JPH07135923A - Composition for functional food - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a composition for functional food further improved in the pharmacological activity such as hepatopathy protecting activity of the licorice extract contained therein, thus having health protecting effect and health therapeutic effect even on hepatitis C. CONSTITUTION:The objective composition for functional foods formulated with (A) chitin and/or chitosan as well as (B) at least one kind selected from the extracts from licorice and the lactic fermentation products of said extracts.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention contains a composition for functional foods, more specifically an extract obtained from a licorice plant which is said to be effective for the treatment and prevention of liver diseases.
The present invention also relates to a functional food composition having improved functions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Restoration therapy, diet therapy, drug therapy and the like are known as methods for treating liver diseases. Among these therapies, as drug therapy, a method using aspartic acid, amino acids such as thioctic acid, liver extract, liver hydrolyzate, placenta hydrolyzate, glucuronic acid derivative and glycyrrhizin extracted from licorice is known. There is. Further, JP-A-1-104010 proposes a drug for treating and preventing kidney and liver diseases, which comprises isoliquiritigenin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an extract of licorice as an active ingredient. . Further, International Patent Publication WO92 / 139
In 3, there is proposed a functional food composition that is easy to eat while maintaining and enhancing health preventive effects such as liver damage protecting effect and health therapeutic effects by lactic acid fermentation of an extract obtained from a licorice plant. Has been put to practical use,
With regard to hepatitis C, it is the current situation that satisfactory results cannot be obtained yet, and further improvement is desired.

[0003]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention further improves the pharmacological action of licorice extract such as the action for protecting liver damage,
It is intended to provide a functional food composition capable of exerting a health preventive effect and a health therapeutic effect for hepatitis C.

[0004]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION However, as a result of earnest research, the inventors of the present invention have found that at least one selected from an extract obtained from a licorice plant and a lactic acid fermentation product of an extract obtained from a licorice plant. In addition, the inventors have found that the compounding of at least one selected from chitin and chitosan exerts sufficient health preventive effect and health therapeutic effect on hepatitis C, and has completed the invention of the present application. Is.

As the licorice plant according to the present invention, licorice conventionally used as a herbal medicine can be used, and examples thereof include Manchurian licorice, light fruit licorice, Spanish licorice, Russian licorice and Persia licorice. it can.

The method for extracting licorice may be the same as the conventional method, and more specifically, the licorice may be extracted in a weight ratio of 1 to 1000.
Double the amount of water may be added, and the mixture may be heated if necessary and subjected to extraction treatment for 1 to 72 hours. As the extract, the liquid obtained by this extraction treatment can be used as it is as an extract, or the extract obtained by subjecting this extract to a water removal treatment can be used. The licorice used for extraction may be a dried product or a powdered product of the dried product, but may not be dried. The part used is
Can be whole licorice, or roots and stems (Strong)
Etc. may be a part thereof, and in particular, a dried product of roots from which skins have been removed and a dried product of stems (Strong) from which skins have been removed are preferable. Further, as the licorice extract, a licorice extract conventionally used in Chinese herbs can be used, and this may be diluted with water, or a liquid obtained by suspending the crude licorice extract in water may be used. In the present invention, these liquids, or the licorice extract and crude licorice extract themselves are also referred to as licorice extract.

The licorice extract may be blended as it is, or may be subjected to a lactic acid fermentation treatment. When performing lactic acid fermentation treatment, it is preferable to use a liquid licorice extract, that is, an extract obtained by subjecting the above licorice to an extraction treatment, or a liquid produced from a licorice extract or a crude licorice extract. In order to ferment this liquid licorice extract into lactic acid, various lactic acid bacteria used for obtaining conventionally known dairy products can be used alone or in combination. A dairy product obtained by lactic acid fermentation, for example, lactic acid bacteria contained in yogurt may be used together with this dairy product. The conditions for lactic acid fermentation may be such that an environment suitable for fermentation is prepared according to the type of lactic acid bacteria used, and usually one day or more, low temperature (1 to 4 ° C).
C) Leave still. If necessary, a nutrient source for lactic acid bacteria may be mixed in agar or the like. This lactic acid fermentation is based on 1 part by weight of isoliquiritin (a component derived from licorice) contained in the lactic acid solution and lactic acid (a metabolic product of lactic acid bacteria).
From the viewpoint of taste, it is preferable that the amount of glycyrrhizin (a component derived from licorice) is 1/3 to 30 parts by weight. The liquid licorice extract is subjected to lactic acid fermentation to obtain a liquid lactic acid fermentation product, which can be used as it is as a lactic acid fermentation product of an extract obtained from a licorice plant. The liquid lactic acid fermentation product may be sterilized or the insoluble matter may be removed by centrifugation or the like, and a concentrated product of these liquids may be used. Further, water can be removed from these liquids and used as a semi-solid or solid product.

[0008] Next, chitin and chitosan are derived from chitin widely existing in nature such as shells of crustaceans such as crab and shrimp, epidermis of insects, organs of molluscs such as squid and shellfish, cell walls of fungi such as mushrooms. can get. Generally, the shells of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps are immersed in a dilute alkaline solution to remove proteins,
Then, it is dipped in a dilute acid solution to remove calcium carbonate, whereby chitin is obtained. Chitosan is produced by subjecting chitin to heat treatment in a concentrated alkaline solution at 80 to 120 ° C. for 4 to 5 hours to remove N-acetyl groups. Chitin can also be used as a chitin oligosaccharide. This chitin and chitosan are contained in shells of crustaceans and the like, and are said to have blood cholesterol lowering, heart disease prevention, liver disease prevention actions, etc. In particular, low molecular oligosaccharides have antibacterial properties ( An anti-cancer effect) and an immunity enhancing effect have been found and attracted attention.

The functional food composition of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned extract obtained from a licorice plant or a lactic acid fermentation product of an extract obtained from a licorice plant and chitin and / or chitosan. It can be supplied in a liquid state, a semi-solid state, a solid state, or the like, and can take the form of conventionally known foods such as drinks, jellies, and baked confectioneries. At that time, starch, protein, vitamins such as vitamin C, soybean lecithin, beta carotene, soybean oil, safflower oil, chlorella, garlic extract, gelatin, beeswax, shiitake extract, viper extract, fructose, glucose, sodium chloride, It is possible to mix with edible substances such as calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, sodium L-glutamate and the like.

[0010]

EXAMPLES Next, in order to enhance understanding of the present invention, examples of functional foods using the functional food composition according to the present invention will be shown. First, against the neo-can gold (hereinafter referred to as functional food 1) marketed by Nippon Hypox Co., Ltd. as a lactic acid fermentation product of an extract obtained from a licorice plant or an extract obtained from a licorice plant, chitin And / or chitosan was mixed with Crab Top High Gold of Asia Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as functional food 2) to obtain the functional food according to Example 1. Functional food 1
Is sold as a 50 ml drink, and its ingredients are licorice extract, red bean extract, fructose, glucose, liquid sugar, vitamin C, sodium chloride, calcium lactate, sodium carbonate, sodium L-glutamate,
Caffeine and fragrance. The functional food 2 is a paste-like substance enclosed in a capsule, and the components thereof are 90 mg of chitosan, 3 mg of chitin oligosaccharide, and soybean lecithin 6.4.
mg, beta-carotene 5 mg, soybean oil 40 mg, odorless garlic 3.6 mg, gelatin 320 mg, safflower oil 164 m
g, Poem S 4 mg, beeswax 4 mg. At the time of blending, only the paste-like material was taken out from the capsule of the functional food 2, blended with the functional food 1, and stirred. The mixing ratio is such that 1 functional food 1 to 5 functional food 2
There were 30 tablets.

Example 2 is the same as the functional food 1 described above, except that chitin and / or chitosan is Beta Sun C Gold (hereinafter referred to as functional food 3) manufactured by Asia Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Was added to obtain the functional food according to Example 2. The functional food 3 is a granular product packaged in individual bags, and the components thereof are chitosan 300 mg, chitin oligosaccharide 300 mg, beta carotene 5 mg, and vitamin C4.
It is 0 mg, 30 mg of chlorella, 20 mg of gelatin, and 30 mg of shiitake extract. At the time of compounding, the functional food 3 was mixed with the functional food 1 and stirred. The mixing ratio was 1 to 5 functional foods 3 per one functional food 1.

As chitin and / or chitosan,
Liquid beta-san pure drink is also commercially available from Asia Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and can be mixed with the functional food 1. In addition, it is possible to appropriately change the above-mentioned blending amount, and it is also possible to blend a plurality of these functional foods. Furthermore, it is also possible to carry out without using a commercially available functional food.

The inventor of the present invention has completed the present invention based on the findings of several types of cases, and cases 1 to 4 thereof will be shown below.

Case 1 Male, 61 years old (Kobe City) Hepatitis has been present for several years, and Table 1
Values of γ-GTP and the like were shown. After receiving various treatments and dieting, he was in a state of progress and withdrawal. Especially, around the nose was swollen red and black, and fat was exposed. 1993 6
From the middle of the month 1 functional food 1/1 day, functional food 2
, 6 tablets / day, recovered in about 1 month,
There was no swelling around the nose. Table 1 shows the results of the inspection conducted in the middle of July 1993.

[0015]

[Table 1] GOT GPT γ-GTP Several years after the onset 100-200 100-200 200-300 or more July 1993 25 20 70

Case 2 Male, 63 years old (Kobe City) He had hepatitis since 1991 and had been treated by a doctor but did not recover. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in May 1992 and was advised to administer interferon. Rather than worrying about side effects, she took herbal medicine and was in a lull state. About 1 month / day of functional food 1 and 4 tablets / day of functional food 2 for about 2 months from August 1993 to September, and it recovered rapidly, about 2 months later. In the inspection conducted in October of the same year, the results shown in Table 2 below were obtained.

[0017]

[Table 2] GOT GPT γ-GTP 1991 (when hepatitis develops) 120 100 200 May 1992 (when hepatitis C is diagnosed) 125 135 220 220 April 1993 (when Kampo therapy) 70 120 100 October 1993 23 18 52 November 1993 25 17 63

Case 3 Female 55 years old (Nara city) He had been hepatitis C since 1991 and had been hospitalized repeatedly.
Administration of interferon was recommended in August 2012. He declined treatment because of concern about side effects and was diagnosed by another doctor, but was judged to be likely to have liver cancer based on his external appearance (face blood vessel condition). No, 1 functional food / 1 from 26 August 1993
15-30 tablets / day, functional food 2 / functional food 3
When 1 packet / day was taken, the patient recovered his vitality in the 1st week, and a good value was shown in the examination 2 weeks later.

[0019]

[Table 3] 2 years after GOT GPT γ-GTP onset 90-160 90-100 100-120 September 9, 1993 77 66 75

Case 4 Female (63 years old) Hepatitis C was admitted to the hospital for cirrhosis, and he continued to drip for more than 1 month in a state where it was difficult to take food from the mouth, but the skin of both arms was torn, and from several places. He was bleeding, and each time he was bleeding with a roasting iron, he was told by his doctor that he had one month to live. From the end of August 1993, take 1 functional food / 1 day and 30 functional foods / 1 day (take only paste from capsule and pour into mouth) for 1 month. Later, according to the doctor in charge, 67% of the liver function had recovered, and he was actually able to move around the hospital with a wheelchair.

In all of the above four cases, 1 to 3 are severe patients with hepatitis C, cirrhosis (end stage), alcoholic fatty liver, etc.
It was recovered in a month, and the case introduced as a case at a lecture meeting on chitin and chitosan required 3 to 6 months to recover, which is an extremely early recovery situation. The present inventor has completed the present invention based on such a recovery situation.

[0022]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention further enhances the pharmacological action of licorice extract such as the action for protecting liver damage and the like, and is a functional food composition capable of exerting a preventive effect on health and a therapeutic effect on hepatitis C. I was able to provide things.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A blend of at least one selected from an extract obtained from a licorice plant and a lactic acid fermentation product of an extract obtained from a licorice plant, and at least one selected from chitin and chitosan. Functional food composition.