JP7650532B2 - Composition for suppressing increase in blood neutral fat - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fats, and more specifically, to a composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fats that contains Terminalia and other specific components.

Terminalia is a plant of the Combretaceae family, and in India it has been used as a medicine, with its fruits being used primarily as an antidiarrheal agent, and the ripe fruits as an antidiarrheal.

In recent years, it has been found that Terminalia has an effect of preventing vascular fibrosis, and its use as a preventive or therapeutic drug for vascular fibrosis has been discovered (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, there has been insufficient research into other effects of Terminalia.
JP 2004-75584 A

The inventors have confirmed the effect of combining Terminalia with a wide variety of other ingredients to inhibit an increase in blood neutral fats, and have found that in certain combinations, the ability to inhibit an increase in blood neutral fats is dramatically improved compared to the ability of Terminalia alone or certain other ingredients alone, which led to the completion of the present invention. In other words, they have found that by combining Terminalia with certain other ingredients, it is possible to synergistically improve the ability to inhibit an increase in blood neutral fats. The object of the present invention is to provide a composition with dramatically improved inhibitory effect on an increase in blood neutral fats.

The inventors tested combinations of Terminalia with a wide variety of other ingredients and conducted intensive research and study into the effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fats, and discovered that a certain combination can dramatically improve the effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fats, leading to the completion of the present invention. In other words, they discovered that by combining Terminalia with a certain other ingredient that has little or only a small effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fats, it is possible to dramatically improve the effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fats compared to Terminalia alone or the certain other ingredient alone.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
(1) A composition comprising treated Terminalia and at least one component selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (h):
(a) at least one kind of green leaf selected from young barley leaves and young sweet potato leaves; (b) an antioxidant which is astaxanthin; (c) a polysaccharide which is chitosan; (d) at least one kind of spice selected from chili pepper, long pepper and black ginger; (e) at least one kind of fungus selected from lactic acid bacteria and yeast; (f) at least one kind of fermented product selected from fermented grains and black vinegar; (g) at least one kind of B vitamin selected from vitamin B12, vitamin B5, vitamin B2 and vitamin B1; (h) a plant extract extracted from at least one kind of plant selected from pine bark, kudzu flower, gymnema, ginger and salacia. (2) A composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels, characterized by comprising a processed Terminalia product and at least one kind of component selected from the group consisting of (a) to (h) below.
(a) at least one kind of green leaf selected from young barley leaves and young sweet potato leaves; (b) an antioxidant which is astaxanthin; (c) a polysaccharide which is chitosan; (d) at least one kind of spice selected from red pepper, long pepper and black ginger; (e) at least one kind of fungus selected from lactic acid bacteria and yeast; (f) at least one kind of fermented product selected from fermented grains and black vinegar; (g) at least one vitamin B group selected from vitamin B12, vitamin B5, vitamin B2 and vitamin B1; (h) a plant extract extracted from at least one kind of plant selected from pine bark, kudzu flower, gymnema, ginger and salacia; (3) the composition according to (1) or (2), characterized in that the blending mass ratio of Terminalia to at least one kind of component selected from the group consisting of (a) to (h) is in the range of 0.5:1 to 70:1.
(4) The composition according to any one of (1) to (3), which is in the form of a liquid, powder or granule.
(5) The composition according to any one of (1) to (4), which is an instant powdered beverage or an instant granular beverage.
(6) The composition according to (5), which is a packaged composition containing 3 to 10 g of an instant powdered beverage or an instant granular beverage.
(7) The composition according to any one of (1) to (4), which is a packaged beverage.
(8) An agent for suppressing the increase in blood neutral fat levels, comprising processed Terminalia and at least one component selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (h):
(a) at least one green leaf selected from young barley leaves and young sweet potato leaves; (b) an antioxidant which is astaxanthin; (c) a polysaccharide which is chitosan; (d) at least one spice selected from red pepper, long pepper and black ginger; (e) at least one fungus selected from lactic acid bacteria and yeast; (f) at least one fermented product selected from fermented grains and black vinegar; (g) at least a vitamin B group selected from vitamin B12, vitamin B5, vitamin B2 and vitamin B1; (h) a plant extract extracted from at least one plant selected from pine bark, kudzu flowers, gymnema, ginger and salacia.

The composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention can dramatically improve the effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels compared to the use of Terminalia alone or a specific other ingredient alone.

The composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention is characterized by containing Terminalia and at least one selected from specific other components.

[Terminaria]
The Terminalia used in the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a plant of the genus Terminalia, and examples thereof include Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia belerica, Terminalia catappa, Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia citrina, Terminalia phellocarpa, Terminalia copelandii, Terminalia brassi, Terminalia ivorensis, Terminalia superba, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia chebula, etc. In the present invention, Terminalia bellirica is preferably used.

The processed material obtained from the Terminalia used in the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the processed material) includes dried materials, pastes, juices, extracts, etc. obtained from parts such as leaves, bark, roots, flowers, wood, fruit, and seeds. Any part of the Terminalia used in the present invention may be used, but parts excluding the seeds are preferred, and parts of the fruit excluding the seeds (the peel or flesh) are most preferably used.

The method for obtaining the dried product, which is one embodiment of the processed product in the present invention, is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the product is dried by, for example, drying in the sun, drying for a half day, drying in the shade, drying by heating, drying at room temperature, freeze-drying, etc., and if necessary, it may be powdered using a ball mill, hammer mill, etc.

In addition, the paste or juice, which is one embodiment of the processed product of the present invention, can be obtained by, for example, grinding the fruits of Terminalia in a mass colloider without drying them, and then filtering or centrifuging the paste to obtain the juice. The fruits of Terminalia can also be squeezed to obtain the juice. Of course, the obtained extract can be used as it is, or it can be dried once and made into an extract powder. In addition, when obtaining an extract from a dried product, it can be obtained by adding water to the dried product and then squeezing or filtering it. There is no particular limit to the amount of water added, but it is about 1 to 50 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of the dry powder.

Furthermore, the extract, which is one embodiment of the processed product of the present invention, may be extracted by adding water or an organic solvent to the Terminalia fruit as is, or may be extracted from crushed fruit, or may be extracted from dried fruit. In particular, it is preferable to crush the fruit into a paste or dry it into a powder before extracting it.

The solvent used for extraction may be water, an organic solvent, or a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. Examples of the organic solvent include methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, acetone, hexane, cyclohexane, propylene glycol, ethyl methyl ketone, glycerin, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, dichloromethane, edible oils and fats, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, and 1,1,2-trichloroethene. Polar organic solvents are preferred, with ethanol, n-butanol, methanol, acetone, propylene glycol, and ethyl acetate being the most preferred.

There is no particular limit to the amount of solvent used for extraction, so long as it is an amount that can be sufficiently extracted, but in the case of dried Terminalia, the amount of solvent is preferably 1 to 50 parts by mass per 1 part by mass of dried material, and if it is not dried, it is preferably 0.1 to 30 parts by mass. There is also no particular limit to the extraction temperature, which varies depending on the boiling point of the solvent used, but for efficient extraction, the lower limit of the extraction temperature is 10°C or higher, preferably 20°C or higher, and the upper limit of the extraction temperature is preferably 120°C or lower, but it is preferable that the upper limit of the extraction temperature is below the boiling point of the solvent used.

The extraction time varies depending on the amount of extraction solvent or the extraction temperature, but the lower limit of the extraction time is 30 minutes or more, preferably 1 hour or more, and the upper limit is 72 hours or less, preferably 48 hours or less. In this way, an extract can be obtained from Terminalia. The obtained extract can be used as is, but if necessary, it can be concentrated by a method commonly used by those skilled in the art to produce an extract in liquid, paste, or powder form. For concentration, heating to dryness, vacuum concentration to dryness, freeze-drying, etc. are used, but vacuum concentration to dryness or freeze-drying are preferred to prevent denaturation of the components in the extract.

Furthermore, to make the resulting extract more active, the components can be further fractionated and concentrated using synthetic adsorbents (Diaion HP20, Sephabease SP825, Amberlite XAD4, MCIgel CHP20P, etc.) or dextran resins (Sephadex LH-20, etc.). The processed Terminalia product obtained in this way shows excellent effects and can be used in the present invention.

[Other ingredients]
The composition for suppressing an increase in blood triglyceride levels of the present invention is characterized by containing Terminalia and specific other components. The specific other components are not limited to those components that have little or only a small ability to suppress an increase in blood triglyceride levels, so long as they are capable of synergistically improving the ability to suppress an increase in blood triglyceride levels when combined with Terminalia. However, it is particularly desirable for the composition to contain at least one component selected from the group consisting of (a) to (h) described below.

(a) Green leaves In the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention, it is preferable to use at least one type of green leaves selected from young barley leaves and young sweet potato leaves as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When these other components are combined with Terminalia, they not only provide a synergistic effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat, but also improve the taste of Terminalia, such as the pungent taste and unpleasant taste. They can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, they can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

These green leaves may be any part of the plant, but usually leaves, stems, etc. are preferred, and the plant material itself (including dried products), crushed products, juice, extracts, etc. can be used. Examples of crushed products include powders and granules. The juice and extracts may be in liquid form, but can also be used in the form of a paste or dry powder. Extracts can be obtained by extraction using a suitable solvent, and examples of the solvent that can be used include water, ethanol, and aqueous ethanol.

The barley leaves are not particularly limited as long as they are barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. ) native to Central Asia, an annual or biennial herb belonging to the family Poaceae, and are roughly classified into two-row barley, six-row barley, etc., based on the ear shape. The barley leaves may contain barley leaves, and may contain other parts such as stems and roots in addition to barley leaves. The barley leaves used in the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are normally available, and any barley leaves such as two-row barley and six-row barley may be used. Any variety of barley leaves may be used.

The sweet potato young leaves are plants belonging to the Convolvulaceae family, and are not particularly limited as long as they are those generally called sweet potatoes. The variety of sweet potato is not particularly limited. Examples include Suio, Joy White, Koganesengan, Shiroyutaka, Satsuma Sachi, and Ayamurasaki. Among them, Suio, which has a high polyphenol content, is preferred. The sweet potato may be used in its entirety or any part, but the stems and leaves are preferred, the tips of the stems and leaves (young stems and leaves) are more preferred, and young stems and leaves that retain a yellowish green color are even more preferred.

(b) Antioxidant In the composition for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood of the present invention, it is preferable to use an antioxidant, astaxanthin, as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When combined with Terminalia, this other component not only provides a synergistic effect of suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood, but also improves the taste of Terminalia, such as the stimulating taste and unpleasant taste. It can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, it can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

The astaxanthin is a type of carotenoid, and is said to have an antioxidant effect 1000 times that of vitamin E. It may be derived from natural products or obtained synthetically. Examples of astaxanthin derived from natural products include astaxanthin obtained from algae such as Haematococcus algae, crustaceans such as shrimp and crab, and fish such as salmon and sea bream. Extracts derived from natural products and chemically synthesized products are commercially available, and these commercially available products can be used.

(c) Polysaccharides In the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention, it is preferable to use polysaccharides, which are chitosan, as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When combined with Terminalia, this other component not only provides a synergistic effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat, but also improves the taste of Terminalia, such as the pungent taste and unpleasant taste. It can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, it can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

The chitosan may be, for example, one made from the shells of crabs, shrimp, insects, etc., or one made from the cell walls of mushrooms, filamentous fungi, etc. It is particularly preferable to use one made from crabs, shrimp, etc. The following method may be used as a method for producing chitosan or a chitosan derivative. First, crab shells, shrimp shells, etc. are crushed, and the crushed shells are treated with an acid (e.g., hydrochloric acid, etc.) to remove calcium. Next, chitin is obtained by treating it with an alkali (e.g., caustic soda, etc.) to remove proteins. Chitosan is obtained by further treating it with an alkali (e.g., caustic soda, etc.). Chitosan derivatives may, for example, be water-soluble chitosan obtained by further reducing the molecular weight of chitosan, or salts thereof. Among them, those with an average molecular weight of 500,000 or more and a deacetylation degree of 70% or more, preferably around 80 to 90%, are preferable. In addition, those with a particle size of 32 mesh or less, preferably 48 mesh or less, and 85% or more are preferable.

(d) Spices In the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention, it is preferable to use at least one spice selected from red pepper, long pepper and black ginger as a specific other component together with Terminalia. In the present invention, it is sufficient to blend these components, and they do not have to be blended for the purpose of exerting the so-called spice function, such as producing aroma or spiciness. When combined with Terminalia, these other components can not only obtain a synergistic collagenase inhibitory effect, but also improve the taste of Terminalia, such as the pungent taste and unpleasant taste. They can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, they can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

These spices may be any part of the plant, such as the seeds, fruits, flowers, leaves, stems, roots, etc., but parts that are usually used as spices are preferred, and the plant material itself (including dried products), its crushed product, squeezed juice, extract, essence, etc. can be used. Examples of crushed products include powder and granules. The squeezed juice and extract may be in liquid form, but can also be used in the form of a paste or dried powder. The extract can be obtained by extraction using an appropriate solvent, and examples of the solvent that can be used include water, ethanol, and aqueous ethanol.

The chili pepper is not particularly limited as long as it is a plant of the genus Capsicum and the family Solanaceae. Both varieties with and without pungent tastes can be used, but it is preferable to use varieties with pungent tastes.

The long pepper is preferably the fruit of a plant of the Piperaceae family, whose scientific name is Piper longum L.

The black ginger is a plant of the genus Kaempferia in the family Zingiberaceae, and its scientific name is Kaempferia parviflora. There are no particular limitations on the black ginger used in the present invention, and it may be domestically or internationally produced, for example, from Thailand or Laos, and domestically produced ginger may be from Okinawa. There are no particular limitations on the part of the black ginger used in the present invention, but it is preferable to use the rhizome.

(d) Fungi In the composition for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood of the present invention, it is preferable to use at least one fungus selected from lactic acid bacteria and yeast as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When these other components are combined with Terminalia, not only can they synergistically suppress an increase in neutral fat in blood, but they can also improve the taste of Terminalia, such as the pungent taste and unpleasant taste. They can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, they can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

The form of the fungi used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be dried and powdered as is, may be used in the form of a culture obtained by culturing the fungi in accordance with a conventional method, or may be used in the form of a residue obtained by subjecting such a culture to solid-liquid separation treatment such as centrifugation or filtration. In addition, dried powders and extracts of fungi are commercially available, and these commercially available products can be used.

The lactic acid bacteria may be any known lactic acid bacteria, but is not particularly limited thereto. Examples of such lactic acid bacteria include Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Bifidobacterium mongoliense, Lactbacillus brevis, Lactbacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus delburvecki, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus curvatus, Lactobacillus halivaticus, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus spp. ...
obacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus sporogenes, Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus fructivorans, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus fermentum, Enterococcus faecalis (sometimes called Streptococcus faecalis), Enterococcus faesium (Streptococcus faesium), Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis (sometimes called Streptococcus lactis), Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc oenos, Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus carnosus, Staphylococcus Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus Preferred are Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacilus paracasei, Enterococcus faecalis (Streptococcus faecalis), Enterococcus faesium (Streptococcus faesium), Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis (Streptococcus lactis), Bacillus coagulans, and Bacillus mesentericus. The properties of these lactic acid bacteria are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the dosage form and quality of the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention, and examples of such properties include heat resistance, acid resistance, sugar tolerance, salt tolerance, spore resistance, etc. The method for obtaining the lactic acid bacteria is not particularly limited, and for example, lactic acid bacteria isolated from foods such as yogurt and vegetables, or commercially available products may be used.

The yeast may be any known yeast, but is not limited thereto. Examples of such yeast include the genus Saccharomyces, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the genus Candida, such as Candida lipolytica, the genus Torulaspora, such as Torulaspora delbrueckii, the genus Kluyveromyces, such as Kluyveromyces thermotolerans, the genus Pichia membranaefaciens, and the genus Saccharomyces. Examples include yeasts belonging to the genus Pichia, such as Saccharomyces membranaefaciens, but preferably the genus Saccharomyces.

(e) Fermented products In the composition for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood of the present invention, it is preferable to use at least one fermented product selected from fermented grains and black vinegar as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When these other components are combined with Terminalia, they not only provide a synergistic effect of suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood, but also improve the taste of Terminalia, such as the pungent taste and unpleasant taste. They can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, they can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

These fermented products are not particularly limited, but may be used as they are, or may be dried and pulverized. They may also be extracted from the fermented products, or the extract may be pulverized and used as it is. Examples of pulverized products include powder and granules. The extract may be in liquid form, but can also be used in paste form or as a dry powder. The extract can be obtained by extraction using a suitable solvent, and examples of the solvent that can be used include water, ethanol, and aqueous ethanol.

The fermented grain product may be obtained by fermenting the seeds of a grass or legume, but is not particularly limited thereto. Gramineous seeds include rice, corn, barley, wheat, rye, oats, oats, pearl barley, millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, and sorghum, while legume seeds include soybean, adzuki bean, mung bean, cowpea, kidney bean, pea, broad bean, lentil, chickpea, lentil, and jack bean. Any part of the seed may be used for fermentation, such as the whole grain, pericarp, seed coat, endosperm, cotyledon, or hypocotyl, but it is usually preferable to use bran that is obtained when grains are polished. As the fungus used for fermentation, fungus bodies usually used for fermentation, such as koji mold, yeast, lactic acid bacteria, acetic bacteria, and Bacillus subtilis, may be used, and the fungus body used in the present invention may be one type or two or more types. In the present invention, it is particularly preferable to use koji mold, as it can decompose grains using a variety of enzymes.

The black vinegar may be made from rice alone, rice with barley or wheat added, or barley alone fermented as a raw material and turned brown or dark brown by fermentation and aging, but is not particularly limited thereto. The grains used for fermentation may be unrefined, but may also be refined. The fungus used for fermentation may be any fungus normally used for fermentation, such as koji mold, yeast, lactic acid bacteria, acetic bacteria, and Bacillus subtilis, but it is particularly preferable to use koji mold, as it can decompose grains with various enzymes.

(g) Vitamin B group In the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention, it is preferable to use at least vitamin B group selected from vitamin B12, vitamin B5, vitamin B2 and vitamin B1 as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When these other components are combined with Terminalia, not only can they obtain a synergistic effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat, but they can also improve the taste of Terminalia, such as the pungent taste and unpleasant taste. They can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, they can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

(h) Plant Extract In the composition for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood of the present invention, it is preferable to use a plant extract extracted from at least one plant selected from pine bark, kudzu flower, gymnema, ginger and salacia as a specific other component together with Terminalia. When these other components are combined with Terminalia, not only can they obtain a synergistic effect of suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood, but they can also improve the taste of Terminalia, such as the stimulating taste and unpleasant taste. They can also improve the unique flavor of Terminalia, making it fragrant and flavorful. Furthermore, they can be made to have a better color and dispersibility than when only Terminalia is dissolved in water.

The pine bark extract may be, for example, an extract of the bark of French maritime pine (Pinus Martima), larch, black pine, red pine, etc., and among these, an extract of the bark of French maritime pine (Pinus Martima), which is rich in proanthocyanidins, is preferred.

As the kudzu flower, the flower of a plant belonging to the genus Pueraria of the family Fabaceae is used. Kudzu is a creeping perennial plant of the genus Pueraria of the family Fabaceae. As the plant material of the present invention, the flower or root is preferable, and the flower is particularly preferable. As the kudzu flower, one collected at any stage from the bud to the fully opened flower may be used, and those collected at each stage may be mixed and used. There is no particular restriction on the type of kudzu, but examples include Pueraria thomsonii, Pueraria lobata, Pueraria thumbergiana, etc.

The gymnema is a vine plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family native to India and Sri Lanka, and an example of such a plant is Gymnema sylvestre. The parts used in the present invention are preferably the stems and leaves.

The ginger is not particularly limited as long as it is a plant of the Zingiberaceae family, and examples thereof include various types of ginger such as Sanshu ginger, Omi ginger, Yanaka ginger, Kintoki ginger, Shizuoka No. 4, Yellow ginger, Earth ginger, and Otafuku ginger. The form of the Zingiberaceae plant raw material used in the present invention can be the rhizome as it is, or it can be sliced, crushed, juiced, grated, or extracted. Examples of crushed materials include powder and granules. The juice or extract can be in liquid form, but can also be used in paste form or dried powder form. The extract can be obtained by extraction using a suitable solvent, and examples of the solvent that can be used include water, ethanol, and aqueous ethanol. The solvent used is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a solution containing ethanol. For example, an extract can be obtained by adding ethanol or aqueous ethanol to finely chopped rhizomes of a Zingiberaceae plant.

The above-mentioned Salacia is a plant of the genus Salacia of the Celastraceae family 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 and Salacia chinensis, with Salacia reticulata being particularly preferred. The part used in the present invention is preferably the root.

[Composition for suppressing increase in blood neutral fat]
The composition for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood of the present invention is preferably a food for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood used for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood, and such a food for suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood is not particularly limited as long as it contains Terminalia and other specific materials and can be distinguished from other products as a product in terms of being used to suppress an increase in neutral fat in blood. For example, the scope of the present invention includes a product that displays the function of suppressing an increase in neutral fat in blood on the main body, packaging, instructions, or advertising material of the product according to the present invention. For example, so-called health foods such as functional foods whose efficacy has been approved by a designated organization, such as foods for specified health uses and functional foods, can be mentioned. Specifically, examples of such products include those that display the following: "reduces (reduces, lowers) neutral fat levels in blood,""suppresses the increase in neutral fat in blood,""suppresses the increase in neutral fat after meals,""gentles the increase in neutral fat in blood after meals,""suppresses the absorption of fat in food," and "helps with the health of people with high neutral fat levels."

The composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention may be in the form of, for example, liquid, powder, granule, tablet, capsule, granule, rod, plate, block, solid, round, paste, cream, caplet, gel, chewable, stick, etc. Among these, liquid, powder, and granule forms are particularly preferred. Specific examples include packaged beverages filled in PET bottles, cans, jars, etc., and instant powdered beverages or instant granular beverages that are dissolved in water (hot water), milk, fruit juice, green juice, etc. and consumed. These are preferred in that they are easy to drink during meals, etc., and can increase palatability.

The blending mass ratio of Terminalia and the specific other materials is preferably in the range of 0.5:1 to 80:1, more preferably in the range of 0.75:1 to 70:1, even more preferably in the range of 1:1 to 60:1, and particularly preferably in the range of 1:1 to 50:1, calculated on a dry mass basis. By having the blending ratio of Terminalia and the specific other materials in the above range, the effects of the present invention can be more effectively exhibited.

The content of Terminalia and specific other ingredients in the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention may be appropriately determined within the range in which the effect is exhibited. Terminalia may be used as an active ingredient, and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of (a) to (h) may be further contained, or Terminalia and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of (a) to (h) may be contained as active ingredients. When Terminalia is used as an active ingredient and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of (a) to (h) is further contained, the specific other ingredient may be contained as an agent for enhancing the action of Terminalia. In general, the content of Terminalia and specific other ingredients is preferably 0.01 to 100% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 97% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 95% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis.

When the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention is in the form of a tablet or capsule, Terminalia and other specific ingredients are preferably contained in an amount of 0.01 to 100% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 80% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis.

When the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention is an instant powdered beverage or an instant granular beverage, the Terminalia and other specific ingredients preferably constitute 1 to 100% by mass, more preferably 3 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 80% by mass, of the total, calculated on a dry mass basis.

When the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention is a packaged beverage, the content of Terminalia and other specific ingredients is preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 6% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 4% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis.

The intake amount of the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of more significantly exerting the effect of the present invention, it is preferable to ingest Terminalia and the specific other ingredients so that the intake amount per meal is 50 mg or more, more preferably 100 mg or more, even more preferably 150 mg or more, and particularly preferably 200 mg or more. The food having an effect of suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention can be contained in one container for one serving or one day's supply, or divided into multiple containers, for example, 2 to 3, so that the intake amount per serving is the above-mentioned intake amount. For example, the instant powdered beverage or instant granular beverage can be packaged in a form in which 3 to 10 g is packaged.

In addition, the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat of the present invention may contain ingredients other than Terminalia and the specific other ingredients, if necessary. Examples of ingredients other than Terminalia and the specific other ingredients 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 or extracted materials of animals and plants, calcium stearate, silicon dioxide, sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, maltose, reduced maltose, reduced palatinose, cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and other excipients.

Furthermore, the composition for suppressing an increase in blood neutral fat levels of the present invention can include foods to which Terminalia and other specific ingredients have been added. Examples of such foods include beverages such as carbonated drinks, nutritional drinks, fruit drinks, lactic acid drinks, and green juice; frozen desserts such as ice cream, ice sherbet, and shaved ice; noodles such as soba, udon, harusame, Chinese noodles, and instant noodles; sweets such as candy, candy, gum, chocolate, tablet sweets, snacks, biscuits, jellies, jams, creams, baked goods, and bread; processed seafood and livestock foods such as kamaboko, ham, and sausages; processed milk, fermented milk, and yogurt. Examples include dairy products such as salad oil, tempura oil, margarine, mayonnaise, shortening, whipped cream, dressing, and other oils and fats and processed foods thereof; seasonings such as sauce and soy sauce; retort pouch foods such as curry, stew, oyakodon, porridge, porridge, Chinese rice bowl, katsudon, tempura bowl, beef bowl, hayashi rice, omelet rice, oden, mapo dolph, gyoza, shumai, hamburger steak, meatballs, various sauces, and various soups. The properties, amounts of Terminalia and other specific ingredients, the amount of intake, and other ingredients are the same as above.

The present invention will now be described with reference to examples.
[Example 1] Lipase Inhibition Test For each test substance suspension, 0.1M PBS was used as a solvent, and the processed Terminalia product and other specific components were mixed in an Eppendorf tube as follows. For Terminalia, a powder made by drying a hot water extract of the pulp of Terminalia bellirica was used. For young barley leaves, "Barley Leaf Powder" manufactured by Toyo Shinyaku Co., Ltd. was used. For young sweet potato leaves, "Sweet Potato Leaf Powder" manufactured by Toyo Shinyaku Co., Ltd. was used.
Astaxanthin was used as a commercially available synthetic product. Chitosan was used as a commercially available product. For the chili pepper, a commercially available powder of chili pepper was used. For the long pepper, a commercially available dried powder of the fruit spike was used. For the black ginger, a dried powder of an ethanol extract of the rhizome of black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora) was used. For the lactic acid bacteria, a commercially available human intestinal Escherichia coli Enterococcus faecalis (dead bacteria) was used. For the yeast, a commercially available dried brewer's yeast powder (dead bacteria) with reduced bitterness was used. For the fermented grains, a commercially available powder of wheat bran fermented Aspergillus oryzae extract was used. For the black vinegar, a commercially available black vinegar extract was used. For the vitamins, all commercially available products were used, and for vitamin B1, the hydrochloride salt was used. For the pine bark, "Flavangenol" manufactured by Toyo Shinyaku was used. For the kudzu flowers, "kudzu flower extract" manufactured by Toyo Shinyaku was used. For Gymnema, commercially available powdered extract extracted from Gymnema sylvestre leaves was used. For Ginger, commercially available powdered ginger extract was used. For Salacia, commercially available powdered Salacia reticulata root extract was used.

To each of the mixed sample solutions, 5 μL of 0.08 mg/mL lipase, 4 μL of elastase inhibitor solution, and 200 μL of color development solution were added, and the mixture was pre-incubated for 5 minutes at 30±1° C. in the dark. 20 μL of substrate solution was added, and the mixture was incubated for 30 minutes at 30±1° C., and then 400 μL of stop solution was added. For the blank, the reaction stop solution was added, followed by the substrate solution. 300 μL of the reaction solution was transferred to a 96-well plate, and the absorbance at 412 nm was measured using a microplate reader. Using the measured absorbance, the lipase inhibition rate was calculated using the following formula.
Inhibition rate (% of control) = (1 - [(Sample ^test - Sample ^blank ) / Control ^test - Control ^blank ]]) x 100

Table 2 shows the results of the lipase inhibition test measured in Example 1. The values in Table 2 other than the inhibition rate indicate the final concentration of the sample, and the inhibition rate indicates the relative inhibition rate of each group when the inhibition rate of the group containing only the treated Terminalia material is taken as 100%.

As shown in Table 2, even when the lipase inhibitory effect of the specific other ingredient itself is quite low, the combination with Terminalia dramatically improves the lipase inhibitory effect. The combination of the processed Terminalia product of the present invention and the specific other ingredients has an excellent lipase inhibitory effect, and is expected to inhibit lipase, thereby suppressing the breakdown of fat in the digestive tract and suppressing fat absorption from the intestinal tract.

(Comparative Examples 22 to 23)
For mulberry leaf powder (Comparative Example 22) and vitamin B6 (Comparative Example 23), tests similar to those in Example 1 were conducted. When the change in Terminalia was added up to the change in either mulberry leaf powder or vitamin B6, the change in the test group for the combination was less than 1.2 times, and no lipase inhibitory effect was confirmed.

The food of the present invention has the effect of suppressing an increase in neutral fat levels in the blood, and is therefore highly useful industrially.

Claims (1)

An oral composition for suppressing an increase in neutral fat levels, characterized by containing processed Terminalia and black ginger extract , wherein the processed Terminalia is a dried product, paste, juice and/or extract obtained from the leaves, bark, roots, flowers, wood, fruit and/or seeds of Terminalia .