JPS63198616A - Anticariogenic substance - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an anticariogenic substance composed of glycyrrhizin extracted from KANZO (root of Glycyrrhiza glabra), suppressing the formation of glucan by cariogenic bacteria, surely inhibiting the formation of bacterial plaque and having excellent effect to prevent dental caries. CONSTITUTION:An anticariogenic substance having excellent effect to inhibit the formation of bacterial plaque can be produced by compounding preferably >=1mM of glycyrrhizin which is a kind of glucoside extracted from the root of KANZO as an essential component and preferably further compounding gymnemic acid. The anticariogenic substance surely prevents the formation of dental caries by the anticariogenic effect of glycyrrhizin even by taking conventional foods and drinks containing sucrose and starch. Gymnemic acid suppresses with sweet taste of glycyrrhizin and refreshes the oral cavity. Glycyrrhizin is a known agent having steroidal action, anti-inflammatory action, antiarteriosclerotic action, etc., and gymnemic acid is a known agent for suppressing sweet taste. Both are harmless to human body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A0 Object of the Invention (1) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an anti-caries substance used for preventing dental caries.

(2) Conventional technology Tooth decay (6M teeth) has plagued humanity since ancient times, and in particular, the relationship between sugar and tooth decay has been attracting attention since the time when sugar consumption was called the barometer of civilization, and ways to prevent it. Many research results have been accumulated regarding this.

Traditionally, the basic idea of crane erosion prevention methods has been to eliminate Streptococcus mutans, a type of streptococcus, by administering bactericides and antibiotics.
For example, the use of artificial sweeteners with anti-erosive properties that eliminate S. mutans) from the oral cavity prevents the ingestion of sugar, and strengthens the tooth structure to resist invasion by proto-erosive bacteria.

However, in recent years, dental caries is caused by progenitor bacteria in the oral cavity decomposing sugar and producing sticky glucan (polysaccharide), which adheres to the tooth enamel surface and forms dental plaque. It has been proposed that plaque formation begins with the formation of dental plaque, and it is now an established theory in academic circles that this plaque formation is the root cause of dental caries.

From this perspective, in addition to the above-mentioned dental caries prevention method, it is possible to reliably prevent tooth decay by suppressing glucan production and preventing plaque formation on the tooth enamel surface. .

(3) Problems to be solved by the invention Therefore, many researchers are working diligently on hard steel in search of anti-corrosion substances, but so far no effective anti-corrosion substances have been obtained. do not have.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide the above-mentioned anti-portal caries substance which is highly effective in inhibiting the formation of dental plaque.

B0 Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving Problems The anti-caries substance according to the present invention is characterized by comprising glycyrrhizin obtained from licorice.

Furthermore, the anti-cariogenic substance according to the present invention is characterized in that gymnemic acid is blended with glycyrrhizin obtained from licorice.

(2) Effect Glycyrrhizin is a type of glycoside extracted from licorice root, and has the effect of suppressing the production of glucan by the cariogenic bacteria and reliably inhibiting the formation of dental plaque.

Glycyrrhizin has a long history as a drug, having been used since B.C. The currently known pharmacological effects of glycyrrhizin include steroid-like effects, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-arteriosclerotic effects. It is harmless.

Glycyrrhizin is 100 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose) and has a different aftertaste from sugar; however, when gymnemic acid is added to glycyrrhizin, the sweetness of glycyrrhizin is softened by the sweetness suppressing action of the gymnemic acid. Can be done.

The gymnemic acid is derived from Gymnema, a plant native to India, Africa, and China.
It is extracted from the leaves or stems of Glycyrrhizin and has the effect of changing the taste of foods and drinks, such as suppressing the sweetness of glycyrrhizin, for 1 to 2 hours after oral administration.

Gymnemic acid is used in low-calorie foods and drinks and has the effect of suppressing the absorption of sugar and other substances from the intestinal tract.
The present applicant has already proposed this point (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-5023), and therefore gymnemic acid is harmless to the human body.

(3) Example [Test Example ■] Using commercially available glycyrrhizin obtained from licorice root as a test sample, a solution having a concentration of 0.1.1.10 mM is prepared.

As a liquid medium (TTY basal medium), a medium containing no sugar (sucrose), a medium containing 30mM sugar, and a medium containing each of the above solutions individually in 30mM sugar were prepared, and each liquid medium was Streptococcus protobacteria (Str
Eptococcus mutans, IID 97
3 stocks) to 100. Cuff/4m/inoculated and cultured in a test tube at 37°C for 48 hours.

In each of the above-mentioned liquid media, the degree of plaque formation accompanying the generated glucans was determined by the wavelength of 660 nm after the plaque was pulverized.
Klett unit (Klett uni
t).

The drawings show the measurement results. In the liquid medium containing no sugar (No Sue), there is no glucan production and therefore no plaque formation, and the measured value is less than 2 Cret units, whereas in the liquid medium containing 30mM sugar (30mM
5uc), it becomes about 100 cret units.

In a liquid medium (Glyr) containing 30mM sugar and glycyrrhizin, when glycyrrhizin is contained at 1mM or more, the measured value is 2 Cret units, which is the same as in the case of No Sue, and plaque formation is inhibited.

However, if the content of glycyrrhizin is 0.1 mM or less, the above-mentioned plaque formation inhibiting effect cannot be obtained.

From the above results, it is desirable to contain glycyrrhizin at 1 mM or more in order to inhibit plaque formation.

[Examination example■]

First, extraction and purification of gymnemic acid will be explained.

200 g of dried leaves of Sobishi Wisteria are immersed in warm water at 60° C. for about 5 hours, and this is repeated 4 to 5 times to obtain a hot water extract containing crude gymnemic acid. This hot water extraction operation is performed to avoid chlorophyll and lipids from being eluted if alcohol is used for extraction from the beginning.

The warm water extract is adjusted to pH 3 with 2N sulfuric acid to obtain a precipitate containing crude gymnemic acid.

The precipitate is collected by performing centrifugal sedimentation at 15,000 rpm for 15 minutes, and the aggregate is washed with water and then extracted with ethanol 4 to 5 times to obtain an ethanol extract. This ethanol extraction operation is performed to remove proteins, polysaccharides, etc. from the precipitate.

The ethanol extract is concentrated under reduced pressure, and twice its volume of acetone is added to the concentrate, followed by centrifugation.

The supernatant containing crude gymnemic acid after centrifugal sedimentation is concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure, diethyl carbonate is added as a solvent, and extraction is repeated several times at boiling point.

The precipitate from the solvent is collected, evaporated to dryness and passed through high performance liquid chromatography. A large column is packed with a reverse phase carrier (Cue), and the mobile phase is water:methanol = 1
When slowly eluting from a ratio of 1:1 to 100% methanol, purified gymnemic acid is eluted in a portion where the methanol concentration is 70 to 80%. Evaporate this to dryness and p
When adjusted to H7, gymnemic acid is converted into Na salt, K salt or N
Obtained as H4 salt. This purified gymnemic acid is a type of saponin (glycoside). The yield of purified gymnemic acid is 0.1 to 0.5% by weight per 100 g of the dried leaves.

Next, as a test sample, the commercially available glycyrrhizin and the purified gymnemic acid were mixed in a volume ratio of 75:25.50:50.
．． A mixture prepared in a ratio of 25:75 to give a total of 1 mM (calculated assuming that the molecular weight of both substances is about 1000) is obtained.

Using the three types of test samples, test tube culture was carried out in the same manner as in the test example ① above, and then measurement was performed.The measured values for all test samples were the same as in the case of No suc. It has been confirmed that the amount is 2 Clets or less, and that plaque formation is inhibited.

The appropriate blending ratio of glycyrrhizin and gymnemic acid is 50:50, considering the sweet taste of the anti-portal caries substance. The reason is that, for example, if the blending amounts of glycyrrhizin and gymnemic acid are each set to 0.5 mM, 0.5mM of glycyrrhizin has a light sweetness equivalent to 0.05M of sugar when converted to the sweetness of sugar. On the other hand, 0.5 m, M of gymnemic acid further softens the sweetness of glycyrrhizin and makes the oral cavity refreshing.

Specific examples of the use of the anti-cariogenic substance containing glycyrrhizin alone or gymnemic acid include toothpaste, chewing gum, candy, table sugar, oral spray, etc. containing the substance.

C8 Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the occurrence of dental caries can be reliably avoided even if ordinary foods and drinks containing sugar and starch are ingested due to the anti-portal caries effect of glycyrrhizin.

Further, by blending gymnemic acid with glycyrrhizin, the sweet taste of glycyrrhizin can be suppressed and the inside of the oral cavity can be refreshed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a graph showing Klett units at a wavelength of 660 nm for various liquid media.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An anti-caries substance characterized by comprising glycyrrhizin obtained from licorice. (2) An anti-caries substance characterized by blending gymnemic acid with glycyrrhizin obtained from licorice.