Social stress reliever

Abstract

To provide a social stress reliever.SOLUTION: The social stress reliever contains 1-kestose as an active ingredient.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a social stress reliever.

Background Art

[0002] Stress is a psychosomatic reaction (stress response) caused by external stimuli (stressors) such as cold, noise, and other physical stressors, drugs and other chemical stressors, and social stressors such as human relationships. Stressors include physical stressors such as cold and noise, chemical stressors such as drugs, and social stressors such as human relationships. In response to these, stress responses occur as psychological reactions such as anxiety, anger, tension, loneliness, and listlessness, and physical reactions such as palpitations, headaches, abdominal pains, autonomic nervous system disorders, and high blood pressure. If the state of being stressed persists for a long time or if strong stress that threatens life and body is applied, there is a risk of developing various stress-related diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, depression, and anxiety disorders.

[0003] It is known that various social stimuli and responses thereto during the developmental period affect the subsequent development and formation of brain function and the nervous system. For example, being exposed to social isolation stress such as neglect and being isolated from social interaction with others during infancy is a risk factor for mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Non-Patent Document 1).

[0004] In response to such stress, anti-stress foods and the like that can obtain a reducing and relieving effect by daily intake have been developed. However, components selected based on an evaluation system for acute stress mainly using cortisol in saliva as an index are used (Non-Patent Document 2), and in fact, almost no studies have been conducted on social stress such as social isolation stress.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Literature

[0006]

Non-Patent Literature 1

Non-Patent Literature 2

Non-Patent Literature 3

Non-Patent Literature 4

Non-Patent Document 5

Non-Patent Document 6

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a social stress reliever.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that ingesting 1-kestose can reduce and relieve social stress, and further that 1-kestose has an improving effect on mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders, and thus have completed the present invention.

[0009] That is, the present invention is a social stress reliever containing 1-kestose as an active ingredient.

Effects of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, social stress can be relieved by daily ingestion, and diseases or symptoms caused by social stress can be prevented and improved. Further, according to the present invention, mental diseases such as depression and anxiety disorders can be effectively prevented and improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] The social stress reliever, social stress-related disease preventive / improving agent, or mental disease preventive / improving agent of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "social stress reliever, etc.") contains 1-kestose as an active ingredient. 1-Kestose is an oligosaccharide of a trisaccharide in which one molecule of fructose is β-(2→1)-bonded to the fructose residue of sucrose.

[0013] By taking the above 1-kestose, it is possible to alleviate or reduce social or psychological stress that occurs in social life, and to obtain preventive or ameliorative effects on symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, gloomy mood, impatience, fatigue, etc., caused by social stress, as well as diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-psychological stress disorder (PTSD). It is also possible to obtain preventive or ameliorative effects on mental diseases such as depression, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, cognitive dysfunction, memory disorder, learning disorder, etc., caused by various stresses and other causes.

[0014] The social stress relieving agent of the present invention can be formulated by combining the above-mentioned active ingredient with a pharma- ceutically acceptable carrier as necessary. Examples of pharma-ceutically acceptable carriers include glucose, lactose, starch, mannitol, dextrin, fatty acid glyceride, polyethylene glycol, hydroxyethyl starch, ethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, amino acid, gelatin, albumin, water, physiological saline, etc. Furthermore, conventional additives such as stabilizers, wetting agents, emulsifiers, binders, isotonicity agents, excipients, etc. can be added as necessary. The dosage form is not particularly limited, but examples include liquids, powders, granules, capsules, tablets, etc., and can be prepared according to conventional methods.

[0015] The dose of the social stress relieving agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but for example, the daily dose for an adult is about 0.1 to 5 g per kg of body weight, and preferably about 0.5 to 1 g.

[0016] The social stress relieving agent of the present invention may be in the form of feed or pet food, and is prepared according to a conventional method by appropriately mixing the above-mentioned active ingredient with known feed materials, gelling agents, shape-retaining agents, pH adjusters, seasonings, preservatives, nutritional supplements, etc. The form is not particularly limited, and any form such as pellets, flakes, mash, etc. can be exemplified, and it can be used, for example, as feed for livestock such as cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, horses, etc., or as pet food for dogs, cats, etc.

[0017] The food or drink for social stress or the food or drink for preventing and improving mental disorders of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "food or drink for social stress, etc.") is prepared by blending the above 1-kestose with known food additives and / or food materials according to a conventional method, and its form is not particularly limited. For example, foods mainly composed of starch such as bread, biscuits, hot cakes, noodles, and tablets, confectioneries such as gums, candies, and Japanese confectioneries, meat foods such as ham and sausage, fish meat foods such as chikuwa and kamaboko, seafood foods, seasonings such as dressings, soy sauces, jams, and furikake, beverages such as tea, juice, soft drinks, and liquors, etc. may be mentioned. The food or drink includes specified health foods and foods with functional claims for which the indication of use for relieving social stress or preventing and improving mental disorders has been permitted or notified.

[0018] The social stress reliever, etc. or the food or drink for social stress, etc. of the present invention may, for example, be indicated to reduce and relieve social stress, prevent and improve symptoms such as anxiety, mood depression, depressive mood, restlessness, and fatigue caused by social stress, prevent and improve diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by social stress, and prevent and improve mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, cognitive dysfunction, memory disorder, or learning disorder. The act of indicating includes describing on the main body, container, packaging, etc. of the product including the social stress reliever, etc. or the food or drink for social stress, etc. of the present invention, describing in documents such as instructions, attached documents, pamphlets, and other printed materials that disclose product information, and describing in advertisements used for various flyers and publicity including the Internet, etc.

Example

[0019] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these examples at all.

[0020] Example 1 Social isolation stress model: (Animals used) In this experiment, 3-week-old (P21) male C57BL / 6J mice were used. The mice were housed in plastic cages, maintained on a 12-hour light / dark cycle (lights on at 8:00 A.M.), and given food and water ad libitum. Social isolation stress mimicking stress during development was performed according to a method in accordance with a known method (Non-Patent Document 3). Three-week-old (P21) mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, and groups were prepared in which normal feed (Isolation + Normal) or feed containing 5% Kestose (Isolation + Kestose) was given for isolated breeding, and normal feed (Group + Normal) or feed containing 5% Kestose (Group + Kestose) was given for group breeding. Mice in the isolated breeding group were housed in individual cages, and mice in the group breeding group were bred under normal mouse breeding conditions (5 mice per cage). After social isolation was carried out for 4 weeks, the following behavioral analysis was performed. All behavioral analyses were performed between 10:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M., and the mice were acclimated to the laboratory for 2 hours or more before the behavioral analysis was carried out. Also, social isolation stress loading and Kestose administration were carried out during the behavioral analysis period.

[0021] (Social behavior test) The social behavior test (SIT) was performed according to a method in accordance with a known method as a test for evaluating sociality (Non-Patent Document 4). The social behavior test was carried out in an open box (30 × 30 × 35 cm) under illumination of 10 lux. Each mouse was individually placed in the box for 10 minutes each for 2 days before the social behavior test for acclimation. On the day of the test, the test mouse and a C57BL / 6J mouse of the same age and sex were placed in the box as a partner mouse for 10 minutes, and the time of social interaction (smelling odors, grooming, chasing, mounting, crawling, etc.) was recorded. The results are shown in Fig. 1. A significant decrease in sociality was observed in the Isolation + Normal group compared to the Group + Normal group (**p < 0.01). Also, compared to the Isolation + Normal group, sociality was significantly improved in the Isolation + Kestose group (**p < 0.01). As shown by these results, it was confirmed that for mice in a depressive state with decreased communication with others, administration of kestose increased contact behavior with other mice and improved the depressive state.

[0022] (Object location recognition test) The object location recognition test (NOLT) was conducted according to a known method (Non-Patent Document 5) as a test for evaluating spatial cognitive function. In the object location recognition test, first, mice were acclimated to an open box (30×30×35 cm) for 3 days. On the 4th day, as a training session, two identical objects were placed at a position 7 cm from the rear wall of the box, and the contact time with each object was measured for 10 minutes. On the next day (the 5th day), as a test session, the position of one of the two objects was changed, and the contact time with the object placed at the same position as in the training session (F) and the object with the changed position (N) was measured for 10 minutes. The contact ratio with the novel position object (N) was calculated as the spatial discrimination index [DI(%) = 100 x (contact time with N object - contact time with F object) / (contact time with N object + contact time with F object)], and the DI was evaluated as a spatial cognitive index. The results are shown in Fig. 2. A significant decrease in spatial cognitive function was observed in the Isolation + Normal group compared to the Group + Normal group (*p < 0.05). Also, compared to the Isolation + Normal group, spatial cognitive function was significantly improved in the Isolation + Kestose group (**p < 0.01). As shown by these results, it was confirmed that for mice with decreased cognitive function, memory, and learning function, administration of kestose improved these functions.

[0023] (Hanging wall avoidance test) The cliff avoidance test was conducted according to a method similar to a known method as a test for evaluating anxiety (Non-Patent Document 6). In the cliff avoidance test, an inverted glass beaker (height 20 cm, diameter 13 cm) was placed in an open box (30×30×35 cm), and the test was conducted under illumination of 50 lux. Each mouse was placed on the glass beaker, and the latency (crisis avoidance time) until it jumped off the glass beaker was measured. The maximum time was set to 5 minutes, and mice that did not jump off within 5 minutes were excluded from the study. The results are shown in Figure 3. A significant prolongation of the crisis avoidance time was observed in the Isolation + Normal group compared to the Group + Normal group (n = 5 - 10 each; **p < 0.01), indicating an increase in anxiety. Also, compared to the Isolation + Normal group, the increase in anxiety was significantly suppressed in the Isolation + Kestose group.

Industrial Applicability

[0024] The present invention can be used as pharmaceuticals, foods, etc. for alleviating and reducing social stress.

Claims

1. A social stress reliever containing 1-kestose as an active ingredient.

2. A food or drink for relieving social stress containing 1-kestose as an active ingredient.

3. A preventive and ameliorative agent for social stress-related diseases containing 1-kestose as an active ingredient.

4. The preventive and ameliorative agent for social stress-related diseases according to Claim 3, wherein the social stress-related disease is depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

5. A preventive and ameliorative agent for mental diseases containing 1-kestose as an active ingredient.

6. The preventive and ameliorative agent for mental diseases according to Claim 5, wherein the mental disease is depression, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, cognitive dysfunction, memory disorder or learning disorder.

7. A food or drink for preventing and ameliorating mental diseases containing 1-kestose as an active ingredient.

8. The food or drink for preventing and ameliorating mental diseases according to Claim 7, wherein the mental disease is depression, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, cognitive dysfunction, memory disorder or learning disorder.

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