Oral composition

Abstract

To provide an oral composition with reduced bitterness of green tea extract.SOLUTION: An oral composition contains green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soybean lecithin.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] It relates to an oral composition containing green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soy lecithin.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, due to the increasing health consciousness, various health foods have been developed. For example, green tea extract is known to be useful for antioxidation, anti-obesity, etc., and it is known that the effects such as antioxidation are derived from tea catechins contained in green tea extract. Patent Document 1 describes an anti-rhinovirus agent containing green tea extract as an active ingredient, and it has been reported that the anti-rhinovirus agent can be used as a food or drink. Therefore, it can be said that the intake of green tea extract is useful for maintaining health, etc., but green tea extract has a peculiar unpleasant bitterness caused by tea catechins, and this bitterness causes pain during intake.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an oral composition with reduced bitterness of green tea extract.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors have found that by combining cyclodextrin and soy lecithin with green tea extract, the unpleasant bitterness of green tea extract can be reduced. The present invention has been completed through further studies based on this finding, and the present disclosure includes inventions represented, for example, by the following. Item 1. An oral composition containing green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soy lecithin. Item 2. The oral composition according to Item 1, which contains 0.4 to 1.6 parts by mass of cyclodextrin with respect to 1 part by mass of the green tea extract in the oral composition. Item 3. The oral composition according to Item 1 or Item 2, which contains 0.006 to 0.06 parts by mass of soy lecithin with respect to 1 part by mass of the green tea extract in the oral composition. Item 4. The oral composition according to any one of Items 1 to 3, which is a granule, fine granule or powder. Item 5. A method for reducing bitterness in a green tea extract-containing oral composition, which includes a step of blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin into the composition. Item 6. A method of using cyclodextrin and soy lecithin, which includes blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin in the production of a green tea extract-containing oral composition to reduce the bitterness derived from the green tea extract.

Effect of the Invention

[0006] By combining cyclodextrin and soy lecithin with the green tea extract, the unpleasant bitterness of the green tea extract can be reduced.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments included in the present disclosure will be described in more detail. In the present disclosure, "containing" also includes the meanings of "substantially consisting of" and "consisting of".

[0008] The oral composition of the present disclosure contains a green tea extract, cyclodextrin and soy lecithin.

[0009] The green tea extract is an extract obtained from plants belonging to the genus Camellia, such as Camellia sinensis (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze), which is an evergreen tree of the Theaceae family. The used part of the plant (raw material) is not limited, and examples include leaves, stems, etc., and preferably leaves. Green tea is generally classified as unfermented tea, and examples of green tea include sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, deep-steamed tea, bancha, houjicha, stem tea, bud tea, powdered tea, matcha, etc. As tea varieties, for example, yabukita, benifuuki, etc., and various hybrids, etc. are known, and in the present disclosure, the tea variety is not limited, and the harvesting time of tea leaves, etc. may be appropriately determined. Any of them may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0010] The manufacturing method (extraction method) and extraction conditions, etc. of the green tea extract are not particularly limited, and may follow conventionally known methods. For example, after performing pretreatment such as cutting, pulverizing, kneading, heating (steaming, roasting, etc.) or drying, etc. on the above-mentioned part as it is, if necessary, an extract can be obtained by solvent extraction. As the method of solvent extraction, conventionally known extraction methods such as water (including warm water and hot water) extraction, alcohol extraction, supercritical extraction, etc. can be used.

[0011] Examples of the extraction solvent include water; lower alcohols having 1 to 5 carbon atoms such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol, and 1,3-butylene glycol, and polyhydric alcohols (regardless of anhydrous or hydrous); ketones such as acetone, etc. Preferred examples of the solvent include water, lower alcohols, a mixture of water and lower alcohols, etc. More preferred examples include water, ethanol, and a mixture of water and ethanol (hydrous ethanol). Even more preferred examples include water and hydrous ethanol. In the mixture of water and lower alcohol, the content of the lower alcohol is not limited. For example, in the case of a mixture of water and ethanol, the ethanol in the mixture is preferably 10% by volume or more and 90% by volume or less, and more preferably 20% by volume or more and 80% by volume or less. The temperature of the solvent and the extraction time can be set appropriately. Preferred examples of the temperature of the solvent include 50°C or more and 100°C or less, and more preferred examples include 60°C or more and 98°C or less, 70°C or more and 90°C or less, 70°C or more and 85°C or less, 70°C or more and 80°C or less, etc. Preferred examples of the extraction time include 1 minute or more and 120 minutes or less, and more preferred examples include 3 minutes or more and 100 minutes or less, 5 minutes or more and 60 minutes or less, etc. The extraction solvent may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0012] In the present disclosure, the extract obtained through solvent extraction can be referred to as a solvent extract. For example, when water is used as the extraction solvent, the solvent extract can be referred to as a water extract, and when a lower alcohol is used, it can be referred to as a lower alcohol extract.

[0013] The solvent extract may be used as it is, or may be used after being subjected to treatments such as concentration, drying, separation of high-activity fractions, etc. The treatment can be carried out according to known procedures such as vacuum concentration, filtration, freeze-drying, adsorption treatment, HPLC (High performance liquid chromatography), etc. The green tea extract can be in any of a liquid state, semi-solid state, or solid state.

[0014] The green tea extract may be a commercially available product, or it may be a product obtained by further processing such as drying the commercially available product. Examples of commercially available green tea extracts include the product named BHN Green Tea Extract Powder (manufactured by BHN Co., Ltd.).

[0015] The green tea extract may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0016] Cyclodextrin is a conventionally known cyclic oligosaccharide in which glucose is linked cyclically by α-1,4 bonds. Preferred examples of cyclodextrin include α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, and γ-cyclodextrin, and β-cyclodextrin is more preferably exemplified. Cyclodextrin is commercially available, and examples of commercially available products include CAVAMAX (registered trademark) W7 Food (manufactured by Wacker Chemical Corporation). Cyclodextrin may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0017] Soybean lecithin is lecithin derived from soybeans and is conventionally known as an edible emulsifier. Known soybean lecithins include soybean lecithin purified from soybeans and processed products of the soybean lecithin (enzymatically decomposed soybean lecithin, hydrogenated soybean lecithin, fractionated soybean lecithin, etc.), and any of them may be used in the present disclosure. Preferred examples of soybean lecithin include soybean lecithin purified from soybeans and enzymatically decomposed soybean lecithin. Soybean lecithin is commercially available, and examples of commercially available products include the product named Sun Lecithin A-1(M) (manufactured by Sun Chemical Co., Ltd.). Soybean lecithin may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0018] In the oral composition of the present disclosure, as long as the effects of the present disclosure can be obtained, the contents of green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soy lecithin are not limited. Although not limiting the present disclosure, in the oral composition of the present disclosure, preferably, the content of cyclodextrin is exemplified as 0.4 parts by mass or more and 1.6 parts by mass or less with respect to 1 part by mass of green tea extract (in terms of dry matter, the same applies hereinafter). More preferably, the content of cyclodextrin is exemplified as 0.45 parts by mass or more and 1.4 parts by mass or less with respect to 1 part by mass of green tea extract.

[0019] In the oral composition of the present disclosure, it is preferably exemplified that the content of soy lecithin is less than the content of cyclodextrin. In the oral composition of the present disclosure, preferably, the content of soy lecithin is exemplified as 0.006 parts by mass or more and 0.06 parts by mass or less with respect to 1 part by mass of green tea extract (in terms of dry matter, the same applies hereinafter). More preferably, the content of soy lecithin is exemplified as 0.013 parts by mass or more and 0.047 parts by mass or less with respect to 1 part by mass of green tea extract.

[0020] In the oral composition of the present disclosure, preferably, the content of green tea extract is exemplified as 35% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less. In the oral composition of the present disclosure, more preferably, the green tea extract is 40% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, still more preferably, the green tea extract is 45% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less, 50% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less, etc. are exemplified.

[0021] In the oral composition of the present disclosure, preferably, the content of cyclodextrin is exemplified as 20% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. In the oral composition of the present disclosure, more preferably, the cyclodextrin is 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, still more preferably, the cyclodextrin is 27% by mass or more and 56% by mass or less, 30% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, etc. are exemplified.

[0022] In the oral composition of the present disclosure, preferably, the content of soy lecithin is exemplified as 0.3% by mass or more and 3.5% by mass or less. In the oral composition of the present disclosure, more preferably, the soy lecithin is 0.7% by mass or more and 3.5% by mass or less, still more preferably, the soy lecithin is 1.5% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less.

[0023] The oral composition of the present disclosure may contain any edible component as necessary, as long as it does not interfere with the effects of the present disclosure. Examples of such optional components include solvents (water; lower alcohols having 1 to 5 carbon atoms such as methanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, glycerin, etc., alcohols such as polyhydric alcohols (regardless of anhydrous or hydrous)), excipients, disintegrants, lubricants, fragrances, colorants, sweeteners, flavor correctives, emulsifiers, buffers, binders, solubilizers, penetration enhancers, stabilizers, preservatives, thickeners, diluents, pH adjusters, surfactants, coating agents, antioxidants, cooling agents, astringents, gelling agents, various pharmacologically active components such as vitamins, etc. The optional components may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The content of the optional components may be appropriately determined.

[0024] The form of the oral composition of the present disclosure is not limited and may be any of solid, semi-solid, and liquid forms. Therefore, the composition may be in the form of powder, granule, tablet, pill, capsule (including hard capsule and soft capsule), troche, chewable, gel, paste, cream, liquid, suspension, emulsion, spray, freeze-dried product in liquid form, etc. Further, for example, when the composition is in solid form, the composition may be used after being mixed with water or the like. Preferably, the solid form is exemplified as the composition, and granules, fine granules, or powders are preferably exemplified from the viewpoint of being easily taken after being dissolved in water at the time of oral administration. In the present disclosure, in accordance with the Eighteenth Revision of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, "those that pass through a No. 18 (850 μm) sieve in their entirety and have 10% or less of the total amount remaining on a No. 30 (500 μm) sieve" are referred to as fine granules, and "those that pass through a No. 18 (850 μm) sieve in their entirety and have 5% or less of the total amount remaining on a No. 30 (500 μm) sieve" are referred to as powders.

[0025] The usage modes of the oral composition of the present disclosure are not limited and may be appropriately set according to the purpose. It can be used as a food composition (including beverages, health functional foods (including foods for specified health uses, nutritional functional foods, foods with functional claims, etc.), supplements, foods for patients, foods for nursing care, etc.), quasi-drug composition, pharmaceutical composition, feed composition, etc., or as an additive, etc. to food compositions, quasi-drug compositions, pharmaceutical compositions, feed compositions, etc.

[0026] The oral composition of the present disclosure may be manufactured according to the usual procedures known in the art in the above-mentioned various forms, usage modes, etc. Green tea extract, cyclodextrin and soybean lecithin may be mixed with any components, etc. as necessary within the range that does not interfere with the effects of the present disclosure.

[0027] The subjects (target animals) of the oral composition of the present disclosure are not limited, and examples include humans and mammals other than humans. Examples of mammals other than humans include animals such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats, monkeys, pigs, cows, etc.

[0028] The applicable dosage of the oral composition of the present disclosure to the subjects (target animals) is not particularly limited and may be appropriately set according to the physique, age, application form, purpose of use, etc. of the subjects (target animals). Although not limiting the present disclosure, as the daily intake (administration) amount, based on an adult weighing 60 kg, the green tea extract (in terms of dry matter) is preferably 150 mg or more and 1370 mg or less. As the daily intake (administration) amount, based on an adult weighing 60 kg, the green tea extract (in terms of dry matter) is more preferably 150 mg or more and 500 mg or less. The composition may be taken (administered) once a day or multiple times a day. When applied to non-humans, the applicable dosage, number of applications, etc. may be appropriately determined based on the description for humans. In the present disclosure, the dry matter refers to a reduction of 5% or less according to the loss on drying method (1 g, 105 °C, 4 hours) in the eighteenth revised Japanese Pharmacopoeia (General Test Methods).

[0029] According to the present disclosure, by using a combination of green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soy lecithin, the bitterness of the green tea extract can be reduced. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the pain caused by the bitterness felt when orally ingesting (administering) a composition containing a green tea extract can be alleviated.

[0030] Therefore, the present disclosure also includes a method for reducing bitterness in a composition, which includes a step of blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin into an orally administered composition containing a green tea extract. Further, the present disclosure includes a method of using cyclodextrin and soy lecithin, which includes blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin in the production of an orally administered composition containing a green tea extract to reduce the bitterness derived from the green tea extract. Explanations regarding the method, that is, various explanations such as green tea extract, cyclodextrin, soy lecithin, content (mass ratio, etc.), and any optional components that can be blended into the composition, are applicable to the explanations regarding the aforementioned orally administered composition. The orally administered composition obtained by blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin into the orally administered composition containing a green tea extract is explained in the same manner as above.

Examples

[0031] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more specifically with examples, but the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the following examples.

[0032] Test Example · Preparation of Oral Composition Orally administered compositions of Examples 1 to 14 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 shown in Table 1 were prepared. In Table 1, the unit of content is mg. The preparation procedure is as follows.

[0033] Examples 1 to 14 Weigh green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soy lecithin so that their amounts are each five times the weights shown in Table 1, and pass them through a mesh two to three times to mix them uniformly. Weigh out 1 / 5 of the obtained powder mixture to obtain the powder oral compositions shown in Examples 1 to 14. Taking Example 1 as an example for more detailed explanation, weigh 1250 mg of green tea extract, 250 mg of cyclodextrin, and 125 mg of soy lecithin, pass them through a mesh and mix them uniformly to obtain a total of 1625 mg of powder mixture. Weigh out 325 mg, which is 1 / 5 of the obtained powder mixture, to obtain the powder oral composition of Example 1.

[0034] Comparative Examples 1 to 3 In Comparative Example 1, only green tea extract was used; in Comparative Example 2, only green tea extract and cyclodextrin were used; and in Comparative Example 3, only green tea extract and soy lecithin were used. The powder oral compositions shown in Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were prepared by weighing, mixing, etc. in the same procedure as in Example 1.

[0035] The green tea extract, etc. used in this test example are as follows. · As the green tea extract, green tea extract powder (trade name: BHN Green Tea Extract Powder (manufactured by BHN Co., Ltd.), used part: leaves, extraction solvent: aqueous ethanol, containing 60% or more of tea catechins (as gallate-type catechins (EGCg, GCg, ECg, Cg)) (HPLC method)) was used. · As the cyclodextrin, CAVAMAX® W7 Food (manufactured by Wacker Chemical Corporation, powder) was used. · As the soy lecithin, Sun Lecithin A-1(M) (manufactured by Sun Chemical Co., Ltd., enzymatically decomposed soy lecithin, lecithin content 33%, powder) was used.

[0036] · Evaluation of Bitter Taste Reduction Each of the oral compositions shown in Examples 1 to 14 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 was dissolved in 150 mL of water at room temperature (25°C) to prepare a test solution. Two professional panelists for sensory evaluation were asked to drink the entire amount of the test solution and evaluate the bitterness. In this evaluation, the bitterness when taking the test solution prepared by dissolving the oral composition of Comparative Example 1 in water was rated 10 points, and the case of taking only water was rated 1 point (no bitterness), and the average score of the two panelists was used as the bitterness score. A larger value of the bitterness score means stronger bitterness. The oral composition of Comparative Example 1 (10 points) has a strong bitterness that causes a strong numbness on the tongue. 8 points means a bitterness with a strong numbness felt at 10 points reduced to 3 / 4, and 5 points means a bitterness with a strong numbness felt at 10 points reduced to 1 / 2. The evaluation criteria were unified by comparing in advance among the panelists. Also, as shown in Table 1, in Examples 1 to 14 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, the amount of green tea extract in the oral composition dissolved in water was unified to 250 mg.

[0037] The results are shown in Table 1.

[0038]

Table 1

[0039] When taking the oral composition of Comparative Example 1 containing only green tea extract, there was a bitterness peculiar to tea catechins, and as shown in Table 1, the bitterness score was 10. The bitterness score when taking the oral composition of Comparative Example 2 containing green tea extract and cyclodextrin was 8.5. The bitterness score when taking the oral composition of Comparative Example 3 containing green tea extract and soy lecithin was 9.

[0040] In contrast, when the oral composition of Example 1 containing green tea extract, cyclodextrin and soy lecithin was taken, the bitterness score was reduced to 8. Further, when each of the oral compositions of Examples 2 to 14 containing green tea extract, cyclodextrin and soy lecithin, although having different blending ratios, was taken in the same manner as the oral composition of Example 1, the bitterness score was reduced to 7 or less. From this, it was found that by using cyclodextrin and soy lecithin in combination with the green tea extract, the bitterness derived from the green tea extract can be effectively reduced as compared with the oral compositions of Comparative Examples 1 to 3.

[0041] Among the oral compositions of Examples 1 to 14, the scores of the oral compositions of Examples 8 and 9 were further reduced to 6.5, and the score of the oral composition of Example 14 was further reduced to 6. Further, in the oral compositions of Examples 3 to 7 and 10 to 13, the scores were significantly reduced to 5.5 or less.

[0042] From the results of this test example, it was found that the bitterness of the green tea extract can be reduced by combining cyclodextrin and soy lecithin.

Claims

1. An oral composition containing a green tea extract, cyclodextrin, and soy lecithin.

2. The oral composition according to Claim 1, wherein the oral composition contains 0.4 parts by mass or more and 1.6 parts by mass or less of cyclodextrin with respect to 1 part by mass of the green tea extract.

3. The oral composition according to Claim 1, wherein the oral composition contains 0.006 parts by mass or more and 0.06 parts by mass or less of soy lecithin with respect to 1 part by mass of the green tea extract.

4. The oral composition according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, which is a granule, fine granule, or powder.

5. A method for reducing bitterness in a green tea extract-containing oral composition, the method including a step of blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin into the green tea extract-containing oral composition.

6. A method of using cyclodextrin and soy lecithin, which includes blending cyclodextrin and soy lecithin in the production of a green tea extract-containing oral composition in order to reduce bitterness derived from the green tea extract.

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