Nicotine-Reducing Agent And Nicotine Reducing Method

Abstract

The present invention provides a nicotine-reducing agent and a nicotine-reducing smoking article that are used for reducing the nicotine content of the mainstream smoke of a tobacco product. The present invention also provides a method for reducing the nicotine content of the mainstream smoke of a tobacco product by using the nicotine-reducing agent or nicotine-reducing smoking article. The nicotine-reducing agent is an aqueous liquid composition having a viscosity of 500 to 3000 mpa·s and containing at least one polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, tara gum, guar gum, pectin, pullulan, psyllium seed gum, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and carageenan.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a nicotine-reducing agent and a nicotine-reducing smoking article that are used for reducing the nicotine content of the mainstream smoke of a tobacco product. The present invention also relates to a method for reducing the nicotine content and reducing the tar content of the mainstream smoke of a tobacco product by using the nicotine-reducing agent or nicotine-reducing smoking article.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Tobacco smoke is considered to contain about 4,000 kinds of chemicals, among which harmful and carcinogenic substances are known to be included. Of the harmful substances contained in tobacco smoke, typical examples are nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Various approaches have been made to remove such harmful substances from tobacco smoke.[0003]As an example of such approaches, a method has been proposed for reducing the nicotine content in inhaled tobacco smoke (i.e., mainstream smoke) by infiltrating the filter of a tobacco p...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0070]Solvents used for dissolving tamarind seed gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, and like polysaccharides mentioned above are not limited as long as they are capable of dissolving these substances. In light of safety and convenience, a preferable solvent is water. Water may also be used in combination with ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerol, etc. in a range in which the effects of the invention are not impaired.

[0071]The above polysaccharides (tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, tara gum, guar gum, pectin, pullulan, psyllium seed gum, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and carrageenan) can be used singly as an active ingredient for the nicotine-reducing agent of the invention, or two or more may be used in combination, as desired. Preferable combinations of these polysaccharides are not limited, and examples are tamarind seed gum and locust bean gum, tamarind seed gum and xanthan gum, locust bean gum and methylcellulose, tamarind seed gum and tara gum, and tamarind seed gum and guar gum.

[0072]The proportion of the above polysaccharides (tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, tara gum, guar gum, pectin, pullulan, psyllium seed gum, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or carrageenan) in the nicotine-reducing agent (aqueous liquid composition) is not limited, as long as the nicotine-reducing agent (aqueous liquid composition) to be obtained has the above-specified viscosity from 500 to 3000 mPa s, preferably from 500 to 2500 mPa·s, and more preferably 1000 to 2500 mPa·s.

[0073]For example, proportions of each polysaccharide that may be used in 100 wt. % of nicotine-reducing agent (aqueous liquid composition) are shown in Table 1.TABLE 1(weight %)MoreTypicalPreferablepreferableproportionproportionproportionTamarind seed gum1.5-3.01.5-2.52.0-2.5Locust bean gum0.5-1.50.5-1.250.75-Xanthan gum0.5-3.00.5-2.51.0-2.5Tara gum0.5-1.20.5-1.00.6-1.0Guar gum0.5-1.50.5-1.250.75-Pectin4.0-10.04.0-8.05.0-8.0Pullulan15.0-15.0-17.5-Psyllium seed gum0.6-2.00.6-1.750.75-Methylcellulose2.0-4.02.0-3.52.5-3.5Carboxymethylcellulose1.5-3.01.5-2.52.0-2.5Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose2.0-5.02.0-4.03.0-4.0Carrageenan1.0-2.51.0-2.251.5-2.25

[0074]When using any two or more of these components in combination, the ratio and amount of the combination can be determined, based on the above mixing proportions as a guideline, to adjust the viscosity so that the nicotine-reducing agent (aqueous liquid composition) has a viscosity from 500 to 3000 mPa·s, preferably from 500 to 2500 mPa·s, and more preferably 1000 to 2500 mPa·s. As mentioned above, for the combined use of tamarind seed gum and locust bean gum, the ratio can be, for example, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, and preferably 0.2 to 5 parts by weight, of locust bean gum per part by weight of tamarind seed gum. For the combined use of tamarind seed gum and xanthan gum, the ratio can be 0.02 to 1 parts by weight, and preferably 0.05 to 0.5 parts by weight of xanthan gum per part by weight of tamarind seed gum. For the combined use of methylcellulose and locust bean gum, the ratio can be 0.2 to 20 parts by weight, and preferably 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of locust bean gum per part by weight of methylcellulose. Further, for the combined use of tamarind seed gum and tara gum, the ratio can be 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, and preferably 0.2 to 5 parts by weight of tara gum per part by weight of tamarind seed gum. For the combined use of tamarind seed gum and guar gum, the ratio can be 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, and preferably 0.2 to 5 parts by weight of guar gum per part of tamarind seed gum.

[0075]In addition to at least one polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of the above-mentioned tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, tara gum, guar gum, pectin, pullulan, psyllium seed gum, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and carrageenan, the nicotine-reducing agent of the invention can contain other saccharides within the range in which effects of the invention are not impaired. When such saccharides are used in combination with the above-mentioned polysaccharides, it is possible to enhance the viscosity and viscosity stability as well as the nicotine and tar reduction percentage.

Problems solved by technology

However, while a nicotine-reducing effect can be expected from this method, there is a possibility that water containing harmful nicotine and tar may enter the mouth together with smoke during smoking, and pass into the body.

In the former method, however, the mouthpiece filter absorbs large amounts of water at high humidities, causing the inhaling resistance to increase during smoking, thus making smoking itself difficult.

This method, however, is troublesome in that an accessory has to be attached to the pipe when smoking.

However, such a gelled substance does not penetrate into the cigarette filter, so that the gelled substance remaining on the filter spreads into the mouth to give an unpleasant sensation, also making it difficult to inhale.

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