JP7569563B2 - Blood sugar level rise suppressant and intestinal regulator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an agent for suppressing an increase in blood sugar level and an agent for regulating intestinal function, and more specifically, to an agent for suppressing an increase in blood sugar level and an agent for regulating intestinal function that contain processed barley and processed specific plant materials as active ingredients.

Examples of products that utilize the functions of processed barley include a collagen absorption promoter that contains young barley leaves (see Patent Document 1) and a gene expression promoter for SOD (superoxide dismutase) that contains young barley leaves as an active ingredient (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2013-255512 A JP 2015-140338 A

The object of the present invention is to provide a blood sugar level rise inhibitor containing processed barley that has a dramatically improved blood sugar level rise inhibitory effect, and an intestinal regulator that has a dramatically improved intestinal regulation effect.

Dietary fiber is thought to be effective in suppressing the rapid rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after a meal. The inventors focused on plant materials that are rich in dietary fiber, and first selected young barley leaves, young rice leaves, young wheat leaves, and cabbage as the main plant materials. They investigated the effect of combining these with hop leaves to suppress the rise in blood sugar levels, and found that the best effect was observed when young barley leaves were used.

The inventors therefore conducted extensive research and studies into the blood sugar level rise inhibitory effect of combinations of young barley leaves with other plant materials, and discovered that by combining a specific plant material with processed barley, the blood sugar level rise inhibitory effect can be dramatically improved. In other words, they found that by combining a plant material that has little or no blood sugar level rise inhibitory effect, or even if it does have such an effect, with processed barley, the blood sugar level rise inhibitory effect can be dramatically improved compared to the case of the processed barley alone. At the same time, they found that by combining a plant material that has little or only a small intestinal regulating effect with processed barley, the intestinal regulating effect can be dramatically improved compared to the case of the processed barley alone.

That is, the present invention relates to a blood glucose level rise suppressant that contains processed barley and at least one processed plant material selected from the group consisting of Terminalia, hops, mulberry, chlorella, kale, chou-meisou, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, soybean, Salacia, Gymnema, guava, and Eucommia ulmoides.

The present invention also relates to an intestinal regulator comprising processed barley and at least one processed plant material selected from the group consisting of Terminalia, hops, mulberry, chlorella, kale, chou-meisou, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, soybean, salacia, gymnema, guava, and eucommia.

The present invention also relates to a blood glucose level rise inhibitor that contains processed barley as an active ingredient, and further contains at least one processed plant material selected from the group consisting of Terminalia, hops, mulberry, chlorella, kale, chou-meisou, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, soybean, salacia, gymnema, guava, and eucommia ulmoides as an active ingredient.

The present invention also relates to an intestinal regulator that contains as an active ingredient a processed barley product and as an active ingredient a processed product of at least one plant material selected from the group consisting of Terminalia, hops, mulberry, chlorella, kale, chou-meisou, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, soybean, salacia, gymnema, guava, and eucommia.

The blood sugar level rise suppressant and intestinal regulator are preferably in the form of tablets, granules, powder or capsules.

The blood glucose level rise inhibitor of the present invention can dramatically improve the blood glucose level rise inhibitory effect compared to the case of processed barley alone. Also, the intestinal regulation agent of the present invention can dramatically improve the intestinal regulation effect compared to the case of processed barley alone.

FIG. 1 shows the measurement results (changes) of blood glucose levels in male KK-Ay mice to which the blood glucose level increase suppressant of the present invention was administered. FIG. 1 shows the results of measuring the number of feces in 24 hours in male KK-Ay mice administered the intestinal regulator of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the results (changes) of body weight measurements of male KK-Ay mice to which the agent of the present invention was administered.

The blood sugar rise inhibitor and intestinal regulator of the present invention are characterized by containing processed barley and at least one processed plant material (hereinafter sometimes referred to as secondary material) selected from the group consisting of terminalia, hops, mulberry, chlorella, kale, chou-mei-so, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, soybean, salacia, gymnema, guava, and eucommia. The secondary material may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more types.

The processed barley and processed plant material used in the blood sugar level rise inhibitor and intestinal regulator of the present invention may be any part of the plant, such as leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits, trunks, branches, etc., and processed plant material such as crushed plant material, squeezed juice, extracts, etc. can be used. Examples of crushed plant material include powder and granules. The squeezed juice and extract may be in liquid form, but can also be used in paste form or as dried powder. The extract can be obtained by extraction using a suitable solvent, and may be heated as necessary. Examples of the extraction solvent that can be used include water-soluble solvents such as water, ethanol, and aqueous ethanol. These processed barley and processed auxiliary materials can be commercially available.

[Processed barley]
As barley, two-rowed barley, six-rowed barley, etc. can be used. As the parts to be used in the present invention, stems and leaves are preferred, and young leaves are particularly preferred.

[Secondary material]
(Terminaria)
Examples of Terminalia include Terminalia bellirica (belerica), Terminalia catappa, Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia citrina, Terminalia phellocarpa, Terminalia copelandii, Terminalia brassi, Terminalia ivorensis, Terminalia superba, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia chebula, etc., and among these, Terminalia bellirica (belerica) and Terminalia chebula are preferred. The part used in the present invention is preferably the fruit excluding the seeds, and most preferably the skin or flesh of the fruit excluding the seeds.
(hop)
Hops are perennial vines of the Cannabaceae family. The parts of the hops that are used in the present invention are preferably the vines and leaves.

(Mulberry)
Mulberry is a plant belonging to the genus Mulberry and the family Moraceae. The parts used in the present invention are preferably the stems and leaves, and more preferably the leaves.
(chlorella)
Chlorella is a freshwater unicellular green algae belonging to the genus Chlorella. The Chlorella used in the present invention may be whole algae of Chlorella obtained by culturing in a conventional manner, and the culture solution or a concentrate or dried powder of the whole algae of Chlorella may be used.

(Kale)
Kale is a plant of the Brassicaceae family, and the parts used in the present invention are preferably leaves and stems. The variety of kale is not particularly limited, and various types of kale such as kitchen kale, tree kale, bush kale, marrow kale, collard, and green-leaf kale can be used.
(Choumei-so)
Chou-mei-sou is a perennial plant also called Peony root belonging to the genus Peony in the family Umbelliferae. The parts used in the present invention are preferably the stems and leaves.

(Sweet potato)
Sweet potato refers to a plant belonging to the Convolvulaceae family, and is generally called Satsuma Imo. The variety of sweet potato is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include Suio, Joy White, Koganesengan, Shiroyutaka, Satsuma Sachi, and Ayamurasaki. As the parts to be used in the present invention, stems and leaves are preferred, and young leaves are particularly preferred.
(Turmeric)
Turmeric is a perennial plant of the genus Curcuma in the family Zingiberaceae, and has been used since ancient times as a dye, fragrance, etc. Examples of types of turmeric include spring turmeric (Kyouou), autumn turmeric, purple turmeric (Gajutsu), etc., with autumn turmeric being particularly preferred. The part used in the present invention is preferably the rhizome.

(Ginger)
Ginger is a plant of the genus Zingiber in the family Zingiberaceae, and examples thereof include Sanshu ginger, Oshoga, Kintoki ginger, and Yanaka ginger. The part of ginger used in the present invention is preferably the rhizome.
(soy)
Soybeans are annual plants of the genus Glycine in the family Fabaceae, and examples thereof include black soybeans, red soybeans, green soybeans, white soybeans, and black-green tea soybeans. The part of the soybean used in the present invention is preferably the seed. In addition, soybeans may be processed, and soybean flour is particularly preferred.

(Salacia)
Salacia is a plant of the genus Salacia of the family Celastraceae that grows naturally mainly in Sri Lanka, India and Southeast Asia, and examples thereof include Salacia reticulata, Salacia oblonga, Salacia fimbrisepala, Salacia mamba, Salacia miegei, Salacia chinensis, etc., with Salacia reticulata being particularly preferred. The part used in the present invention is preferably the root.

(Gymnema)
Gymnema is a vine plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family that is grown in India and Sri Lanka, and an example of such a plant is Gymnema sylvestre. The parts of the plant that are used in the present invention are preferably the stems and leaves.
(Guava)
Guava is a plant of the genus Psidium in the family Myrtaceae, and an example of this is Psidium guajava L. The parts used in the present invention are preferably the stems and leaves.

(Eucommia)
Eucommia ulmoides is a deciduous tall tree native to China. The parts to be used in the present invention are preferably the stems and leaves, and particularly preferably the eucommia ulmoides leaves plucked before they fall.

[Other materials]
(Pullulan)
Pullulan is a water-soluble polysaccharide in which maltotriose, consisting of three glucose units linked by α-1,4 bonds, is linked in a chain form by repeating α-1,6 bonds. When this pullulan is blended alone with processed barley, it has the same effect as the above-mentioned secondary materials. Pullulan can be blended alone with processed barley, or together with the above-mentioned secondary materials. As a raw material for pullulan, fermented starch derived from corn, potato, sweet potato, etc. can be used. For fermentation, filamentous fungi can be used, and an example of the filamentous fungi is Aureobasidium pullulans.

The blending mass ratio of the processed barley product and the processed plant product, calculated on a dry mass basis, is preferably in the range of 0.02:1 to 100:1, more preferably in the range of 0.05:1 to 50:1, even more preferably in the range of 0.1:1 to 40:1, and particularly preferably in the range of 0.5:1 to 30:1. By blending the processed barley product and the processed plant product in the above range, the effects of the present invention can be more effectively exhibited.

The amount of processed barley and processed plant products (active ingredients) contained in the blood glucose level rise inhibitor and intestinal regulator of the present invention may be appropriately determined within the range in which the effect is exhibited. For example, in the blood glucose level rise inhibitor as a pharmaceutical product of the present invention, the active ingredients are preferably contained in an amount of 0.01 to 100% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 85% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 70% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis.

The blood glucose level rise suppressant and intestinal regulator of the present invention can be used as an oral preparation, and there is no particular limit to the amount of intake, but from the viewpoint of more significantly exerting the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to take the active ingredient so that the daily intake is 500 mg/day or more, more preferably 1000 mg/day or more, and even more preferably 1500 mg/day or more. The blood glucose level rise suppressant and intestinal regulator of the present invention can be stored as a daily dose in one container or divided into multiple containers, for example 2 to 3, so that the daily intake is the above-mentioned amount.

In particular, in order to more significantly exert the effects of the present invention, the blood glucose level rise suppressant of the present invention is preferably ingested so that the daily intake amount of dietary fiber is 600 mg/day or more, more preferably 1200 g/day or more, and even more preferably 1800 g/day or more. The blood glucose level rise suppressant of the present invention can be stored as a daily dose in a single container or divided into multiple containers, for example 2 to 3, so that the daily intake amount is the above-mentioned amount.

In particular, in order to more significantly exert the effects of the present invention, the intestinal regulator of the present invention is preferably taken so that the daily intake amount of dietary fiber is 650 mg/day or more, more preferably 1300 g/day or more, and even more preferably 1950 mg/day or more. The intestinal regulator of the present invention can be stored as a daily dose in a single container or divided into multiple containers, for example 2 to 3, so that the daily intake amount is the above-mentioned amount.

The blood glucose level rise suppressant and intestinal regulator of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they contain processed barley and a specified plant product and can be distinguished from other products in that they are used to suppress blood glucose level rise or regulate the intestines. For example, the scope of the present invention includes pharmaceutical products that display on the product itself, packaging, instructions, or promotional materials that they have the function of suppressing blood glucose level rise and/or regulating the intestines.

The blood glucose level rise inhibitor and intestinal regulator of the present invention can be produced by known formulation methods by adding orally acceptable excipients, etc., as necessary. Examples of excipients include calcium stearate, silicon dioxide, sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, maltose, reduced maltose, reduced palatinose, cellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose.

Examples of the forms of the blood glucose level rise inhibitor and intestinal regulator of the present invention include tablets, granules, powders, capsules, liquids, granules, rods, plates, blocks, solids, pills, pastes, creams, caplets, gels, chewable tablets, and sticks. Among these, tablets, granules, powders, capsules, and liquids are particularly preferred.

The blood glucose level rise inhibitor and intestinal regulator of the present invention may also contain ingredients other than the processed barley and the specified processed plant products, if necessary. Examples of ingredients other than the processed barley and the specified processed plant products include vitamins such as water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, B13, B15, B17, biotin, choline, folic acid, inositol, PABA, vitamin C, vitamin P) and oil-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, K); minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron; sulfur-containing compounds contained in taurine and garlic; flavanoids or flavonoids such as hesperidin and quercetin; proteins such as collagen; peptides; amino acids; animal fats and oils; vegetable fats and oils; crushed products or extracts of animals and plants, etc.

The present invention will now be described with reference to examples.
[Example 1]
Male KK-Ay mice aged 8 to 19 weeks (model mice that naturally develop type 2 diabetes and exhibit obesity and hyperglycemia) were assigned to groups with uniform blood glucose and body weight after an acclimation or rest period. Each test group was allowed to freely consume the test feed shown in Table 1 for 4 days.

For barley, dried and ground powder of young leaves was used.
For hops, dried ground powder of leaves and vines was used.
For mulberry, dried and ground powder of stems and leaves was used.
For chlorella, commercially available chlorella micropowder was used.
For kale, dried and ground powder of the leaves was used.
For Chou-mei-sou, dried and crushed powder of the stems and leaves was used.
For sweet potatoes, dried and crushed young leaves were used.
For Terminalia, a dried and ground powder of a water extract of the fruit and peel of Terminalia bellirica was used.
For turmeric, dried and crushed powder of autumn turmeric rhizome was used.
For ginger, dried and crushed powder of the ginger root was used.
For soybeans, commercially available soybean flour was used.
For Salacia, a dried powder of a hydroethanolic extract of the roots of Salacia reticulatus was used.
For Gymnema, a dried powder of a hydroethanolic extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves was used.
For guava, guava polyphenol concentrate (powder) extracted from the leaves with hydroethanol was used.
For Eucommia ulmoides, dried powder of hot water extract of the leaves was used.

For each test group, blood glucose measurement tests, intestinal regulation effect confirmation tests, and weight measurement tests were conducted. The details are as follows.

(Blood Glucose Measurement Test)
At the time of grouping (day 0 of the study) and on day 3 of the study, blood was collected from the tail vein after fasting for about 1 hour, and blood glucose levels (mg/dL) were measured using a small blood glucose meter (Glutest Ace; Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.).

Figure 1 shows the blood glucose measurement results (changes). In comparison with the control of standard feed alone and standard feed mixed with barley or each auxiliary ingredient alone, in the examples of the present invention in which barley and auxiliary ingredients were added, a decrease in blood glucose level was observed in all cases, confirming the synergistic effect of barley and each auxiliary ingredient.

(Test to confirm intestinal regulation effect)
On the fourth day of the test, feces were collected for 24 hours before the measurement, and the number of feces for the 24 hours was measured.

Figure 2 shows the results of measuring the number of feces. Compared to the number of feces in the control, which was fed only standard feed, and in the standard feed mixed with barley or each of the auxiliary ingredients alone, the number of feces was clearly increased in the examples of the present invention, which were fed with barley and auxiliary ingredients, confirming the synergistic effect of barley and each of the auxiliary ingredients on intestinal regulation.

(Weight measurement test)
Body weight was measured using an electronic balance at the time of group allocation (day 0 of the test) and on day 4 of the test.

Figure 3 shows the results of body weight measurements (changes). Compared to the rate of weight gain for the control, which was fed only standard feed, and for the standard feed mixed with barley or each of the auxiliary ingredients alone, the rate of weight gain was smaller in all cases in the examples of the present invention, which were fed with barley and auxiliary ingredients, confirming the synergistic effect of barley and each of the auxiliary ingredients.

[Reference Example]
Instead of the above-mentioned secondary material, pullulan was used in the same test as in Example 1. As a result, in the blood glucose level measurement, the change in the feed containing pullulan alone was about +210 mg/dL, but in the feed containing barley and pullulan, the change was significantly reduced to about -145 mg/dL, confirming the synergistic effect of barley and pullulan. In addition, in the intestinal regulation effect confirmation, the number of pieces was 61 in the feed containing pullulan alone, but was 95 in the feed containing barley and pullulan, confirming the synergistic effect of barley and pullulan. In addition, in the body weight measurement, the change in the feed containing pullulan alone was about +1.3 g, but in the feed containing barley and pullulan, the change was about +0.2 g, confirming the synergistic effect of barley and pullulan.

[Example 2] (Preparation of tablets)
The ingredients were mixed in the ratio shown below and compressed into tablets using a tablet press.

Ingredients Composition (mg)
Barley grass powder 135
Hop powder 15
Dextrin 120
Vitamin supplements 15
Anhydrous citric acid 15

It is expected that taking 4 to 10 tablets of this tablet per day (600 to 1,500 mg of active ingredient per day) will have an effect of suppressing blood sugar rise and/or regulating the intestines.

[Example 3] (Production of capsules)
One part by weight of chlorella powder was mixed with 15 parts by weight of powdered young barley leaves, and the mixture was made into granules in a conventional manner. 300 mg of the granules were then filled into capsules to prepare capsules.

It is expected that taking six of these capsules per day (daily intake of active ingredient: 1,800 mg) will have an effect of suppressing blood sugar rise and/or regulating the intestines.

[Example 4] (Preparation of granules)
One part by weight of ginger powder was mixed with 15 parts by weight of processed barley, and the mixture was made into granules in a conventional manner, and 1.8 g of the granules were packed in an aluminum stick.

It is expected that taking three packets of this granule per day (5,400 mg of active ingredient per day) will have an effect of suppressing blood sugar rise and/or regulating the intestines.

The blood glucose level rise suppressant and intestinal regulation agent of the present invention have the effect of suppressing blood glucose level rise or the intestinal regulation effect, and can be used as an oral preparation, and therefore are highly useful industrially.

Claims (3)

An anti-obesity composition comprising processed young barley leaves and processed Salacia roots . A composition for regulating intestinal function, comprising processed young barley leaves and processed Salacia roots . An anti-obesity and intestinal regulation composition comprising processed young barley leaves and processed Salacia roots .