania roots in Peru, and Japanese green tea contain OPC. OPC is a substance that cannot be produced in the human body.

  Since pine bark is rich in OPC among proanthocyanidins as described above, it is preferably used as a raw material for proanthocyanidins in the present invention. Hereinafter, a method for preparing proanthocyanidins will be described by taking an extract of pine bark rich in OPC as an example.

  Pine bark extracts include pinus martima, larch, black pine, red pine, Japanese pine, pine pine, Korean pine, red pine, rhubarb pine, pine pine, pine pine, pine of the Quebec region of Canada An extract of the bark of a plant belonging to is preferably used. Among them, a bark extract of French coastal pine (Pinus Martima) is preferable.

  French coastal pine is a marine pine that grows on the Atlantic coast of southern France. This French coastal pine bark contains proanthocyanidins, organic acids, and other physiologically active ingredients. The main component of the flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, has a strong antioxidant action to remove active oxygen. Are known.

  The pine bark extract is obtained by extracting the pine bark with water or an organic solvent. When water is used, warm water or hot water is used, and these may contain a salt such as sodium chloride. As an organic solvent used for extraction, an organic solvent that is acceptable for the production of food or drugs is used. For example, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, acetone, hexane, cyclohexane , Propylene glycol, hydrous ethanol, hydrous propylene glycol, ethyl methyl ketone, glycerin, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, dichloromethane, edible oils and fats, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, and 1,1,2- Trichloroethene is mentioned. These water and organic solvent may be used alone or in combination. In particular, hot water, hydrous ethanol, and hydrous propylene glycol are preferably used.

  A method for extracting proanthocyanidins from pine bark is not particularly limited, and for example, a warm extraction method, a supercritical fluid extraction method, or the like is used.

  The supercritical fluid extraction method is a method of performing extraction using a supercritical fluid that is a fluid that exceeds the critical point (critical temperature, critical pressure) of a gas-liquid substance. As the supercritical fluid, carbon dioxide, ethylene, propane, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or the like is used, and carbon dioxide is preferably used.

  The supercritical fluid extraction method includes an extraction step of extracting a target component with a supercritical fluid and a separation step of separating the target component and the supercritical fluid. In the separation step, any one of extraction separation by pressure change, extraction separation by temperature change, or extraction separation using an adsorbent / absorbent may be performed.

  Moreover, you may perform supercritical fluid extraction by the entrainer addition method. In this method, 2 to 20 W of ethanol, propanol, n-hexane, acetone, toluene, other aliphatic lower alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, or ketones are added to the supercritical fluid. / V%, and by performing supercritical fluid extraction with the obtained extraction fluid, the solubility of the target extract such as OPC and catechins (described later) in the extraction fluid is dramatically increased, or This is a method for enhancing the selectivity of separation, and a method for efficiently obtaining a pine bark extract.

  Since the supercritical fluid extraction method can be operated at a relatively low temperature, it can be applied to substances that are altered or decomposed at high temperatures; the advantage that the extraction fluid does not remain; and the recycling of the solvent is possible. There is an advantage that the process can be omitted and the process becomes simple.

  Extraction from pine bark may be performed by a liquid carbon dioxide batch method, a liquid carbon dioxide reflux method, a supercritical carbon dioxide reflux method, or the like, in addition to the above method.

  For extraction from pine bark, a plurality of extraction methods may be combined. By combining a plurality of extraction methods, it becomes possible to obtain pine bark extracts having various compositions.

  Specifically, the pine bark extract used in the health food of the present invention is prepared by the following method, but this is illustrative and is not limited to this method.

  1 kg of French maritime pine bark is placed in 3 L of a saturated solution of sodium chloride and extracted at 100 ° C. for 30 minutes to obtain an extract (extraction process). Thereafter, the extract is filtered, and the resulting insoluble matter is washed with 500 ml of a saturated solution of sodium chloride to obtain a washing solution (washing step). The extract and washing solution are combined to obtain a crude extract of pine bark.

  Next, 250 ml of ethyl acetate is added to the crude extract to separate the solution, and the ethyl acetate layer is recovered five times. The collected ethyl acetate solutions are combined and added directly to 200 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate for dehydration. Thereafter, the ethyl acetate solution is filtered, and the filtrate is concentrated under reduced pressure until the original volume is reduced to 1/5. The concentrated ethyl acetate solution is poured into 2 L of chloroform, and the resulting precipitate is collected by filtration. Thereafter, the precipitate is dissolved in 100 ml of ethyl acetate, and then added to 1 L of chloroform again for precipitation to perform a washing step of repeating twice. By this method, for example, about 5 g of pine bark extract containing 20% by mass or more of 2- to 4-mer OPC and 5% by mass or more of catechins is obtained.

  In the extract of the above-mentioned raw material plant, which is typically used as (A) proanthocyanidins in the health food of the present invention, particularly pine bark extract, proanthocyanidins, that is, flavan-3-ol and / or flavan- A condensation polymer having a degree of polymerization of 2 or more containing 3,4-diol as a structural unit is contained. Those containing a large amount of a condensation polymer having a low degree of polymerization are preferably used. The condensation polymer having a low polymerization degree is preferably a condensation polymer having a polymerization degree of 2 to 30 (2 to 30 mer), more preferably a condensation polymer having a polymerization degree of 2 to 10 (2 to 10 mer). Further, a condensation polymer having a degree of polymerization of 2 to 4 (2 to 4 mer; that is, OPC) is more preferable.

  Since OPC is an antioxidant substance as described above, it has the effect of reducing the risk of adult diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and cerebral thrombosis, the effect of allergic constitutions such as arthritis, atopic dermatitis, and hay fever, collagen Inhibiting the oxidation and decomposition of Furthermore, OPC has the effect | action which raises the antioxidant power in a body while making the utilization of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) efficient in a body, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

  Furthermore, in addition to antioxidant action, OPC has the effect of suppressing bacterial growth in the oral cavity and reducing plaque (dentals); the effect of restoring the elasticity of blood vessels; and lipoproteins in the blood are damaged by active oxygen The effect of preventing ingestion and preventing damaged fat from aggregating on the inner wall of blood vessels and adhering cholesterol; the effect of regenerating vitamin E decomposed by active oxygen; the effect of vitamin E as an enhancer, etc. It is known to have Among these, blood circulation in the body is promoted by the effect of restoring the elasticity of blood vessels and the effect of preventing the adhesion of cholesterol, and as a result, the metabolism of the skin is activated and the skin is kept healthy. It is.

  In the present invention, proanthocyanidins containing 20% by mass or more of OPC are preferably used. More preferably, it is 30 mass% or more. As such proanthocyanidins, a pine bark extract is preferably used.

  When proanthocyanidins having a high OPC content are used, an excellent skin beautifying effect can be obtained as compared with the case of using proanthocyanidins having a high degree of polymerization (low OPC content).

  Further, proanthocyanidins derived from raw plants, particularly plant extracts, contain catechins together with OPC. Catechin is a general term for polyhydroxyflavan-3-ol. As catechins, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate and the like are known. From natural products, in addition to (+)-catechin, which is said to be catechin in the narrow sense, gallocatechin, afzelekin, and (+)-catechin or 3-galloyl derivatives of gallocatechin have been isolated. Catechins include carcinogenesis suppression, prevention of arteriosclerosis, suppression of fat metabolism abnormality, suppression of blood pressure rise, thrombus prevention, antiallergy, antiviral, antibacterial, prevention of bad teeth, prevention of bad breath, normalization of intestinal flora, active oxygen And free radical scavenging action and antioxidant action. In addition, catechins are known to have an antidiabetic effect that suppresses an increase in blood sugar. In addition, catechins have a property of being activated at the same time as water solubility increases in the presence of OPC.

  The catechins are preferably contained in the raw material plant extract in an amount of 5% by mass or more. More preferably, the raw material plant extract containing 20% by mass or more of OPC is prepared so that 5% by mass or more of catechins is contained. For example, when the catechin content of the pine bark extract is less than 5% by mass, the catechins may be added so that the content is 5% by mass or more. Most preferably, a pine bark extract containing 5% by mass or more of catechins and 20% by mass or more of OPC is used.

(B) Ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof Ascorbic acid contained in the health food of the present invention includes ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof used as a food additive, such as sodium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate, and ascorbic acid glycoside. It is done. Natural materials rich in ascorbic acid (for example, natural materials derived from fruits such as lemon, orange, acerola, or natural materials derived from vegetables such as broccoli, mecabbage, peppers, komatsuna, cauliflower) are also used in the present invention. Can be used as

  Ascorbic acid is contained for the purpose of suppressing biosynthesis of melanin, which causes dullness of the skin, by an antioxidant action or a tyrosinase activity inhibitory action. Furthermore, ascorbic acid is known to have an action of promoting the synthesis of collagen which is a constituent protein of skin, an action of reducing stress (particularly oxidative stress), and an action of enhancing immunity.

  (B) Ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof is a mass ratio with respect to (A) proanthocyanidins, preferably 1: 0.1-50, more preferably 1: 0.2-20. Formulated in health foods. The amount of ascorbic acid may be larger than the above ratio.

  In addition, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof is 20 parts by mass or more with respect to 100 parts by mass in total of (A) proanthocyanidin and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof in the health food of the present invention. Blend as follows.

(C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof Another essential component of the health food of the present invention is L-cysteine or a derivative thereof. L-cysteine or a derivative thereof is an amino acid having an SH group, and acts synergistically with ascorbic acid to have a tyrosinase inhibitory activity and an activity to make melanin pigment colorless. In addition, it is known to have an effect of regulating epidermal metabolism, improving liver function, promoting detoxification, and the like. L-cysteine derivatives include, but are not limited to, L-cystine (L-cysteine dimer), N-acetylcysteine, and the like.

  L-cysteine or a derivative thereof used for the health food of the present invention may be a chemically synthesized product or a material derived from a natural product. Examples of materials derived from natural products include wheat protein, soybean protein, skim milk powder, yeast extract extracts, and purified products thereof. Furthermore, you may mix | blend the natural product containing these as it is.

  The mass ratio of (A) proanthocyanidins to (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof is preferably 1: 0.2 to 40, more preferably 1: 0.5 to 25. The mass ratio of (A) proanthocyanidins, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof in the health food of the present invention is 1: 0.1 to 50: 0. 2 to 40 is preferable, and 1: 0.2 to 20: 0.5 to 25 is more preferable.

  The health food of the present invention includes the above (A) to (C), and also includes various additives that are usually used in food as necessary. Examples of such additives include excipients, extenders, binders, thickeners, emulsifiers, colorants, fragrances, food additives, and the like. For example, the health food of the present invention may be formed into a tablet or pill form by adding an excipient to pine bark extract rich in proanthocyanidins, ascorbic acid, and L-cysteine, Or it is good also as a form of a powder or another form, without shape | molding.

  Capsules such as hard capsules and soft capsules, powders, granules, tea bags, baskets, liquids, and pastes may be used.

  Further, for example, nutritional components such as royal jelly, vitamins, proteins, calcium such as eggshell calcium, chitosan, lecithin, chlorella powder, Ashitaba powder, Moroheiya powder and the like can be added. Stevia powder, matcha powder, lemon powder, honey, reduced maltose, lactose, sugar solution, seasoning, etc. may be added to adjust the taste.

  The method for ingesting the health food of the present invention is not particularly limited. The health food of the present invention may be eaten or consumed as it is depending on its shape or preference, or it may be taken by dissolving in water, hot water, milk or the like, or a product leached with ingredients.

  The daily intake of the health food of the present invention is not particularly limited, but (A) 20 to 1000 mg as proanthocyanidins, (B) 100 mg to 1000 mg of ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof. It is preferable to set it as 10-500 mg.

  The health food of the present invention is not only a whitening effect due to its antioxidant action and tyrosinase inhibitory action, but also a combination of various physiological activities of each of the ingredients (A) to (C). By improving the state and activating metabolism, the skin state is kept healthy, and therefore, it is considered that the skin-beautifying effect is excellent. Furthermore, it has excellent beauty effects due to its beautiful skin.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to examples, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the examples.

(Example 1)
(A) Ethanol extract of pine bark containing 40% by mass of proanthocyanidins (20% by mass of OPC) and 5% by mass of catechin (trade name: Flavangenol, Toyo Shinyaku Co., Ltd.), (B) ascorbic acid ( Maruzen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), (C) L-cystine (Nippon Bulk Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), crystalline cellulose, sucrose ester, silicon dioxide, and eggshell calcium with the composition shown in Table 1 below (1 About 220 mg per tablet) to produce a food product.

Twenty volunteers (23-45 year old women) suffering from stains and buckwheat took this food daily for 12 weeks, 12 tablets per day. After the ingestion, the self-assessment of the beauty (skin beautification) effect (skin elasticity, gloss, stain / sobacus, and dullness) was performed according to the following criteria. Volunteers were randomly assigned except for equalizing people of the same age:
2 points,
1 point improved
No change ... 0 points.

  The results are shown in Table 2. In addition, the result of Table 2 shows the average score of 20 subjects.

(Example 2)
As in Example 1, except that instead of (A) in Example 1, an ethanol extract of pine bark containing 40% by mass of proanthocyanidins (10% by mass of OPC) and 5% by mass of catechin was used, Tablets (food) were produced with the compositions shown in Table 1 below, and the beauty (skin-beautifying) effect was evaluated. The results are also shown in Table 2.

(Comparative Examples 1-3)
Tablets (food) were produced with a composition containing only one or two of (A) to (C) listed in Table 1 below, and the beauty (skin-beautifying) effect was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. . The results are also shown in Table 2.

  From the results shown in Table 2, it can be seen that the foods of the examples have a higher beauty (skin-beautifying) effect in any item. Furthermore, it can be seen that the food of Example 1 has a higher beauty (skin-beautifying) effect than the food of Example 2. In addition, volunteers who ingested the foods of the Examples often heard that they had no stiff shoulders or low back pain or lost fatigue compared to volunteers who ingested the foods of Comparative Examples.

  As described above, a beauty (skin-beautifying) effect can be obtained by ingesting (A) proanthocyanidins, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) a health food containing L-cysteine or a derivative thereof. Was found. In particular, by using proanthocyanidins containing 20% by mass or more of OPC, an excellent beauty (skin) effect can be obtained.

Claims (2)

  A health food containing (A) a plant extract containing proanthocyanidins, (B) ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, and (C) L-cysteine or a derivative thereof.   The health food according to claim 1, wherein 20% by mass or more of the proanthocyanidins is oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC).