JP7646172B2 - Compositions containing peat - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a composition that contains peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine.

Peat, also known as clay, has long been used as a raw material for cosmetics. For example, peat is expected to have a high adsorption power for dirt on skin and hair, and is used as a raw material for cleansing cosmetics and detergents (e.g., Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, the function of peat as a food ingredient has not yet been fully studied, and new uses for peat in the food industry are required.

In addition, in recent years, the number of people concerned about obesity is increasing due to the growing health consciousness. Obesity increases the risk of various diseases, so eliminating obesity is a social issue. Methods for preventing obesity include improving diet, continuing moderate exercise, taking diet compositions that have metabolism-promoting effects, and controlling calorie intake. However, improving diet is not easy because it requires specialized knowledge. Also, moderate exercise is not easy because it is difficult to find enough time for exercise. Therefore, taking diet compositions that have metabolism-promoting effects and controlling calorie intake are considered to be simple diet methods that are easy to continue compared to other diet methods. Methods for controlling calories include reducing the amount of food eaten.

In this environment, diet compositions have been developed and many of these products have been put to practical use. For example, a diet composition that contains Gymnema inodorum extract (Patent Document 3), a diet health food ingredient made mainly from konjac beans (Patent Document 4), and a method for using konjac powder as a diet ingredient (Patent Document 5) have been proposed and their diet effects have been reported.

Although various diet compositions have been developed to date, people have different tastes, and some people have not been satisfied with the conventional diet compositions. Therefore, there is a demand for new diet compositions with excellent diet effects.

JP 2020-026419 A JP 2005-170817 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-252897 JP 2007-020445 A JP 2007-295906 A

The present invention aims to provide a novel composition that utilizes peat in the food industry. It also aims to provide a novel diet composition that has metabolism-boosting effects, etc.

As a result of intensive research conducted by the inventors in consideration of the above problems, they have completed a composition that contains peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine. Furthermore, since the composition of the present invention can be orally ingested as a food ingredient, the inventors have completed an oral composition that contains peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine. Furthermore, since the composition of the present invention has an excellent diet effect, the inventors have completed a diet composition that contains peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
[1] A composition comprising peat and at least one functional material selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine.
[2] An oral composition comprising peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine.
[3] A diet composition comprising peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine.

Ingestion of the composition of the present invention provides superior diet effects compared to ingestion of peat, vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, or piperine alone.

FIG. 1 shows the results of the cell activation effect using human hepatoma-derived cells (HepG2) when the composition of the present invention (containing peat and sodium pantothenate as a vitamin) was applied. FIG. 1 is a graph showing the results of the cell activation effect using human hepatoma-derived cells (HepG2) when the composition of the present invention (containing peat and vitamin D3 as a vitamin) was applied. FIG. 1 shows the results of the cell activation effect using human hepatoma-derived cells (HepG2) when the composition of the present invention (containing peat and spore-forming lactic acid bacteria as lactic acid bacteria) was applied. FIG. 1 shows the results of the cell activation effect using human hepatoma-derived cells (HepG2) when the composition of the present invention (containing peat and piperine) was applied.

The composition of the present invention is characterized by containing peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine.

The composition of the present invention can be used orally, or as a parenteral or topical agent for application to the skin or scalp. For example, it can be used as a medicine (including quasi-drugs), a health food such as a specific health food, a nutritional functional food, or a functional food whose efficacy has been approved by a designated organization, as well as cosmetics, toiletries, etc.

The composition of the present invention will be described below based on its preferred embodiments. When the composition of the present invention is for oral use, it can be any of "oral composition", "oral agent", "edible composition", "edible agent", "food and beverage", and "food and beverage". It can also be any of "diet composition", "diet agent", "diet food", "anti-obesity composition", "anti-obesity agent", "anti-obesity food", "obesity prevention composition", "obesity prevention agent", "obesity prevention food", "obesity reduction composition", "obesity reduction agent", "obesity reduction food", "metabolism promotion composition", "metabolism promotion agent", and "metabolism promotion food" that can obtain the effects of the present invention.

The oral composition of the present invention has an excellent cell activation effect and has a diet effect. Furthermore, according to the present invention, since metabolism is promoted by cell activation, it is possible to provide a diet composition and/or a composition for preventing locomotive syndrome that can provide effects such as maintaining or improving lipid metabolic activity such as decomposition and burning of lipids, maintaining or improving fat metabolic activity, maintaining or improving energy metabolic activity, reducing body weight or inhibiting weight gain, slimming the appearance, inhibiting rebound, and anti-obesity effects.

The oral composition of the present invention is useful for preventing and improving obesity, and can be suitably used in pharmaceuticals and food and beverage products.

When the composition of the present invention is administered parenterally, it can be any of "parenteral composition", "parenteral agent", and "external agent", and its form can be, for example, lotion, milky lotion, gel, cream, ointment, powder, granule, etc. Specific examples include lotion, cosmetic cream, milky lotion, cream, pack, hair tonic, hair cream, shampoo, hair rinse, treatment, body shampoo, face wash, soap, foundation, face powder, lipstick, lip gloss, blush, eye shadow, hair styling agent, hair growth agent, water-based ointment, oil-based ointment, eye drops, eye wash, patch, gel, etc. When administered to the oral cavity, examples include dentifrice, mouthwash, spray, etc.

<Peat>
Peat is a type of coal that is formed when plants die and accumulate without being sufficiently decomposed for a long period of time. Peat is also called grass peat, peat, or clay. In this specification, "peat" may refer to peat itself or a mixture of peat and other raw materials. Peat or a mixture of peat and other raw materials is commercially available, and a commercially available product may be used.

The peat used in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include peat harvested in Japan, North America, Europe, etc., but from the standpoints of ease of availability, safety of oral ingestion, and enhancing the effects of dieting, peat harvested in North America, Northern Europe, and Russia is preferred, peat harvested in North America and Northern Europe is more preferred, and peat harvested in North America is particularly preferred.

The form of peat that can be used in the composition of the present invention can be a paste, as well as a powder, granules, grains, cream, gel, bar, plate, block, solid, etc. From the viewpoints of ease of availability, ease of oral intake, and enhancing the effect of dieting, powder, granules, and paste forms are preferred, with powder and paste forms being particularly preferred.

The content of peat in the composition of the present invention may be appropriately determined within the range in which the effect is exhibited, but for example, the content in the composition is preferably 0.001% by mass to 80% by mass, more preferably 0.01% by mass to 50% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.05% by mass to 20% by mass.

<Functional materials>
The functional material used together with peat in the composition of the present invention will be described below.

<Vitamins>
Vitamins are a general term for organic compounds other than carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids that cannot be synthesized in sufficient amounts within the body of an organism, among the nutrients necessary in small amounts for the survival and growth of the organism, and are classified into water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. In the present invention, these water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins may be used alone or in combination.

Examples of water-soluble vitamins include vitamin B and vitamin C. Vitamins belonging to vitamin B include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), and salts and derivatives thereof. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and their salts and derivatives. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When vitamins are used in the composition of the present invention, the water-soluble vitamins vitamin B and vitamin C and the fat-soluble vitamin vitamin D are preferred, and among these, vitamin B and vitamin D are more preferred, and from the viewpoint of enhancing the diet effect, vitamin B5 and vitamin D are particularly preferred. Vitamin B5 and vitamin D are described in detail below.

<Vitamin B5>
When vitamin B5 is used in the present invention, the vitamin B5 may be derived from a plant, an animal, or a synthetic product, or may be a salt or derivative of vitamin B5.

<Vitamin D>
When vitamin D is used in the present invention, the vitamin D may be derived from a plant, an animal, or a synthetic product. Examples of vitamin D include vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), and derivatives thereof.

<Lactic acid bacteria>
Lactic acid bacteria are bacteria that produce lactic acid by metabolism. The lactic acid bacteria used in the present invention may be live or dead bacteria, and in the case of dead bacteria, the bacteria may be crushed. Lactic acid bacteria powder can be obtained, for example, by removing unnecessary parts such as a medium from a cultured lactic acid bacteria or a lactic acid bacteria culture used for fermentation, and then powdering the lactic acid bacteria cells by a known method. The type of lactic acid bacteria is not particularly limited as long as it produces lactic acid as a metabolic product, and includes those that have been orally ingested by animals such as humans, for example, those of the genus Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Staphylococcus, Tetragenococcus, and Bacillus. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Bifidobacterium genus includes Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Bifidobacterium mongoliense.
Lactobacillus genus includes Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus delburvecki, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus curvatus, Lactobacillus halivaticus, Lactobacillus Examples include Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus sporogenes, Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus fructivorans, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Lactobacillus fermentum.
The genus Enterococcus includes Enterococcus faecalis (also called Streptococcus faecalis), Enterococcus faesium (also called Streptococcus faesium), Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus lactis (also called Streptococcus lactis).
Examples of the Leuconostoc genus include Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Leuconostoc oenos.
The genus Pediococcus includes Pediococcus acidilactici and Pediococcus pentosaceus.
The genus Staphylococcus includes Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus.
The genus Tetragenococcus includes Tetragenococcus halophilus.
Examples of the genus Bacillus include Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus mesentericus.

Among these, lactic acid bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, or Bacillus are more preferred, and from the viewpoint of enhancing the diet effect, Bacillus coagulans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bifidobacterium bifidum are particularly preferred.

The lactic acid bacteria used in the present invention can be appropriately selected from those having properties such as heat resistance, acid resistance, sugar tolerance, salt tolerance, and spore formation, depending on the dosage form and quality of the composition of the present invention. There are no particular limitations on the method for obtaining the lactic acid bacteria, and for example, lactic acid bacteria isolated from foods such as yogurt and vegetables, or commercially available products can be used.

The content of lactic acid bacteria in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, in terms of bacterial cell count, it is preferable that the composition of the present invention contain 1 x ¹⁰³ or more, preferably 1 x ¹⁰⁵ or more and 1 x ¹⁰²⁰ or less, and more preferably 1 x ¹⁰⁷ or more and 1 x ¹⁰¹⁵ or less, from the viewpoints of ease of formulation and enhancing the effect of the lactic acid bacteria adhering to the intestinal tract.

<Piperine>
Piperine is a pungent component contained in various species of the same genus such as pepper, long pepper, and pseudo-piperine, and is a type of alkaloid. In this specification, "piperine" may refer to one separated and purified from plants, or may be chemically synthesized, or may be a plant containing piperine.

Examples of plants that contain piperine include pepper, long pepper, and pseudo-piper. Pepper is a plant of the Piperaceae family (Piper nigrum). The part of the plant used as the plant material of the present invention is preferably the fruit. Depending on the timing of harvest, there are black pepper, white pepper, red pepper, and green pepper, and any type may be used, but black pepper and white pepper are preferred from the standpoint of ease of acquisition and longevity, and among them, black pepper, which is rich in piperine, is particularly preferred from the standpoint of enhancing the effects of dieting.

When using a plant containing piperine, the plant may be used as is or may be processed. The processed product may be a crushed powder, squeezed juice or its powder, a paste, an extract (extract powder), or a product processed by any other processing method. When using the plant as a plant material for the present invention, a crushed powder or an extract (extract powder) is preferred from the viewpoints of ease of availability and enhancing the effect of dieting.

The content of the functional material in the composition of the present invention may be appropriately determined within the range in which the functional material exerts its effect, but for example, the content in the composition is preferably 0.001% by mass to 70% by mass, more preferably 0.01% by mass to 50% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.1% by mass to 20% by mass. When two or more types of functional materials are used, the content is the total amount.

The composition of the present invention may be in the form of an oral composition, a parenteral composition, or an external preparation, but an oral composition is preferred from the viewpoint of being ingestible as a food and enhancing the effects of dieting.

Examples of the form of the oral composition of the present invention include tablets, capsules, soft capsules, powders, granules, liquids, grains, rods, plates, blocks, solids, rounds, pastes, creams, caplets, gels, chewable tablets, and sticks. Among these, tablet, capsule, powder, granule, liquid, and paste forms are particularly preferred. Specific examples include supplements, packaged beverages filled in PET bottles, cans, bottles, etc., instant beverages (powdered beverages) that are dissolved in water (hot water), milk, fruit juice, green juice, etc., and food additives. These are preferred because they are easy to drink during meals and can increase palatability.

The composition of the present invention or a product containing the composition may be taken as is, or may be dissolved in water, hot water, milk, soy milk, tea, juice, etc., depending on the dosage form or shape or preference.

In general, when the oral composition of the present invention is a supplement or medicine in the form of a tablet or pill, in order to more effectively exert the effects of the present invention, the components of the present invention are preferably contained in an amount of 0.01 to 100% by mass of the entire composition, more preferably 0.1 to 75% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 50% by mass.

When the oral composition of the present invention is a packaged beverage, in order to more effectively exert the effects of the present invention, the components of the present invention are preferably contained in an amount of 0.001 to 30% by mass of the entire composition, more preferably 0.01 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass.

When the oral composition of the present invention is an instant drink such as green juice or a smoothie, in order to more effectively exert the effects of the present invention, the components of the present invention are preferably contained in an amount of 0.01 to 100% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 60% by mass, of the entire composition.

The mass ratio of peat and functional materials, calculated on a dry mass basis, is preferably 0.0001:1 to 10,000:1, more preferably 0.001:1 to 1,000:1, and even more preferably 0.01:1 to 100:1.

There is no particular limit to the amount of intake of the oral composition of the present invention, but from the viewpoint of more significantly exerting the effects of the present invention, it is preferable that the daily intake amount of peat for an adult is 0.01 g/day or more, more preferably 0.1 g/day or more, and even more preferably 0.5 g/day or more. The upper limit is, for example, 30 g/day, preferably 20 g/day, and more preferably 10 g/day. The oral composition of the present invention can be stored as a daily amount in one container or divided into multiple containers, for example, 2 to 3, so that the daily intake amount is the above-mentioned intake amount.

The oral composition of the present invention can be produced by a known method by adding other ingredients than the ingredients of the present invention as necessary. Examples of other ingredients than the ingredients of the present invention include sulfur-containing compounds contained in taurine, garlic, etc.; 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 oral composition of the present invention can be used as a general food, food additive, feed, etc., and has a metabolism-promoting effect, an anti-obesity effect, and a diet effect based on its excellent cell activation effect, and can therefore be used as so-called health foods such as functional foods whose efficacy has been approved by a designated organization, such as foods for specified health uses, nutritional functional foods, and functional food, as well as medicines (including quasi-drugs). Examples of so-called health foods include those labeled with the following: "activates cells," "activates cells," "promotes metabolism," "for preventing obesity," "for those who want to prevent obesity," "for improving obesity," "for those who want to improve obesity," "for dieting," "for those who want to diet," "supports dieting," and "supports burning calories."

In other words, the composition of the present invention can be used as an oral diet composition used for dieting in so-called health foods, medicines, etc., and there are no particular limitations on such oral diet compositions, so long as they contain peat and at least one functional ingredient selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine, and can be distinguished from other products as a product in terms of their use for cell activation, metabolism promotion, anti-obesity, and dieting. For example, the scope of the present invention includes products that display on the main body, packaging, instructions, or advertising materials of the product of the present invention that they have diet functions such as cell activation, metabolism promotion, anti-obesity, and dieting, as well as obesity prevention and obesity improvement.

The oral composition of the present invention is not limited to those labeled on the product packaging, etc. with the components of the present invention (peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine) as active ingredients for cell activation, metabolism promotion, anti-obesity, and dieting. For example, the active ingredient may not be specified, or a specific material may be labeled as the active ingredient.

The amount of the composition of the present invention to be formulated can be appropriately determined depending on the type or dosage form of the product to be formulated, the age, sex, weight or condition of the subject to be administered or ingested, the method, timing or time of administration or ingestion, etc.

The dosage of the composition of the present invention is, for example, 10 to 10,000 mg, preferably 100 to 5,000 mg, and particularly preferably 500 to 2,500 mg of the active ingredient per adult, once per day. The dosage may be before, between, or after meals, and may be administered in several divided doses.

The oral composition of the present invention exerts the cell activating effect shown in the examples described below, and can therefore be an excellent composition for cell activating, metabolism promoting, anti-obesity, obesity prevention, obesity improvement, and dieting.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following, "%" refers to mass % unless otherwise specified.

<Test Example>
The peat used was paste-like peat from Northern Europe.
Powdered sodium D-pantothenate was used as the vitamin.
As the vitamin, powdered vitamin D3 was used.
As the lactic acid bacteria, powdered spore-forming lactic acid bacteria (scientific name: Bacillus coagulans) was used.
As the piperine, powdered piperine was used.

<Cell activation test>
(1) Cell culture Human hepatoma-derived cells (HepG2, ) were cultured in a 75 ^cm2 flask in a 37°C, 5% _CO2 incubator. The medium used was DMEM supplemented with 1% P/S (penicillin/streptomycin) and adjusted to 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Next, cells suspended by trypsin treatment were suspended in FBS-containing medium, and seeded at a cell density of 1 x ¹⁰⁴ cells/well from the 75 ^cm2 flask into each well of a collagen-coated 96-well plate. Then, the cells were pre-cultured for 24 hours in a 37°C, 5% _CO2 incubator. After removing the medium from each well, 100 μL/well of a preparation medium containing the test substance prepared to a predetermined concentration was added, and the cells were cultured for 24 hours in a 37°C, 5% _CO2 incubator. The medium used for preparation was prepared by adding 1% P/S to DMEM, 10% FBS, 0.5% DMSO, and 0.5 _{mM H2O2} .

(2) Preparation of test samples Each test substance was prepared using a preparation medium to have the concentration shown in Tables 1 to 4. For the combinations of peat and other materials (at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine) (Examples 1 to 4), a mixture of peat and other materials in a 1:1 ratio was used.

(3) Cell activation measurement After 24 hours of culture, the medium was removed and the wells were washed with 200 μL/well of serum-free DMEM. Then, 150 μL of Cell counting kit-8 solution (Dojindo Chemical Industries, Ltd.) diluted 30 times by volume was added to each well, and the wells were left to stand in a 37°C, 5% _CO2 incubator to allow appropriate color development, and the absorbance at 450 nm was measured.

The % of control was calculated based on the obtained data.
% of control = (Data sample－Data blank) / (Data control－Data blank) × 100

The results are shown in Figures 1 to 4. Figures 1 to 4 show the average and standard deviation of triplicate values. A higher value indicates a higher cell activation effect. As is clear from the results shown in Figures 1 to 4, Examples 1 to 4, which contain peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine, have a superior cell activation effect than Comparative Examples 1 to 6, which consist only of peat, vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine, respectively. Therefore, by containing peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine, cells are activated and metabolism is promoted, resulting in anti-obesity effects and diet effects.

The following are examples of various aspects of the present invention, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these.

<Production Examples 1 to 3>
Peat was mixed with at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine in the proportions shown in Table 5 below, and then the mixture was homogenously mixed and pressed into tablets using a tableting machine to produce tablets (250 mg per tablet). When the obtained dietary composition was ingested, it was found to have a high cell activation effect and a high diet effect.

<Production Examples 4 to 6>
Peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine were mixed in the composition shown in Table 6 below and placed in a fluidized bed granulator, mixed with air for several minutes, and granulated by spraying 60 L of water at 2000 mL per minute. The resulting granulated material was then sieved through a 30 mesh sieve to produce granules. When the resulting dietary composition was ingested, it had a high cell activation effect and a high diet effect.

<Production Examples 7 to 9>
A powdered beverage was produced by mixing peat with at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine according to the composition shown in Table 7. When 3 g of the resulting composition was mixed with 150 mL of water and consumed, it had a high cell activation effect and a high diet effect.

<Production Examples 10 to 12>
Peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine were mixed uniformly according to the composition in Table 8 below, and then coated with a film containing gelatin and glycerin to produce soft capsules (300 mg per capsule). When the obtained composition for food or drink was ingested, it had a high cell activation effect and a high diet effect.

<Production Examples 13 to 15>
Peat and at least one selected from vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and piperine were mixed uniformly according to the composition shown in Table 9 below, and the mixture was filled into a gelatin-containing coating to produce hard capsules (350 mg per capsule). When the obtained dietary composition was ingested, it had a high cell activation effect and a high diet effect.

<Production Examples 16 to 18>
A liquid beverage was produced by mixing peat, vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, and at least one selected from piperine according to the composition shown in Table 10. When the obtained composition was ingested, it was found to have a high cell activation effect and a high diet effect.

The composition of the present invention is industrially useful because it can be used as a so-called health food, etc.

Claims (1)

An oral composition for dieting , comprising peat and at least one functional material selected from lactic acid bacteria and piperine.