Food and beverage for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function deficiency, and agent for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function deficiency

Abstract

To provide foods and beverages for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function deficiency, and agents for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function deficiency, which are capable of inhibiting both weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in organisms with reproductive function deficiency.SOLUTION: The present invention provides foods and beverages for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function deficiency, comprising suspension of powdered fruiting bodies of Sparassis crispa.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food, drink, and medicine for suppressing the accumulation of visceral fat in living organisms lacking ovarian function, which use a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, it has been discovered that a hot water extract of Sparassis crispa mycelium has estrogenic activity, but also has estrogenic effects without negative activity such as cancer cell proliferation activity and without the risk of side effects. This has led to the development of medicines, foods and beverages for the treatment and prevention of disorders and diseases caused by estrogen deficiency, as described in the following Patent Document 1.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, as examples of "disorders caused by estrogen deficiency", various symptoms caused by menopausal disorders are listed, and as examples of "diseases caused by estrogen deficiency", urogenital disorders, osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis, memory disorders, thrombotic diseases, etc. are listed. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 lists, as estrogen-like actions, anti-arteriosclerosis action and inhibition of visceral fat accumulation by reducing total cholesterol levels, neutral fat levels, and free fatty acid levels. In a verification test for the inhibitory effect on visceral fat accumulation, ApoE-deficient mice were fed a high-fat diet, and some were given orally a dried Sparassis crispa mycelium culture product or a hot water extract of Sparassis crispa mycelium for a specified period, while others were not.The results showed that the ApoE-deficient mice that were given orally a dried Sparassis crispa mycelium culture product or a hot water extract of Sparassis crispa mycelium for a specified period showed a statistically significant decrease in cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, and visceral fat accumulation compared to the untreated ApoE-deficient mice.

[0004] In addition, the following non-patent literature 1 and 2 disclose that the phthalide compounds contained in processed sparassis crispa exhibit a visceral fat reducing effect. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6861422 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Visceral fat reducing effect of phthalide compounds contained in processed sparassis crispa", Katsuhisa Sakano, Mariko Migame, Yoshiyo Nakao, Hiromi Yamada, Motoharu Toichi, Yutaka Maki, Takahiko Fujikawa, Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan), Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 163, published on March 5, 2009 [Non-Patent Document 2] "Anti-obesity components of Sparassis crispa", Yamada Hiromi, Juichi Motoharu, Fujikawa Takahiko, Yurugi Yutaka, Sakano Katsushika, Food and Pharmaceutical Science Symposium Lecture Abstracts, Vol. 3, pp. 132-134, published October 21, 2009 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Surgical removal of both ovaries or radiation therapy can result in loss of ovarian function and ovarian deficiency symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy using estrogen is known to treat ovarian deficiency symptoms, but there are concerns about the negative effects of estrogen, such as the proliferation of cancer cells.

[0008] However, Patent Document 1 does not state that the visceral fat accumulation inhibitory effect of the estrogen-like agent extracted from Sparassis crispa mycelium was verified using a living organism lacking ovarian function, and there is no focus on living organisms lacking ovarian function in what is described in Patent Document 1. Moreover, the visceral fat accumulation inhibitory effect described in Patent Document 1 is evaluated based on the measurement results of the reduction in the amount of accumulated visceral fat in a living organism that has been previously made to have excessive visceral fat accumulated by feeding a high-fat diet, and is not based on the measurement results of the amount of accumulated visceral fat in a living organism with a normal amount of accumulated visceral fat.

[0009] In addition, the visceral fat reducing effects of the phthalide compounds described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 are based on tests using male rats, and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not focus on organisms lacking ovarian function.

[0010] Furthermore, until now, it has not been clear what effect Sparassis crispa has on organisms that lack ovarian function.

[0011] However, the present inventors have recently focused on living organisms with ovarian dysfunction and conducted repeated testing and research into the effects of Sparassis crispa on living organisms with ovarian dysfunction. As a result, it has been discovered that a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies has the effect of suppressing both weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in living organisms with ovarian dysfunction.

[0012] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a food or drink that inhibits visceral fat accumulation in organisms that lack ovarian function, and a drug that inhibits visceral fat accumulation in organisms that lack ovarian function, which are capable of inhibiting weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in organisms that lack ovarian function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the food and beverage product according to the present invention for inhibiting the accumulation of visceral fat in organisms that lack ovarian function is a food and beverage product for inhibiting the accumulation of visceral fat in organisms that lack ovarian function, and is characterized by comprising a powdered suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies.

[0014] In the food and drink of the present invention for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in a living body that lacks ovarian function, it is preferable that the living body that lacks ovarian function is a living body from which the ovaries have been removed.

[0015] In the food and drink of the present invention for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in a living body lacking ovarian function, the living body lacking ovarian function is preferably a living body in which ovarian function has ceased.

[0016] In addition, the visceral fat accumulation inhibitor in organisms lacking ovarian function according to the present invention is a medicine for inhibiting the accumulation of visceral fat in organisms lacking ovarian function, and is characterized by comprising a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, the food and beverage product for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in living organisms that lack ovarian function, and the drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in living organisms that lack ovarian function, which can inhibit weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in living organisms that lack ovarian function, can be obtained. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a graph showing the changes in average body weight of mice in each group over the period of the verification test, as the results of a verification test on the effects of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on body weight, food and water intake in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]This is a graph showing the change in the average daily food intake of mice in each group during the verification test period, as the result of a verification test on the effects of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting body on body weight, food and water intake in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] This is a graph showing the change in the average daily water intake of mice in each group during the verification test period, as the result of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting body on body weight, food intake, and water intake in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a graph showing the average body weight of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effects of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on body weight, food and water intake in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] These are photographs showing CT cross-sectional images of visceral fat and subcutaneous fat of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the results of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on visceral fat in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a graph showing the visceral fat mass of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on visceral fat in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the examples of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a graph showing the subcutaneous fat amount of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on visceral fat in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the examples of the present invention. [Figure 8]This is a graph showing the triglyceride content in the plasma of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on plasma markers in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a graph showing the cholesterol content in the plasma of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on plasma markers in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a graph showing the blood glucose levels of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the results of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on plasma markers in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a graph showing the insulin content in the plasma of mice in each group 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on plasma markers in the food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a graph showing adiponectin gene expression levels as a result of analyzing gene expression levels in adipose tissue of mice from each group using RT-PCR 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect (gene expression level) of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting body on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism markers (gene expression level) in the food and beverages and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the examples of the present invention. [Figure 13]This is a graph showing the gene expression levels of TNF-α as a result of analyzing the gene expression levels in adipose tissue of mice from each group using RT-PCR 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as the result of a verification test on the effect (gene expression levels) of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting body on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism markers (gene expression levels) in the food and beverages and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the examples of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a graph showing leptin gene expression levels as a result of analyzing gene expression levels in adipose tissue of mice from each group using RT-PCR 8 weeks after the start of the verification test, as a result of a verification test on the effect (gene expression levels) of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism markers (gene expression levels) in the food and beverages and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to the examples of the present invention. [Figure 15] As a result of a verification test on the effect (gene expression level) of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting body on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism markers (gene expression level) in a food and beverage product and a drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention, this graph shows the gene expression levels of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) as a result of an analysis of gene expression levels in adipose tissue of mice from each group using RT-PCR 8 weeks after the start of the verification test. [Figure 16] As a result of a verification test on the effect (gene expression level) of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting body on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism markers (gene expression level) in a food and beverage product and a drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with ovarian function according to an embodiment of the present invention, this graph shows the gene expression levels of PPARα (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α) as a result of an analysis of gene expression levels in adipose tissue of mice from each group using RT-PCR 8 weeks after the start of the verification test. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] As mentioned above, Patent Document 1 describes that the estrogen-like active substance extracted from Sparassis crispa mycelium has an effect of suppressing the accumulation of visceral fat, but there is no description that the ApoE-deficient mice fed with a high-fat diet used in the verification are mice lacking ovarian function. That is, Patent Document 1 does not describe that the visceral fat accumulation suppression effect of the estrogen-like active substance extracted from Sparassis crispa mycelium was verified using a living organism lacking ovarian function, and Patent Document 1 does not focus on living organisms lacking ovarian function. Moreover, the visceral fat accumulation suppression effect described in Patent Document 1 is evaluated based on the measurement results of the reduction in the amount of accumulated visceral fat in a living organism that has been made to have excessive visceral fat accumulated in advance by feeding a high-fat diet, and is not based on the measurement results of the amount of visceral fat accumulated in a living organism with a normal amount of visceral fat accumulation.

[0020] In addition, the visceral fat reducing effects of the phthalide compounds described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 are based on tests using male rats, and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not focus on organisms lacking ovarian function.

[0021] Furthermore, until now, it has not been clear what effect Sparassis crispa has on organisms that lack ovarian function.

[0022] However, the present inventors have recently focused on living organisms lacking ovarian function and conducted repeated testing and research into the effects of Sparassis crispa on living organisms lacking ovarian function. As a result, it has been discovered that a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies has the effect of inhibiting both weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in living organisms lacking ovarian function, leading to the development of the present invention's food and drink that inhibits visceral fat accumulation in living organisms lacking ovarian function, and the present invention's drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in living organisms lacking ovarian function.

[0023] Hereinafter, the food for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with lack of ovarian function and the drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with lack of ovarian function of the present invention will be described in detail using verification data.

[0024] The food for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in an organism lacking ovarian function and the drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in an organism lacking ovarian function of the present invention are prepared by containing a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies. The Sparassis crispa fruiting body may be the fruiting body itself, or may be a processed product such as a crushed product, ground product, dried product, or dried pulverized product of the Sparassis crispa fruiting body. The Sparassis crispa fruiting body used in the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of origin, and may be either naturally grown or artificially cultured, but artificial culture is preferable in consideration of productivity. The Sparassis crispa fruiting body may also contain mycelium.

[0025] There are no particular limitations on the harvest time, number of years of growth, culture method, culture period, etc. of the Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies. Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies with different activities can be obtained by production methods using different medium components, and in the present invention, any of these may be used, either alone or in combination. If highly active Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies are used in combination, higher activity can be expected.

[0026] In order to stabilize the quality of the powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies, it is preferable to use "IT Hanabiratake" (registered trademark) Sparassis crispa powder, which is produced using Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies cultivated and standardized by Intertrade Healthcare Co., Ltd.

[0027] The powder of the fruiting body of Sparassis crispa can be mixed with water to obtain a powder suspension. Furthermore, the active ingredients in the powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies contained in the food for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms lacking ovarian function of the present invention and in the inhibition of visceral fat accumulation in organisms lacking ovarian function are water-soluble and therefore cannot be dissolved by extraction methods using organic solvents. EXAMPLES

[0028] Verification test for the effect of injecting a powdered suspension of Sparassis crispa on the accumulation of visceral fat The inventors of the present invention focused on the fact that removal of mouse ovaries results in the loss of estrogen production, and used ovariectomized mice as living organisms lacking ovarian function to examine the effect of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made from powder of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on ovariectomized mice. The Sparassis crispa powder suspension used was made by mixing Sparassis crispa powder (registered trademark) "IT Sparassis crispa" with water.

[0029] The mice used in the validation test were prepared in the following five groups, each consisting of eight mice. Group 1 "Sham": Mice that had their abdomens incised and the incision sutured without removing the ovaries Group 2 "OVX": Mice that underwent abdominal incision, ovarian removal, and sutured incision Group 3 "sc10": Mice whose abdomen was incised, their ovaries were removed, and the incision was sutured. After suturing, Sparassis crispa powder was dissolved in 10 ml of water at a ratio of 10 mg per 1 kg of mouse body weight. The suspension was then orally administered at a ratio of 10 ml per 1 kg of mouse body weight. Group 4 "sc50": Mice whose abdomen was incised, their ovaries were removed, and the incision was sutured. After suturing, Sparassis crispa powder was dissolved in 10 ml of water at a ratio of 50 mg per 1 kg of mouse body weight. A suspension of Sparassis crispa powder was orally administered at a ratio of 10 ml per 1 kg of mouse body weight. Group 5 "E2": Mice whose abdomens were incised, their ovaries were removed, and the incisions were sutured. After suturing, 10 ml of water containing 20 μg of estradiol, a type of estrogen, was orally administered to the mice at a rate of 10 ml per kg of body weight.

[0030] The powder suspension of Sparassis crispa was checked and adjusted, and the mice were divided into groups so that there was no difference in body weight between the groups. One week after the surgery, water and food were administered to all mice in each group. At the same time, oral administration of the above-mentioned amount of Sparassis crispa powder suspension and estrogen was also started to the mice in the specified groups. Administration was continued for 7 weeks, and the weight, food intake, and water intake of each mouse in each group were measured during the administration period, and the average weight, average daily food intake, and average daily water intake of the mice in each group during each week of the validation test period, as well as the average weight of the mice in each group after 8 weeks had passed, were calculated. The mice from each group were then dissected, and the mass of visceral and subcutaneous fat was measured by CT, analyzed using crystal markers, and gene expression levels in adipose tissue were analyzed using RT-PCR.

[0031] Results of a verification test on the effects of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on body weight, food intake and water intake Figure 1 shows the changes in average body weight of mice in each group each week during the verification test period, Figure 2 shows the changes in average daily food intake, Figure 3 shows the changes in average daily water intake, and Figure 4 shows the average body weight of mice in each group after 8 weeks.

[0032] (Weight change) Generally, when estrogen is no longer secreted, the body becomes prone to gain weight and the body weight increases. However, as shown in Figure 1, the mice in Group 2 (OVX) in which the ovaries were removed tended to gain weight compared to the mice in Group 1 (Sham) in which the ovaries were not removed, whereas the mice in Group 3 (sc10) in which the Sparassis crispa powder suspension was orally administered at a rate of 10ml per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and the mice in Group 4 (sc50) in which the Sparassis crispa powder suspension was orally administered at a rate of 10ml per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and the mice in Group 5 (sc50) in which the Sparassis crispa powder suspension was orally administered at a rate of 50mg per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, showed almost no weight gain compared to the mice in Group 1 (Sham). In addition, it was found that mice in group 5 (E2), which were orally administered estrogen after ovariectomy, tended to gain weight compared to mice in group 1 (Sham), whose ovaries had not been removed. This is thought to be because estrogen is normally secreted continuously from the ovaries of living organisms, but by giving estrogen intermittently to animals whose ovaries had been removed, the effect of estrogen on these animals became intermittent, and the effect of suppressing weight gain was not fully exerted.

[0033] (Changes in food intake) As shown in Figure 2, the food intake of the ovarian-removed group 2 (OVX) mice was roughly the same as that of the non-ovarian-removed group 1 (Sham) mice, and tended to remain roughly stable throughout the validation test period. In addition, the mice in group 3 (sc10) were orally administered a Sparassis crispa powder suspension at a ratio of 10mg per 1kg of mouse body weight by dissolving Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water, and the mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered a Sparassis crispa powder suspension at a ratio of 50mg per 1kg of mouse body weight by dissolving Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water, and these mice were found to have lower food intake and tended to remain roughly stable during the validation test period compared to the mice in group 2 (OVX) whose ovaries had been removed. On the other hand, the mice in Group 5 (E2), which were orally administered estradiol after ovariectomy, showed less food intake than the mice in Group 2 (OVX), whose ovaries had been removed, up until the fifth week from the start of the validation test period. However, this tendency then increased, and after eight weeks, their food intake was found to exceed that of the mice in Group 2 (OVX), whose ovaries had been removed.

[0034] (Changes in water intake) As shown in Figure 3, the water intake of the ovarian-removed mice in Group 2 (OVX) tended to decrease, and at the end of the validation period, it was found to be significantly lower than that of the ovarian-removed mice in Group 1 (Sham). In addition, the mice in group 3 (sc10) were orally administered a Sparassis crispa powder suspension at a ratio of 10mg per 1kg of mouse body weight by dissolving Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water, and the mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered a Sparassis crispa powder suspension at a ratio of 10ml per 1kg of mouse body weight by dissolving Sparassis crispa powder in 50mg per 10ml of water, after ovariectomy. Water intake decreased from the start of the validation test period until the third or fourth week, after which it remained roughly stable, and at the end of the validation period it was found to be roughly the same as that of the mice in group 2 (OVX) whose ovaries had been removed. On the other hand, the mice in Group 5 (E2), which were administered estradiol after ovariectomy, had low water intake immediately after the start of the validation test period, but thereafter tended to increase, and after 8 weeks, their water intake was significantly higher than that of the mice in Group 2 (OVX), which had their ovaries removed; the mice in Group 3 (sc10), which had been orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy; and the mice in Group 4 (sc50), which had been orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy; and even exceeded the water intake of the mice in Group 1 (Sham), whose ovariectomy had not been performed.

[0035] (Weight after 8 weeks) As shown in Figure 4, the mice in Group 2 (OVX), whose ovaries had been removed, were found to have a significant increase in body weight, with a probability below the significance level of 1%, compared to the mice in Group 1 (Sham), whose ovaries had not been removed. In addition, it was found that the mice in group 3 (sc10) who had their ovariectomy followed by oral administration of 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight, and the mice in group 4 (sc50) who had their ovariectomy followed by oral administration of 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight, showed significantly suppressed weight gain at a probability below the significance level of 5% compared to the mice in group 2 (OVX) who had their ovariectomy. On the other hand, the mice in group 5 (E2), which were administered estradiol after ovariectomy, gained weight similar to the mice in group 2 (OVX), whose ovaries had been removed, and no inhibitory effect on weight gain was observed.

[0036] Results of a verification test on the effect of a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruit body on visceral fat and subcutaneous fat Moreover, CT images of the visceral fat and subcutaneous fat of the mice in each group after 8 weeks are shown in FIG. 5, the amount of visceral fat is shown in FIG. 6, and the amount of subcutaneous fat is shown in FIG. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the mice in Group 2 (OVX), in which the ovaries had been removed, showed a significant increase in both visceral fat and subcutaneous fat, with a probability of significance below 1%, compared to the mice in Group 1 (Sham), in which the ovaries had not been removed. In contrast, mice in group 3 (sc10) were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and it was found that the accumulation of visceral fat was significantly suppressed at a probability below the significance level of 1% compared to mice in group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovaries removed. In addition, after ovariectomy, mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight. The mice showed a significant suppression of accumulation of visceral fat and subcutaneous fat, with a probability below the significance level of 5%, compared to mice in group 2 (OVX). Additionally, it was found that the mice in group 5 (E2), which were administered estradiol after ovariectomy, showed a significant suppression of visceral fat accumulation, with a probability below the significance level of 1%, compared to the mice in group 2 (OVX), which had their ovaries removed.

[0037] Verification test results on the effect of powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies on plasma markers In addition, the results of analysis of plasma markers in mice from each group after 8 weeks are shown in Figure 8 for triglyceride content in plasma, Figure 9 for cholesterol content in plasma, Figure 10 for blood glucose level, and Figure 11 for insulin content in plasma.

[0038] (Plasma triglyceride content) As shown in Figure 8, it was found that the plasma triglyceride concentrations were significantly reduced, with a probability below the significance level of 5%, compared to the group 2 "OVX" mice in the third group "sc10" mice that were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and the fourth group "sc50" mice that were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, compared to the group 2 "OVX" mice.

[0039] (Cholesterol content in plasma) As shown in FIG. 9, no significant effect was observed on plasma cholesterol concentration due to oral administration of the Sparassis crispa powder suspension.

[0040] (Blood Glucose Levels) As shown in Figure 10, the mice in Group 2 (OVX), in which the ovaries had been removed, were found to have significantly increased blood glucose levels, with a probability below the significance level of 1%, compared to the mice in Group 1 (Sham), in which the ovaries had not been removed. In contrast, mice in group 3 (sc10) were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and it was found that the increase in blood glucose levels was significantly suppressed at a probability below the significance level of 1% compared to mice in group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovaries removed. In addition, after ovariectomy, mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight. This suspension was then administered orally at a rate of 10ml per kg of mouse body weight. It was found that the increase in blood glucose levels was significantly suppressed at a probability below the significance level of 5% compared to mice in group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovaries removed. Additionally, it was found that mice in group 5 (E2), which were orally administered estradiol after ovariectomy, showed a significantly suppressed increase in blood glucose levels, with a probability below the significance level of 1%, compared to mice in group 2 (OVX), which had their ovaries removed.

[0041] (Insulin content in plasma) As shown in FIG. 12, it was found that the plasma insulin concentration was increased in the ovariectomized group 2 (OVX) mice compared to the non-ovariectomized group 1 (Sham) mice. In contrast, the third group (sc10) of mice was orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, the fourth group (sc50) of mice was orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and the fifth group (E2) of mice was orally administered estradiol after ovariectomy, and these mice were found to have a tendency to have decreased plasma insulin concentrations compared to the first group (Sham) mice.

[0042] Verification test results on the effect of powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruit body on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism markers (gene expression level) In addition, the results of analyzing gene expression levels in adipose tissue of mice from each group using RT-PCR after 8 weeks are shown in Figure 12 for adiponectin gene expression levels, Figure 13 for TNF-α gene expression levels, Figure 14 for leptin gene expression levels, Figure 15 for PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma), and Figure 16 for PPARα (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α).

[0043] (Adiponectin gene expression level) As shown in Figure 12, increased adiponectin gene expression levels were observed in the following mice: Group 3 (sc10) mice that were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 10mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy; Group 4 (sc50) mice that were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy; and Group 5 (E2) mice that were orally administered estradiol after ovariectomy. In particular, mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered 10ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10ml of water per 1kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy, and it was found that they had significantly increased adiponectin gene expression levels, with a probability below the significance level of 1%, compared to mice in group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovaries removed. Additionally, mice in group 5 (E2), which were orally administered estradiol after ovariectomy, were found to have significantly increased adiponectin gene expression levels, with a probability below the significance level of 5%, compared to mice in group 2 (OVX), which had their ovaries removed.

[0044] (TNF-α gene expression level) As shown in FIG. 13, no significant inhibitory effect was observed on the gene expression level of TNF-α.

[0045] (Leptin gene expression level) As shown in Figure 14, mice in Group 4 (sc50) were orally administered 10 ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension made by dissolving 50 mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10 ml of water per 1 kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy. Compared to mice in Group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovariectomy, leptin gene expression levels were found to be significantly increased at a probability below the significance level of 1%.

[0046] (Gene expression level of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ)) As shown in Figure 15, mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered 10 ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension per kg of mouse body weight, prepared by dissolving 50 mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10 ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy. Compared to mice in group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovaries removed, the gene expression levels of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) were found to have significantly increased, with a probability below the significance level of 1%,. In addition, mice in group 5 (E2), which were orally administered estradiol after ovariectomy, were found to have significantly increased gene expression levels of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) at a probability below the significance level of 5%, compared to mice in group 2 (OVX), which had their ovaries removed.

[0047] (Gene expression level of PPARα (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α)) As shown in Figure 16, mice in group 4 (sc50) were orally administered 10 ml of a Sparassis crispa powder suspension per kg of mouse body weight, prepared by dissolving 50 mg of Sparassis crispa powder in 10 ml of water per kg of mouse body weight after ovariectomy. Compared to mice in group 2 (OVX) that had had their ovaries removed, the gene expression levels of PPARα (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α) were found to have a significantly increased level of significance of below 5%.

[0048] Thus, it was demonstrated that a powdered suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies has the effect of suppressing weight gain and the accumulation of visceral and subcutaneous fat in organisms lacking ovarian function. The suppression of weight gain is believed to be due to the powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies significantly increasing leptin gene expression levels. In addition, the inhibition of visceral and subcutaneous fat accumulation is believed to be due to the fact that the powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies significantly increased PPARα gene expression levels, significantly reduced triglycerides (neutral fats), which are the source of visceral and subcutaneous fat, and significantly increased adiponectin gene expression levels. Furthermore, it is believed that the powdered suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies significantly increased PPARγ gene expression levels, significantly suppressed increases in blood glucose levels, and promoted the differentiation of adipocytes, thereby promoting the secretion of adiponectin and leptin.

[0049] The visceral fat accumulation suppressing food and drink in an organism lacking ovarian function and the visceral fat accumulation suppressing drug in an organism lacking ovarian function of the present invention have been described above using examples, but the visceral fat accumulation suppressing food and drink in an organism lacking ovarian function and the visceral fat accumulation suppressing drug in an organism lacking ovarian function of the present invention are not limited to the description of the examples. For example, an organism lacking ovarian function is not limited to an organism with both ovaries removed, but may be an organism with ovaries present but with ovarian function stopped. [Industrial Applicability]

[0050] The food and beverage product and drug for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation in organisms with lack of ovarian function of the present invention are useful in fields requiring treatment and prevention of disorders and diseases that may occur in organisms with lack of reproductive function, as well as fields requiring treatment and prevention of disorders and diseases that may occur in organisms with reduced reproductive function.

Claims

1. A food or drink for suppressing the accumulation of visceral fat in a living body lacking ovarian function, A food and drink for suppressing visceral fat accumulation in a living body lacking ovarian function, comprising a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies.

2. The food and drink for suppressing visceral fat accumulation in an organism lacking ovarian function according to claim 1, characterized in that the organism lacking ovarian function is an organism from which the ovaries have been removed.

3. The food and drink for suppressing visceral fat accumulation in organisms lacking ovarian function according to claim 1, characterized in that the organisms lacking ovarian function are organisms in which ovarian function has ceased.

4. A pharmaceutical for suppressing accumulation of visceral fat in a living body lacking ovarian function, comprising: A drug for suppressing visceral fat accumulation in an organism lacking ovarian function, comprising a powder suspension of Sparassis crispa fruiting bodies.

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