JP2633964B2 - Anti-caries agent - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an anti-caries agent for preventing caries.

[Conventional technology and problems]

Many people are suffering from caries (cavities), and according to a survey of dental diseases by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, about 90% of Japan suffers from dental caries, and the cost of treatment is enormous. Has become.

Caries are Streptococcus mutans (Storepto
ccocus mutans) caused by oral streptococci. That is, caries are generated due to the ability of S. mutans to specifically adsorb to the tooth surface and the ability to form strong plaque (plaque) and the ability to generate acid through the formation of insoluble glucan due to the presence of sucrose.

Therefore, reducing S.mutans to prevent caries (antibacterial)
Is most important and effective.

For this purpose, there is a method in which an agent having an antibacterial or bactericidal action is administered to eliminate the bacteria, and plaque is physically removed by brushing the teeth, and a nutrient source which is a source of the growth of the bacteria is removed. The method is taken.

However, administration of the drug has been pointed out as a risk of side effects, and removal with a brush tends to be incomplete.

From this point of view, the development of highly safe caries preventive agents has been desired. One of them is the suppression of dental plaque formation using kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and rhamnocitrin contained in various herbs as active ingredients. Agents have also been developed. However, these substances are contained in medicinal herbs, and many difficulties are expected to be obtained in large quantities.

On the other hand, it is known that glycosides represented by saponins and isoflavones in soybeans and their non-sugar fractions (aglycones) have various physiological actions, for example, antioxidant, antihemolytic or antifungal actions. These physiological actions are common to glycosides or aglycones. For example, it has been reported that both genistein and daidzein inhibit mold growth.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present inventors have focused on the availability and safety of isoflavone glycosides or aglycone obtained from soybeans and studied the safety, and among the aglycones, only genistein was effective in suppressing the growth of S. mutans, and daidzein Did not show that effect.

As mentioned above, many of the physiological actions of aglycone or its glycosides in soybeans are common, but the growth inhibitory effect of S. mutans is specific, which can be seen only in genistein, and Such findings were first clarified by the present inventors.

The present invention has been completed based on such knowledge, and the present invention will be specifically described below.

Genistein is obtained by extracting from a plant, for example, soybean. Specifically, the method disclosed in JP-A-62-126186, or an isoflavone glycoside obtained by this method is used as an enzyme or acid. After the aglycone hydrolyzed in step (1) is adsorbed on the resin, the genistein is selectively eluted, or the aglycone mixture is dried and then extracted with ether.

In addition, Japanese Patent Application No. 63-83135, filed by the present inventors earlier,
Can also be obtained by the method disclosed in the above item.

Furthermore, the dehulled soybeans are immersed in warm water of pH 8-11, 50-60 ° C. to extract isoflavone glycosides, and the hydrolyzate or soymilk hydrolyzed with an enzyme or acid is filtered through an ultrafiltration membrane. The isoflavone-containing fraction obtained, or the isoflavone-containing fraction in the non-protein fraction obtained in the process of producing isolated soybean protein, may be hydrolyzed with an acid or an enzyme as it is or may be concentrated.

The genistein thus obtained may be applied as it is to the oral cavity, or may be mixed with other oral preparations such as dentifrice, gargle, chewing gum, troche and the like.

 Examples will be described below.

〔Example〕

The following experiments were performed on the growth inhibitory effect of S. mutans.

Liquid medium of Brain heart infusion from Difco Laboratory (3.
7%) and 10% sucrose to this medium were added with 20% isoflavone glycoside and aglycone as shown in Table 1.
0P.PM 120 ℃ after addition, the sterilization treatment for 15 minutes, where it like adding medium S.mutans the (IFO 13955) of the As of 10 ² pcs / ml, were cultured for 24 hours at 37 ° C. The results shown in Table 1 were obtained.

As is clear from the results shown in Table 1, genistein has a unique effect of suppressing the growth of S. mutans. Therefore, genistein can be used as an active ingredient of an anti-cariogenic agent.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An anti-cariogenic agent comprising genistein as an active ingredient.