JP2009106216A - Calcium absorption promoter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a calcium absorption promoter having high safety and superior calcium-absorbing effect, in view of the fact that ingredients which promote calcium absorption are conventionally vitamin D and milk sugar, and besides, for instance, peptide derived from bone, butyric acid, galacto-oligosaccharide, protein derived from cod or krill, water soluble chitosan, and soymilk protein polymer fraction, and to provide food and drink using the calcium absorption promoter. <P>SOLUTION: This calcium absorption promoter has methylated catechin as the active ingredient. The food and drink containing the calcium absorption promoter is also provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a calcium absorption promoter containing catechins, particularly methylated catechin as an active ingredient.

In recent years, it has been pointed out that insufficient intake of calcium can cause various diseases such as hypertension and cancer, and studies on ingredients that promote calcium absorption along with calcium preparations have become active.
As ingredients that promote calcium absorption, various active ingredients have been proposed in addition to vitamin D and lactose. For example, bone-derived peptide (Patent Document 1), butyric acid (Patent Document 2), galactooligosaccharide (Patent Document 3), cod or krill-derived protein (Patent Document 4), water-soluble chitosan (Patent Document 5), soy milk protein A polymer fraction (Patent Document 6) has been proposed.

On the other hand, it has been reported that catechins have various physiological activities. For example, Patent Document 7 discloses a glucose transporter 4 expression promoter composed of catechins. Patent Document 8 proposes a fat accumulation inhibitor containing methylated catechin for the purpose of promoting fat burning and preventing obesity.
JP-A-4-16165 JP-A-4-108360 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-134031 JP-A-7-194314 JP 7-194316 A JP-A-7-75525 JP 2003-81825 A JP 2006-298792 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a calcium absorption promoter having high safety and an excellent calcium absorption effect, and a food and drink using the same.

The present invention is as follows.
(1) A calcium absorption promoter comprising catechins as an active ingredient.
(2) The calcium absorption promoter according to (1), wherein the catechins are methylated catechins.
(3) Food / beverage products containing the calcium absorption promoter as described in said (1) or (2).

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the safety | security and the calcium absorption promoter which has the outstanding calcium absorption effect, and food-drinks using this can be provided.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.
The catechins useful in the present invention are preferably tea catechins, and more preferred catechins can be represented by the following general formula (1).

(In general formula (1), R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ and R ₄ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and X ₁ and X ₂ each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group)

  Among them, methylated catechins useful in the present invention are represented by the above general formula (1), and epigallocatechin-3-O- (3-O-methyl) gallate, epicatechin-3-O- (3-O -Methyl) gallate, epicatechin-3-O- (4-O-methyl) gallate, epigallocatechin-3-O- (4-O-methyl) gallate, gallocatechin-3-O- (3-O-methyl) ) Galate, catechin-3-O- (3-O-methyl) gallate, catechin-3-O- (4-O-methyl) gallate, gallocatechin-3-O- (4-O-methyl) gallate, and these Is an isomer.

Methylated catechins are available in “Benifuuki”, “Benifuji”, “Benihomare”, “Yaeho”, “Surugasuse”, “Yutaka Midori”, “Kanaya Midori”, “Okumusashi”, “ `` Blue heart large bread '', `` Blue heart dragon '', `` Ooba dragon '', `` Safflower '', `` Benihikari '', `` Yamakai '', `` Yamamidori '', `` Karabeni '', `` Kou '', “Sofu” and “Okumidori”, or a mixture of these can be derived from tea leaves.
Hereinafter, methylated catechin will be described as an example of catechins.

Methylated catechin can be easily extracted by drying, pulverizing, and immersing the tea leaves in warm water (for example, 10 ° C. to 100 ° C.).
The obtained extract may be purified by column chromatography.

The calcium absorption promoter of the present invention is more preferably in a form containing methylated catechin and coenzyme Q10, and is preferably taken as a beverage. Coenzyme Q10 is known as ubidecarenone or coenzyme Q10 and is a lipophilic solid with a low melting point.
Hereinafter, a method for blending Coenzyme Q10 into a beverage will be described.

  In order to add Coenzyme Q10 to a beverage, it is preferable to use Coenzyme Q10 as a water-soluble composition prepared by emulsifying and dispersing it in a water-soluble substance solution in the presence of an organic acid. In this water-soluble composition, the average particle size of the emulsified and dispersed particles is 5 μm or less, preferably 1 μm or less.

  The water-soluble substance used for the dispersion / emulsification of coenzyme Q10 can form a protective colloid to disperse / emulsify coenzyme Q10 into fine particles and maintain a uniform and stable emulsion. Such water-soluble substances are derived from plants such as agar, gelatin, xanthan gum, gum arabic, casein, dextrin, carmellose sodium (CMC sodium), D-mannitol, pullulan, corn fiber, starch, gura gum and pectin. Examples include water-soluble polysaccharides and synthetic polymer materials such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and at least one water-soluble material selected from these materials is used. Among these water-soluble substances, gum arabic is a natural plant-derived substance having unique functionality, and is particularly preferable because it maintains a relatively low viscosity and fluid solution state even as a high concentration aqueous solution.

  The organic acid is, for example, citric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, malic acid and / or tartaric acid, preferably malic acid, tartaric acid or a mixture thereof.

When preparing a water-soluble composition containing coenzyme Q10, coenzyme Q10, which is a fat-soluble drug, is previously melted and dispersed and emulsified in a water-soluble substance in the presence of an organic acid to form an emulsion of fine particles. . For this reason, it is preferable to prepare an aqueous solution of a water-soluble substance, that is, an aqueous protective colloid solution, and preheat it. By introducing coenzyme Q10 heated and melted in advance into this protective colloid solution and then finely dispersing and emulsifying it to a desired average particle size using a known means such as a high-pressure homogenizer, it is uniform and fine. Emulsions can be formed. These steps are carried out at a temperature above the melting point of Coenzyme Q10, for example about 45-90 ° C, preferably 50-70 ° C. Alternatively, coenzyme Q10 powder may be directly added and dispersed in an aqueous protective colloid solution preheated (about 45 to 90 ° C., preferably 50 to 70 ° C.), melted in the solution, and then emulsified. This method is preferable because the workability is improved and the loss of raw materials can be suppressed.
A commercially available dispersion of Coenzyme Q10 can also be used, for example, a dispersion manufactured by Nisshin Pharma.

Apart from the above, coenzyme Q10 can be solubilized in the beverage by inclusion in cyclodextrin.
Although it does not specifically limit as cyclodextrin, For example, (alpha) -cyclodextrin, (beta) -cyclodextrin, (gamma) -cyclodextrin etc. can be used. Preferable is γ-cyclodextrin. About the ratio of the cyclodextrin to contain, 0.1-100 mol is preferable with respect to 1 mol of coenzyme Q10, and 0.2-20 mol is more preferable.
Inclusion of coenzyme Q10 with cyclodextrin includes a method of contacting or mixing them in a suitable solvent. When contacting or mixing, it is preferable to vigorously stir the raw material from the viewpoint of shortening the time required to obtain the clathrate compound.

  It is preferable to include the methylated catechin at the same time when the coenzyme Q10 is included in the cyclodextrin since the bitterness masking effect is further enhanced.

  Further, coenzyme Q10 is preferable because the reduced form suppresses oxidation of methylated catechin and increases the calcium absorption promoting effect. The method for obtaining reduced coenzyme Q10 is not particularly limited. For example, after obtaining coenzyme Q10 by a conventionally known method such as synthesis, fermentation, extraction from natural products, etc., reduced coenzyme in the effluent is obtained by chromatography. A method of concentrating the Q10 section can be adopted. In this case, a general reducing agent such as sodium borohydride or sodium dithionite (hydrosulfite sodium) is added to the coenzyme Q10 as necessary, and the coenzyme Q10 is added to the coenzyme Q10 by a conventional method. The oxidized coenzyme Q10 contained may be reduced to form reduced coenzyme Q10, followed by concentration by chromatography. It can also be obtained by a method in which the above reducing agent is allowed to act on existing high-purity coenzyme Q10.

  Moreover, it is preferable to mix | blend citrus-type fats and oils with the drink in this invention. By blending the fats and oils, the bitter taste of methylated catechin is masked, and a large amount can be consumed without causing discomfort. Examples of the fats and oils include limonene, gnaringin, and hesperidin. In addition, since the said citrus oil and fat is oil-soluble and will separate | separate and float if it mix | blends as it is with a drink, it is preferable to mix | blend, for example as aroma juice containing about 1% of citrus oil and fat. In addition, when mix | blending as an aroma fruit juice, it is preferable to add about 3-40g per 1l of drinks.

  Here, the aroma juice is obtained by blending, for example, about 1% by mass of citrus oil and fat into semi-clear juice or turbid juice containing pulp, and homogenizing this to disperse the oil and fat uniformly in the juice. It is done. As a result, citrus oils and fats are adsorbed by the pulp in the fruit juice and dispersed homogeneously, and a stabilized flavor-enriched fruit juice that does not release the oil can be obtained. This homogenizer is generally a high-pressure high-speed type such as a high-pressure homogenizer or a microfluidizer, a high-speed rotary type such as a homomixer or a colloid mill, a cavitation type such as an ultrasonic homogenizer or a continuous emulsion disperser, agitation such as propeller stirring or turbine stirring. Examples include a dispersion type.

In the beverage of the present invention, the ratio of methylated catechin is preferably 2 to 100 mg per 100 ml of beverage. The ratio of coenzyme Q10 is preferably 3 to 100 mg per 100 ml of beverage.
In addition, it is preferable that methylated catechin and coenzyme Q10 are appropriately blended in the beverage in consideration of the daily intake.

  In addition, the beverage of the present invention includes an antioxidant, a fragrance, various esters, an organic acid, an organic acid salt, an inorganic acid, an inorganic acid salt, an inorganic salt, a pigment, an emulsifier, a preservative, a seasoning, if necessary. Additives such as sweeteners, acidulants, fruit juice extracts, vegetable extracts, nectar extracts, pH adjusters and quality stabilizers may be used alone or in combination.

  The beverages of the present invention are soft drinks, carbonated beverages, fruit juice beverages, alcoholic beverages, etc., which are prepared and provided as can beverages, bottle beverages and the like. Among these, the alcoholic beverage is preferable because the bitter taste of methylated catechin is further masked. The alcoholic beverage may be Chu-Hi, cocktail, sour or the like obtained by dividing shochu by carbonated water, fruit juice, sweetener, and the like. Here, Chuhai is a beverage made by dividing shochu by fruit juice and carbonic acid, and cocktails are based on high-alcohol distilled spirits such as whiskey, brandy, gin, and vodka, and include liqueurs, syrups, fruit juices, and fragrances. Sour is a type of cocktail made by adding ice and adding sour. A sour drink is made by adding juice such as lemon and lime to whiskey and gin.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example and a comparative example further demonstrate this invention, this invention is not restrict | limited to the following example.

Example 1
Extraction was obtained from Benifuuki tea leaves at 90 ° C. using 30 parts by mass of pure water.
55% fructose glucose liquid sugar 100 g, appropriate amount of the above extract (amount obtained to obtain the following methylated catechin), Nisshin Pharma Coenzyme Q10 emulsifier (10% solution) appropriate amount (amount to obtain the following coenzyme Q10) Then, 4 g of citric acid, 20 g of grapefruit aroma fruit juice (containing 1% by weight of gnaringin), 3 ml of grapefruit fragrance were added to water to prepare 1000 ml, and mixed by a known means to prepare a beverage. Next, this prepared beverage was packed into a 100 ml bottle to make a bottled beverage, which was used for drinking.
The obtained beverage contains 20 mg of methylated catechin and 30 mg of coenzyme Q10 per bottle (100 ml). Moreover, the bitter taste of methylated catechin was not felt.

Example 2
Extraction was obtained from Benifuuki tea leaves at 90 ° C. using 30 parts by mass of pure water.
On the other hand, a group of 6 9-week-old male SD rats, a control diet containing 10% by weight of cellulose, and a part of 10% by weight of the cellulose replaced with a dry powder of the extract. It was set as Example 2 group. In Example 2 group, the methylated catechin concentration in the dry powder-containing cellulose of the extract in Table 1 below was appropriately adjusted so that the daily intake of the methylated catechin was about 800 μg / kg. .

  Water and a control diet or the feed of Example 2 were freely ingested for 5 days, and a balance experiment was conducted for 2 days from the 3rd day after the start of feeding. The feed intake was determined by subtracting the remaining feed weight from the fed feed weight. After completion of the cashier experiment, feces were collected and dried in a thermostat at 110 ° C. for 3 hours. The feces were crushed with a pulverizer and finely ground in a mortar, then dissolved in 3N hydrochloric acid, and the calcium content was measured using a commercially available calcium measurement kit to determine the calcium content in the feces. The calcium content in each experimental feed was 0.536%, and the apparent absorption rate of calcium (Ca) was calculated by the following equation.

  As a result, the calcium absorption rate was 48.50 ± 2.55 (%) in the control group, whereas it was 69.11 ± 4.88 (%) in the Example 2 group, and the risk rate was 1%. Significant differences were shown.

Example 3
Example 2 was repeated except that epicatechin gallate was used instead of methylated catechin in the Example 2 group. As a result, the calcium absorption rate was 55.50 ± 1.12 (%).

Example 4
Example 2 was repeated except that epigallocatechin gallate was used instead of methylated catechin in the Example 2 group. As a result, the calcium absorption rate was 58.21 ± 2.45 (%).

Example 5
Example 2 was repeated except that in the Example 2 group, the daily intake of coenzyme Q10 was about 500 μg / kg in addition to methylated catechin. As a result, the calcium absorption rate was 71.69 ± 3.75 (%).

Example 6
Extraction was obtained from Benifuuki tea leaves at 90 ° C. using 30 parts by mass of pure water.
95% brewing alcohol 54 ml, 55% fructose glucose liquid sugar 100 g, appropriate amount of the above extract (amount to obtain the following methylated catechin), appropriate amount of coenzyme Q10 emulsifier (10% solution) manufactured by Nisshin Pharma Amount of coenzyme Q10), citric acid 4 g, grapefruit aroma juice (containing 1% by weight of gnaringin) 20 g, grapefruit flavor 3 ml was added to 1000 ml and mixed by a known means to prepare an alcoholic beverage. Then, the prepared alcoholic beverage was packed in a 100 ml bottle to obtain a bottled alcoholic beverage, which was used for drinking.
The resulting alcoholic beverage contains 5% alcohol, 20 mg of methylated catechin, and 30 mg of coenzyme Q10 per bottle (100 ml). Moreover, the bitter taste of methylated catechin was not felt.

Claims (3)

  Calcium absorption promoter containing catechins as active ingredients.   The calcium absorption promoter according to claim 1, wherein the catechins are methylated catechins.   A food or drink comprising the calcium absorption promoter according to claim 1 or 2.