JP7627446B2 - Composition for improving motor function containing dried powder of Japanese knotweed leaves, anti-allergic composition, and method for producing dried powder of Japanese knotweed leaves - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. <1> Exhibition date: February 13-15, 2019, Exhibition name and location: 53rd Supermarket Trade Show 2019 (2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Makuhari Messe), Public exhibitor: Kochi Prefecture Food Industry Park Business Cooperative Association

Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. <2> Date: February 20, 2019; Name of meeting: February regular meeting (Kochi Food Industrial Park Business Cooperative Association Welfare Hall, 1910 Otsu, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture); Disclosure: Kochi Prefecture Food Industrial Park Business Cooperative Association

Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. <3> Date: March 20, 2019, Meeting name and location: Kochi Prefecture Business Innovation Plan Review Board (Kochi Castle Hall, 2-1-10 Marunouchi, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture), Publicist: Amino Ace Co., Ltd.

The present invention relates to a dried powdery substance made from Japanese knotweed leaves.

Japanese knotweed is a perennial plant of the Polygonaceae family, and it has been widely known that the dried roots and rhizomes are used as a herbal medicine (kojo-kon) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, in Kochi Prefecture in particular, the young stems that sprout in spring are harvested and enjoyed as a food ingredient, mainly in ordinary households (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

However, as mentioned above, Japanese knotweed is either harvested for food by the young stems before the leaves grow (around spring), or harvested for use as a herbal medicine by the roots and rhizomes after the leaves have withered (around autumn to winter); there is no known effective use for the leaves, and because Japanese knotweed grows quickly, quickly becoming leafy and the stems branching and hardening, it has not been used effectively enough despite being a highly reproductive plant. The only food it has been suggested is "yokan with Japanese knotweed paste" (see Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-56685 JP 2011-103849 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-203856

The objective of the present invention is to effectively utilize the leaves of Japanese knotweed.

In order to solve the above problems, the inventors administered dried and crushed Japanese knotweed leaf extract to mice and evaluated the lipid metabolism. They found that Japanese knotweed leaves suppress weight gain and improve lipid metabolism, and are also expected to function as a stimulant that increases physical activity. They also found that Japanese knotweed leaves contain at least four components: neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin, and that compared to other parts of Japanese knotweed, each component is contained in large amounts, and that compared to other edible leaves, neochlorogenic acid is particularly contained in large amounts, which led to the completion of the present invention.

The first invention is a dried powdered substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized by using the leaves of Japanese knotweed.

The second invention is a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized by containing at least the following components (a) to (d):
(a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin

The third invention is a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that the leaves of Japanese knotweed have a blade length of at least 50 mm.

The fourth invention is a composition for improving motor function that contains dried powder of Japanese knotweed leaves as an active ingredient.

The fifth invention is a food product that contains dried powdered Japanese knotweed leaves. According to the present invention, the active ingredients contained in the dried powdered Japanese knotweed leaves can be easily ingested in the form of, for example, noodles, bread, green juice, smoothies, and other foods.

The sixth invention is a beverage obtained by extracting or dissolving dried powdered material of Japanese knotweed leaves in water or hot water. According to the present invention, the active ingredients contained in the dried powdered material of Japanese knotweed leaves can be easily ingested in the form of a beverage such as tea.

The seventh invention is a method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are dried at 80°C or less and pulverized by a pulverizer. According to the present invention, a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves can be produced while retaining the active ingredients that would otherwise be lost in a high-temperature environment.

The eighth invention is a method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are dried at 25°C to 45°C. According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves easily, as it is compatible with the temperature range used in general low-temperature dryers, and it is possible to produce a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves with minimal loss of active ingredients.

The ninth invention is a method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are frozen and then dried. According to the present invention, by freezing, Japanese knotweed leaves can be stored in a frozen state for a long period of time, and active ingredients can be efficiently extracted from the dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves.

By making Japanese knotweed leaves into a dried powdered substance, the present invention makes it possible to easily ingest Japanese knotweed leaves, which have the functions of suppressing weight gain, improving lipid metabolism, and even acting as a stimulant to increase physical activity, thereby making effective use of parts of Japanese knotweed leaves that have not been effectively used until now.

The dried powdered material of Japanese knotweed leaves of the present invention is dried and then pulverized, which not only offers significant advantages in terms of storage and distribution, but also makes it very easy to use in foods and beverages, allowing for a wide range of potential applications.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a production flow of a dried powdery material of Japanese knotweed leaves according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows (a) fecal triglycerides for each group and (b) fecal cholesterol for each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 is a graph showing the amount of locomotion (integrated amount of locomotion) during tail suspension in each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows the body weight of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows the visceral fat weight of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows the weight of mesenteric fat in each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows the weight of epididymal fat in each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows perirenal fat weight for each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows liver weights for each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows the liver triglyceride levels of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 13 shows the liver cholesterol levels of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows serum triglyceride levels in each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows serum cholesterol levels in each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows the expression level of MCAD in the liver of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows the expression level of IGF-1 in the gastrocnemius muscle of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows the expression level of FGF21 in the gastrocnemius muscle of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows the expression level of FGF21 in the liver of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. FIG. 1 shows the change in β-hexosaminidase release rate from RBL-2H3 due to a Polygonum orbiculatus leaf extract in a functionality evaluation experiment. Photograph showing the state after crushing for Example 1 of the present invention. Photograph showing the state after straining for Example 1 of the present invention. Photograph showing the state after grinding for Example 3 of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows the manufacturing flow of the dried powdery material of Japanese knotweed leaves of the present invention, which comprises the following steps (a) to (c).

(a) Japanese knotweed leaves 2 are collected from wild or cultivated Japanese knotweed 1.
(b) The Japanese knotweed leaves 2 are dried using a drying device 10.
(c) Dried Japanese knotweed leaves 3 are crushed by a crushing device 20.

By the above process, a dried powdery substance 4 of Japanese knotweed leaves is obtained. This dried powdery substance 4 of Japanese knotweed leaves can of course be put directly into a container or the like and distributed commercially, but it can also be easily processed into foods such as noodles kneaded with wheat flour, or beverages such as tea extracted as tea leaves, and can also be used as a composition for improving motor function.

Japanese knotweed leaves contain four active ingredients: neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin.

The best time to harvest Japanese knotweed leaves is between July and September, when the leaf blades are at least 50mm long.

The drying method is preferably carried out at 80°C or less to prevent a decrease in the active ingredients. In this embodiment, a gas dryer with a set temperature of 80°C is used as the drying device. The dried leaves are dried for a specified time until they have a moisture content that makes a snapping sound when force is applied to the leaf stalk.

Furthermore, to prevent the loss of active ingredients, it is more desirable to dry at 25°C to 45°C. This is in line with the temperature range used in typical low-temperature dryers, so it can be easily manufactured using a low-temperature dryer.

In addition, Japanese knotweed leaves may be dried in the sun before being dried using a drying device.

The Japanese knotweed leaves may also be frozen before being dried using a drying device. By freezing, they can be stored for a long period of time in a frozen state, and the active ingredients can be extracted more efficiently.

The grinding method can be, for example, a cutter mill, a ball mill, or any other conventional grinding device. In this embodiment, a food processor is used.

In addition, the powdered material is not limited to so-called powder, but may be granular or fragments of a certain size, and the size of the powdered material obtained after grinding can be adjusted by the type of grinding device or the number of grinding processes.

In light of the fact that the root and rhizome parts have traditionally been used as herbal medicines, the inventors conducted a functionality evaluation of Japanese knotweed leaves by preparing an 80% ethanol extract from Japanese knotweed leaves harvested in July in Kochi Prefecture, and administering the extract to mice to evaluate its functionality in relation to lipid metabolism.

1. Method 1-1. Preparation of 80% ethanol extract of Japanese knotweed leaves 287 g of low-temperature dried Japanese knotweed leaves were crushed and stirred overnight in 13 L of 80% ethanol. Then, the mixture was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes, and the supernatant was collected as the extract. The extract was filtered and concentrated with an evaporator. The concentrated extract was freeze-dried to obtain 102.67 g of extract. The obtained extract was used as the Japanese knotweed leaf extract in a mouse feeding experiment.

1-2. Feeding experiment using 80% ethanol extract of Japanese knotweed leaves Seven-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups of eight mice each, namely, a low-fat diet group (LF group), a high-fat diet group (HF group), a 0.5% Japanese knotweed diet group in which 0.5% Japanese knotweed leaf extract was added to HF (0.5% IT group), and a 1.0% Japanese knotweed diet group in which 1.0% Japanese knotweed leaf extract was added to HF (1.0% IT group), and were bred for five weeks (38 days). The feed composition table for each group was as shown in Table 1.

On the 15th day of feeding, feces were collected from each group, and fecal triglyceride and cholesterol levels were measured. On the 35th day of feeding, a 6-minute tail suspension test was performed to measure the amount of locomotion. On the 38th day of feeding, the animals were dissected, and body weight, visceral fat weight (epididymal fat weight, perirenal fat weight, and mesenteric fat weight), liver weight, liver triglyceride level, liver cholesterol level, serum triglyceride level, and serum cholesterol level were measured.

1-3. Anti-allergy test using Japanese Knotweed leaf extract Using a rat basophil derived line (RBL-2H3), the β-hexosaminidase release rate by the addition of an aqueous extract of Japanese Knotweed leaves and an ethanol extract was measured and used as an index of degranulation inhibitory action.

2. Results 2-1. Fecal triglyceride and cholesterol levels Fecal triglyceride and cholesterol levels are shown in Table 2 and Figures 2(a) and 2(b). Both fecal triglyceride and fecal cholesterol levels were lower in the group that ingested the Japanese knotweed leaf extract, and this tendency became stronger as the concentration increased.

2-2. Tail suspension test The cumulative amount of activity for each group in a 6-minute tail suspension test is shown in Table 3 and Figure 3. The value was significantly lower in the HF group than in the LF group, suggesting that the amount of activity is reduced by a high-fat diet (obesity). However, the value of the HF group was higher in the 1.0% IT group, suggesting that the amount of activity can be restored by adding a high concentration of Japanese knotweed leaf extract, even in a high-fat diet.

2-3. Body weight and visceral fat weight The body weight and visceral fat weight (epididymal fat weight, perirenal fat weight, and mesenteric fat weight) of each group at the time of dissection are shown in Table 4. Figures 4 to 6 show the weights of various internal fats. Only mesenteric fat showed significantly lower values in the group administered with Japanese Knotweed leaf extract compared to HF. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the body weight and visceral fat weight were significantly lower in the 1.0% IT group than in the HF group. This suggests that a diet containing a high concentration of Japanese Knotweed leaf extract makes it difficult for visceral fat to accumulate, or leads to weight loss.

2-4. Liver Data The average liver weight, liver triglyceride, and liver cholesterol for each group are shown in Table 5. As shown in Figure 9, the liver weight was smaller in the 1.0% IT group than in the HF and 0.5% IT groups. As shown in Figure 10, there was no significant difference in liver triglyceride between the HF and IT groups, but the 1.0% IT group had a lower value than the 0.5% IT group. As shown in Figure 11, the liver cholesterol was significantly lower in the 1.0% IT group than the HF group.

2-5. Blood Data The mean values of serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol in each group are shown in Table 6. As shown in Figure 12, serum triglyceride values were significantly lower in the 1.0% IT group compared to the HF group. As shown in Figure 13, no significant difference was observed in serum cholesterol among the groups.

2-6. Metabolic Gene Data 1) Fatty Acid Decomposition in the Liver The effect on medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in the liver is shown in Figure 14. MCAD is an enzyme that acts in the first stage of fatty acid β-oxidation. In this experiment, the administration of Japanese Knotweed was found to have an effect of suppressing body fat accumulation and lowering serum triglyceride levels, but this was because the Japanese Knotweed extract induced an increase in β-oxidation in the liver.

2) Promotion of mitokine-related gene expression in skeletal muscle Mitokines are skeletal muscle enhancing factors secreted by skeletal muscle. In this experiment, IGF-1 and FGF21 were selected as mitokines, and their expression levels in skeletal muscle were examined. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the administration of Japanese knotweed increased the expression levels of IGF-1 and FGF21. This suggests that it increases the amount of skeletal muscle that performs β-oxidation of fat.

3) Effect of suppressing FGF21 gene in liver When mice are fed a high-fat diet, the amount of FGF21 in the liver increases. However, as shown in Figure 17, administration of Japanese knotweed significantly suppresses FGF21 gene expression in the liver. In the future, we will investigate the effect on fatty liver and the preventive and therapeutic effects on diseases related to the intake of a high-fat diet.

2-7. Anti-allergic effect β-hexosaminidase is a lysosomal enzyme abundantly present in the granules of basophils, and the amount of β-hexosaminidase released outside the cells correlates with the amount of degranulation. Therefore, it is considered one of the indicators of anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. As shown in Figure 18, the amount of degranulation was significantly suppressed by the addition of the Polygonum knotweed leaf extract. As shown in Table 7, the degranulation was suppressed by 97.4% at 500 μg/ml of the aqueous extract and 88.7% at 250 μg/ml of the ethanol extract.

As described above, the 1.0% IT group showed weight loss and visceral fat loss, confirming that the Japanese Knotweed leaf extract is expected to have an effect of suppressing weight gain. In addition, the reduction in serum triglycerides was observed, confirming that the extract is expected to have an effect of improving lipid metabolism.
The amount of exercise was also higher in the control group than in the HF group, confirming that the compound may also function as a stimulant.
Fecal triglyceride levels were lower in the 0.5% IT and 1.0% IT groups in a concentration-dependent manner than in the HF group, suggesting that lipid absorption may have improved. Furthermore, the 1.0% IT group experienced weight loss and a decrease in neutral fat, suggesting that lipid burning in the body has been promoted.

The reason why Japanese knotweed has the effect of lowering body fat and serum triglycerides is that Japanese knotweed extract enhances the breakdown of fatty acids in the liver. Furthermore, it is thought that it breaks down fat in the body by increasing the amount of skeletal muscle through the gene expression of mitokines, which increase skeletal muscle, an organ that breaks down fatty acids alongside the liver.

As for anti-allergic properties, some polyphenols have been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. Chlorogenic acid, which is found in large amounts in Japanese knotweed leaves, has also been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects, which is thought to support the results of this study. In addition, there have been few reports on the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties of neochlorogenic acid, which is found in large amounts in Japanese knotweed leaves, but as it is a derivative of chlorogenic acid, it is assumed to have similar effects, and it is thought that the high anti-inflammatory effects were achieved by the actions of both chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid.

To confirm that Japanese knotweed leaves contain a large amount of polyphenols, the inventors first measured the polyphenol content in a boiled liquid and powder of Japanese knotweed leaves. The boiled liquid was made by boiling 4 g of dried leaves in 1 L of water, and the powder was made by crushing the dried leaves. For comparison, the polyphenol content was measured in a boiled liquid and powder of bayberry leaves prepared using the same procedure. Table 8 below shows the results.

As shown in Table 8 above, it was confirmed that Japanese knotweed leaves contain significantly more polyphenols than Bayberry leaves.

Next, the inventors conducted a chromatographic analysis of the components of spinach and Chinese chives as comparative samples to confirm that Japanese knotweed leaves have a higher neochlorogenic acid content than other edible leaves.

As shown in Table 9 above, it was confirmed that Japanese knotweed leaves harvested in July in particular contained 3,549 times as much neochlorogenic acid as spinach, and 55 times as much as Chinese chives.

In order to effectively utilize Japanese knotweed leaves, which have been confirmed to have a higher content of neochlorogenic acid than other edible leaves as shown in Table 9 above, a component analysis was carried out by chromatography to determine whether or not the leaves contain active ingredients that have the lipid metabolism improving effect confirmed in the mouse experiment described above. It was confirmed that the leaves contain four active ingredients: neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin. Table 10 below shows the content of active ingredients in the leaves and the parts other than the leaves (skin and stems) used for comparison, broken down by harvest month.

As shown in Table 10 above, compared to the bark and stem parts of Japanese knotweed used for comparison, the leaves of Japanese knotweed contain higher levels of all four active ingredients.

The inventors therefore conducted experiments to establish a method for processing Japanese knotweed leaves, which contain the four active ingredients neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin, to make these active ingredients easier to ingest and to increase convenience in terms of storage, distribution, and secondary processing.

As itadori is a perennial plant, it grows from spring to autumn and its fruits ripen in autumn. In winter, the above-ground parts die, and in spring, sprouts appear from the underground stems.

The leaves grow to a size of about 60mm to 150mm, but the best time to harvest them is between July and September, when the leaf blade is at least 50mm long.

Table 11 below shows that the content of active ingredients changes depending on the time of harvesting of Japanese knotweed leaves.

The harvested Japanese knotweed leaves contain a lot of water and are not suitable for storage or distribution as is, so they are dried in a dryer. The following Table 12 shows the neochlorogenic acid content after high-temperature drying for a specified period of time in a high-temperature atmosphere at 80°C, 100°C, and 125°C.

From Table 12, it was confirmed that the content of at least the active ingredient neochlorogenic acid is reduced by drying at a high temperature of 80°C or higher, and that the amount of reduction tends to increase in proportion to the temperature and the length of drying time.

Next, a drying experiment was conducted using low-temperature drying. Fresh Japanese knotweed tea leaves and dried Japanese knotweed tea leaves were used as samples, and the Japanese knotweed leaf samples were extracted as a tea beverage and the content of active ingredients was analyzed by chromatography, as shown in Table 13 below. At this time, the drying method involved freezing the leaves once and then drying them at room temperature (room temperature 10°C).

From Table 13 above, it was confirmed that dried tea leaves contain more neochlorogenic acid than fresh tea leaves. This is in contrast to the experimental results shown in Table 12 above, where neochlorogenic acid was significantly reduced when high-temperature drying was performed. Therefore, it can be said that drying at low temperatures is an effective drying method. In addition, freezing before drying allows for long-term storage in a frozen state, and it is also thought that freezing destroys the cell walls of Japanese knotweed leaves, allowing more active ingredients to be extracted.

The dried Japanese knotweed leaves are finely processed using a grinding device. The grinding device used may be, for example, a cutter mill, a ball mill, or any other conventional grinding device known in the art. In this embodiment, a food processor is used.

As described above, the dried powdered material of Japanese knotweed leaves of the present invention is dried and then pulverized, which not only offers significant advantages in terms of storage and distribution, but also makes it very easy to use in foods and beverages, and is thus expected to have a wide range of potential applications.

The above experiments were carried out by Kochi Prefectural University (experiments conducted by Kazuhito Takemoto, Masaki Iji, and Hiroyuki Watanabe).

(1) 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that had been harvested and stored in a frozen state was left to thaw at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour.
(2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened and placed on a tray, after which they are immersed in pH-adjusted hypochlorous acid water and stirred for 5 minutes to disinfect.
(3) The total amount of the Japanese knotweed leaves is divided into portions of 300 to 500 g each, which are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and first dried at 40° C. for 20 hours, and then further dried at 70° C. for 1 hour.
(4) The Japanese knotweed leaves, which had been dried to a moisture content of 8% or less, were hand-kneaded and put into a mixer and pulverized for about 30 seconds (see Figure 19), and then sieved through a 50 mesh sieve to obtain a fine powder (see Figure 20).

(1) 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that had been harvested and stored in a frozen state was left to thaw at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour.
(2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened, and the total amount is divided into portions of 300 to 500 g each. The portions are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and first dried at 40° C. for 20 hours, and then further dried at 70° C. for 1 hour.
(3) The Japanese knotweed leaves, which had been dried to a moisture content of 8% or less, were hand-kneaded and placed in a mixer. After being crushed for about 30 seconds, the leaves were sieved through a 50-mesh sieve to obtain a fine powder.

(1) 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that had been harvested and stored in a frozen state was left to thaw at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour.
(2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened and placed on a tray, after which they are immersed in pH-adjusted hypochlorous acid water and stirred for 5 minutes to disinfect.
(3) The total amount of the Japanese knotweed leaves is divided into portions of 300 to 500 g each, which are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and dried at 40° C. for 6 hours.
(4) Japanese knotweed leaves dried to a moisture content of less than 8% were hand-crushed and placed in a mixer, where they were pulverized for about 1 second to obtain a coarse powder (see Figure 21).

(1) 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that had been harvested and stored in a frozen state was left to thaw at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour.
(2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened, and the total amount is divided into portions of 300 to 500 g each. These are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and dried at 40° C. for 6 hours.
(3) Japanese knotweed leaves dried to a moisture content of less than 8% were hand-crushed and placed in a mixer, then pulverized for about 1 second to obtain a coarse powder.

The steps for Examples 1 to 4 are shown in Table 14 below.

In Examples 1 to 4, 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that had been harvested and then stored in a frozen state was left at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour to thaw, after which no deterioration or dripping was observed, and the materials were easily separated. This confirmed that frozen storage is an effective means of preserving harvested Japanese knotweed leaves in a fresh state for a long period of time.

It is also advisable to stir the leaves appropriately during drying to prevent them from sticking together in the wet areas and causing poor ventilation.

Furthermore, poor drying efficiency can lead to uneven drying, which can lead to bacterial growth inside the dryer and deterioration of product quality, so to ensure breathability, it is preferable to place approximately 300 to 500 g of Japanese knotweed leaves on one shelf of the electric dryer.

Regarding color, before drying, the material contained moisture and was a bright green color, but after drying, the color became lighter. The drying times of Examples 1 and 2 were different from those of Examples 3 and 4, but there was no difference in color between Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 3 and 4. Furthermore, the difference between Examples 1 and 3 and Examples 2 and 4 is whether or not a disinfection process using hypochlorous acid water was performed, but there was no difference in color between Examples 1 and 3 and Examples 2 and 4.

In terms of weight, Examples 1 and 2, which were dried at 40°C for 20 hours and 70°C for 1 hour, had a lighter finished weight than Examples 3 and 4, which were dried at 40°C for 6 hours, and this is presumably due to the difference in moisture content.

Thus, there are differences between Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 3 and 4 in terms of moisture content and form (fine powder and coarse powder), but the results of Examples 3 and 4 confirmed that a coarse powder product can be produced by drying at least 40°C for 6 hours.

1 Japanese knotweed, 2 Japanese knotweed leaves, 3 Dried Japanese knotweed leaves, 4 Dried powdered material of Japanese knotweed leaves, 10 Drying device, 20 Crushing device

Claims (4)

A composition for improving motor function containing a dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves,
Contains at least the following components (a) to (d):
(a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin It has a muscle-building effect or an exercise-enhancing effect,
A composition for improving motor function comprising a dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves, wherein the Japanese knotweed leaves have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more . An anti-allergic composition containing a dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves,
Contains at least the following components (a) to (d):
(a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin It has an anti-allergic effect,
An anti-allergic composition containing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, wherein the Japanese knotweed leaves have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more . A method for producing a dry powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves, comprising the steps of:
The collected Japanese knotweed leaves are dried at 40°C or less using a dryer and crushed using a crusher.
The obtained dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves contains at least the following components (a) to (d) :
(a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin
A method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that the Japanese knotweed leaves have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more . The method for producing the dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves according to claim 3, characterized in that the harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are frozen and then dried.

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