Polysaccharide composition and method for producing same

Abstract

To provide a new polysaccharide composition capable of efficiently extracting an active ingredient from a crude drug, and to provide a method for producing the same.SOLUTION: The present invention is a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, wherein the yeast-derived component contains a protein and mannan, and in the yeast-derived component, the proportion of the protein to the total mass of the mannan is 7% by mass or more and the content of the protein is 20% by mass or less. Curcumin can be efficiently extracted by using the polysaccharide composition of the present invention.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a polysaccharide composition and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Herbal medicines are made by cutting, drying, steaming, or other processing of plant leaves, stems, roots, minerals, or parts of animals believed to have medicinal properties. Many herbal medicines are known, including kudzu root, cinnamon bark, peony, and licorice. Furthermore, traditional Chinese medicine, which is made by combining multiple herbal medicines, is based on balancing the entire body and drawing out vitality. The "magic of the combination" that cannot be achieved with a single herbal medicine is expected to improve the overall condition of the body, not just the affected area. Turmeric, for example, is known as an herbal medicine. The main active ingredient in turmeric is the poorly water-soluble curcumin.

[0003] Curcumin ((1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione) is a type of polyphenolic compound known to be contained in the rhizomes of the plant turmeric.

[0004] Curcumin has long been known to exhibit a wide variety of beneficial effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, cholesterol-lowering, anti-hypertensive, and anticarcinogenic effects. Therefore, curcumin has recently attracted attention as a component in various fields, such as beverages, health foods, and pharmaceutical preparations.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned effects, it is necessary to ingest a large amount of curcumin, and various methods have been proposed to achieve this. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for applying a curcumin dispersion containing an inclusion complex of curcumin and gamma-cyclodextrin to food and beverages. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-195198 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] As described above, curcumin has great utility in various fields such as food and beverages, health foods, and medicines, and therefore there is a strong demand for technology for more efficiently obtaining curcumin. Furthermore, if active ingredients could be efficiently extracted from various herbal medicines, a wide range of applications in various fields such as food and beverages, health foods, and medicines would be expected.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a novel polysaccharide composition that enables effective extraction of active ingredients from herbal medicines, and a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of extensive research into achieving the above object, the present inventors discovered that the above object can be achieved by using a yeast-derived component, and thus completed the present invention.

[0010] That is, the present invention includes, for example, the subject matter described in the following sections. Item 1 A polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, The yeast-derived component contains protein and mannan, The content ratio of the protein to the total mass of the mannan is 7% by mass or more, and A polysaccharide composition, wherein the protein content is 20% by mass or less relative to the total mass of α-glucan, the mannan, the protein, and the nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived component. Section 2 Item 1. The polysaccharide composition according to Item 1, which is used to extract active ingredients from herbal medicines. Term 2´ Item 1. The polysaccharide composition according to item 1, which is used to extract curcumin. Section 3 A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A1 of extracting yeast with acidic water having a pH of less than 5.5 to obtain a solution; A hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the solution obtained in step A1 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then a step B1 is performed to separate the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 1A. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition comprising: Section 4 A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A1 of extracting yeast with acidic water having a pH of less than 5.5 to obtain a solution; A step B1 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A1 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 1A; and The method for producing a polysaccharide composition includes a step C1 in which a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to a dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion 1A so that the concentration exceeds 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion 1B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then the steps up to separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion 1B are carried out once or repeatedly two or more times. Section 5 A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A2 of extracting the yeast with neutral water having a pH of 5.5 to 8.5 to obtain a solution; A hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the solution obtained in step A2 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 2A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then a step B2 is performed to separate the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 2A. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition comprising: Section 6 A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A2 of extracting the yeast with neutral water having a pH of 5.5 to 8.5 to obtain a solution; A step B2 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A2 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 2A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 2A; and The method for producing a polysaccharide composition includes step C2, in which a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 2A so that the concentration exceeds 40% by volume to obtain dispersion 2B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then the operation of separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 2B is carried out once or repeatedly two or more times. Section 7 A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A3 of extracting the yeast with alkaline water having a pH of more than 8.5 to obtain a solution; A step B3 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A3 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 3A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 3A; and The method for producing a polysaccharide composition includes step C3, in which the yeast-derived components are separated from dispersion 3A to obtain dispersion 3B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed by adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the dispersion medium so that the concentration is more than 40% by volume and not more than 70% by volume, and then the yeast-derived components are separated from dispersion 3B once or repeatedly two or more times. Section 8 Item 8. The method according to any one of Items 3 to 7, wherein the hydrophilic organic solvent is ethanol. Section 9 Item 3. An extraction method comprising a step of extracting an active ingredient of a herbal medicine using the polysaccharide composition according to Item 1 or 2. Item 10 Item 10. The extraction method according to Item 9, wherein the active ingredient contains curcumin. Item 10´ Item 3. A method for extracting curcumin, comprising a step of extracting curcumin using the polysaccharide composition according to Item 1 or 2. Section 11 Item 9. A method for extracting curcumin according to Item 9, comprising a step of obtaining the polysaccharide composition by the production method according to any one of Items 3 to 8. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The polysaccharide composition of the present invention can be used to efficiently extract active ingredients contained in herbal medicines, and the method for producing a polysaccharide composition of the present invention can provide a polysaccharide composition from which active ingredients contained in herbal medicines can be efficiently extracted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012]

[0023] In the present specification, the terms "contain" and "comprise" include the concepts of "contain," "comprise," "consist essentially of," and "consist only of."

[0013] In the numerical ranges described in stages in this specification, the upper or lower limit of a certain numerical range can be arbitrarily combined with the upper or lower limit of another numerical range. In the numerical ranges described in this specification, the upper or lower limit of the numerical range may be replaced with a value shown in an example or a value that can be unambiguously derived from an example. In addition, in this specification, numerical values ​​connected with "to" mean a numerical range that includes the numbers before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits.

[0014] 1. Polysaccharide composition The polysaccharide composition of the present invention contains a yeast-derived component, which contains a protein and a mannan, and the protein content relative to the total mass of the mannan is 7% by mass or more, and the protein content is 20% by mass or less relative to the total mass of α-glucan, the mannan, the protein, and nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived component.

[0015] The polysaccharide composition of the present invention contains a yeast-derived component containing a predetermined amount of protein and mannan, thereby enabling efficient extraction of active ingredients from herbal medicines. In particular, the polysaccharide composition of the present invention can efficiently extract curcumin contained in turmeric and the like, and has excellent curcumin extraction activity. That is, the polysaccharide composition of the present invention can efficiently extract curcumin. Therefore, the polysaccharide composition of the present invention is suitable for use in extracting active ingredients from herbal medicines such as curcumin, and is suitable, for example, as a curcumin extraction aid.

[0016] The polysaccharide composition of the present invention contains a yeast-derived component. Such a yeast-derived component can be obtained, for example, by subjecting yeast to an extraction treatment. That is, the yeast-derived component contained in the polysaccharide composition of the present invention is a yeast extract.

[0017] In the present invention, "yeast" refers to a single-celled, nearly spherical eukaryotic microorganism belonging to the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes classes, which undergoes most of its life cycle as a single cell and generally performs so-called fermentation. Therefore, in the present invention, "yeast" refers not only to yeast itself, but also to yeast in various states such as frozen and dried states. Yeasts belonging to the Saccharomyces and Schizosaccharomyces genera are particularly preferred because of the ease of mass production of highly uniform particles. Brewer's yeast powder, etc., can be used as the yeast.

[0018] The method for extracting yeast to obtain yeast-derived components is not particularly limited, and for example, a wide variety of known extraction methods can be used. As the method for extracting yeast, for example, Production Method 1, Production Method 2, or Production Method 3 described below is preferably used.

[0019] In the polysaccharide composition of the present invention, all or a portion of the yeast-derived component is in a particulate form. When the yeast-derived component is in a particulate form, the size thereof is, for example, an average particle diameter of 1 to 1500 nm, preferably 10 to 1000 nm, more preferably 20 to 800 nm, and even more preferably 30 to 500 nm. The average particle diameter here refers to the value measured by dynamic light scattering of an aqueous dispersion of the yeast-derived component. For such measurements, for example, a "nanoSAQLA" manufactured by Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0020] When the yeast-derived component has a particulate shape, the shape may be, for example, spherical or ellipsoidal, or may be an irregularly shaped particle other than spherical or ellipsoidal. The shape of the yeast-derived component can be observed, for example, with a scanning probe microscope.

[0021] The yeast-derived component is preferably in the form of nano-sized particles as described above, as this facilitates increased dispersibility in solvents and curcumin extraction activity. Such nanoparticles of the yeast-derived component are so-called nanosomes.

[0022] The yeast-derived component contains at least protein and mannan. The protein content of the yeast-derived component is 7% by mass or more relative to the total mass of the mannan, and the protein content can be 20% by mass or less relative to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived component.

[0023] The ratio of the protein to the total mass of the mannan can be calculated by the following formula (1). R(mass%)=(A / B)×100 (1) In the above formula (1), R is the ratio of the protein to the total mass of the mannan, A is the total mass of the protein in the yeast-derived component, and B is the total mass of the mannan in the yeast-derived component.

[0024] On the other hand, the content ratio of the protein to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived component can be calculated using the following formula (2). T(mass%)=(A / S)×100 (2) In the above formula (2), T is the protein content in the yeast-derived component, A is the total mass of protein in the yeast-derived component, and S is the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived component.

[0025] If the ratio of the protein to the total mass of mannan in the yeast-derived component (i.e., R) is less than 7% by mass, the curcumin extraction activity of the polysaccharide composition of the present invention may decrease.Furthermore, if the ratio of the protein to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid in the yeast-derived component (i.e., T) exceeds 20% by mass, the curcumin extraction activity of the polysaccharide composition of the present invention may decrease.

[0026] In the yeast-derived component, the ratio R of the protein to the total mass of mannan is preferably 8% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and even more preferably 15% by mass or more. The ratio of the protein to the total mass of mannan may be 100% by mass or more. That is, the content of the protein in the yeast-derived component may be greater than the content of mannan. The upper limit of the ratio of the protein to the total mass of mannan is, for example, 120% by mass or less.

[0027] In the yeast-derived components, the protein content ratio T relative to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid is preferably 19% by mass or less, more preferably 18% by mass or less, and even more preferably 17% by mass or less. In the yeast-derived components, the protein content ratio is, for example, preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, even more preferably 3% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 4% by mass or more.

[0028] Since the yeast-derived components are adjusted to predetermined R and S values ​​as described above, the polysaccharide composition of the present invention, which contains the yeast-derived components as an essential component, also has a protein content of 7% by mass or more relative to the total mass of the mannan, and the protein content is 20% by mass or less relative to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived components.

[0029] The method for adjusting the protein and mannan contents in the yeast-derived component is not particularly limited, and a wide variety of methods can be employed. In particular, a method for adjusting the protein and mannan contents in the yeast-derived component by Production Method 1, Production Method 2, or Production Method 3 (or Production Method 1', which is a modified version of Production Method 1, or Production Method 2', which is a modified version of Production Method 2) described below is preferably used. That is, the protein and mannan contents in the yeast-derived component can be adjusted by appropriately selecting the conditions for extracting the yeast.

[0030] The yeast-derived components may further contain, in addition to proteins and mannans, sugars other than mannans, nucleic acids, etc. Examples of sugars other than mannans include α-glucan, β-glucan, etc. Polysaccharides such as mannans and glucans may also contain monosaccharides other than their constituent sugars, mannose and glucose.

[0031] Examples of proteins include known proteins, such as enzyme proteins and structural proteins. Proteins can exist partially or entirely chemically bound or physically adsorbed to sugars such as mannan or glucan. The type of nucleic acid is not particularly limited, and examples include fragmented deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), messenger ribonucleic acid, and ribosomal ribonucleic acid.

[0032] The yeast-derived components preferably contain at least α-glucan and nucleic acids in addition to proteins and mannans, which facilitates the production of the polysaccharide composition of the present invention and further enhances the curcumin extraction activity of the polysaccharide composition of the present invention.

[0033] The yeast-derived component preferably contains 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55% by mass or more, and even more preferably 60% by mass or more of saccharides including mannan. Examples of saccharides including mannan include α-glucan, β-glucan, and the like, in addition to mannan.

[0034] The yeast-derived components preferably contain the mannan-containing sugars, the protein, and the nucleic acid in a total mass of 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. When the yeast-derived components contain components other than the mannan-containing sugars, the protein, and the nucleic acid, the types of components are not particularly limited, and include various components that can be extracted by yeast extraction treatment, as well as moisture, metals, etc.

[0035] The polysaccharide composition of the present invention may consist solely of the yeast-derived component, or may contain other components as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0036] The polysaccharide composition of the present invention can be used to extract active ingredients from herbal medicines. By using the polysaccharide composition of the present invention, active ingredients can be efficiently extracted from herbal medicines. While not necessarily limiting, herbal medicines include, for example, leaves, stems, roots, and the like of plants, minerals, and parts of animals that are believed to have medicinal properties, and are processed by cutting, drying, steaming, or the like. Herbal medicines also broadly include herbal medicines.

[0037] Herbal medicines include turmeric, kudzu root, cinnamon bark, peony, licorice, opium, aloe, inchinko, iris, fennel, scutellaria, Ubai, Corydalis, Astragalus, Scutellaria, Phellodendron bark, Coptis orb., Onji, Kagosou, Kashu, Zedoary, Kakonosou, Kacoron, Platycodon, Chrysanthemum, Phellodendron chinensis, Kyokatsu, Kyonin, Goji berry, Sophora root, and Keigai. , Cassia, Kengoshi, Gentian, Gennoshoko, Kouka, Kojin, Magnolia, Magnolia, Gobo, Goshitsu, Goshuyu, Gomoshi, Saiko, Sanshishi, Saffron, Dioscorea, Cornus, Japanese pepper, Sansonin, Rehmannia, Jicuppi, Lithospermum root, Shitsurishi, Shii, Peony, Shazeshin, Jelly, Ginger , Citronellol, Xanthomonas Root, Cnidium Rhizome, Senega Root, Cnidium Root, Senna, Senso, Swertia Root, Atractylodes Root, Perilla Root, Rhubarb, Eucalyptus Globulus, Tang Shao, Chinese Herb, Chinese Ginseng, Zhimo, Clove, Chotoko, Chorei, Tangerine, Garcinia Root, Angelica Root, Peach Blossom, Ipecac, Eucommia Root, Bitter Melon, Fritillaria Root, Bakumondo, Mentha Root, Pinus Root, Pinellia Root, Areca Root, Angelica Root, Atractylodes Rhizome, Poria Coccinea, Bushi, Belladonna Root, Bowi, Scutellaria Root, Moutan Pea, Boehmia Root, Ephedra Root, Masinin, Mokutsu, Coix Seed, Scutellaria Root, Forsythia Fruit, Lotus Root, and Scopolia Root. Among these, turmeric is preferred because its active ingredient can be more efficiently extracted using the polysaccharide composition of the present invention. Turmeric may be turmeric powder, autumn turmeric, spring turmeric, purple turmeric, etc. The form of the herbal medicine is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include powdered herbal medicines.

[0038] The type of active ingredient extracted from the herbal medicine is not particularly limited, and various active ingredients can be used depending on the type of herbal medicine. Examples of active ingredients include terpenes, coumarins, phenylpropanoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, fatty acids, carotenoids, lignans, iridoids, lignans, etc. When turmeric is used as the herbal medicine, the active ingredient includes curcumin, which is a polyphenol. Preferably, the active ingredient includes curcumin.

[0039] In particular, the polysaccharide composition of the present invention can be used as an extraction aid for various active ingredients, and since it has excellent curcumin extraction activity, it can be used to extract curcumin and can be suitably used as a curcumin extraction aid.

[0040] The method for extracting the active ingredients of herbal medicines using the polysaccharide composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, a method can be used in which a raw material containing a herbal medicine is mixed with the polysaccharide composition of the present invention in water. To extract curcumin, for example, a method can be used in which a raw material containing curcumin as a herbal medicine is mixed with the polysaccharide composition of the present invention in water. Examples of raw materials containing curcumin include turmeric powder, autumn turmeric, spring turmeric, and purple turmeric. The water used to mix the curcumin-containing raw material with the polysaccharide composition of the present invention can be, for example, mineral water, pure water, physiological saline, phosphate-buffered physiological saline, etc.

[0041] The mixing ratio of the polysaccharide composition of the present invention to the herbal medicine is not particularly limited. For example, the amount of the polysaccharide composition of the present invention used relative to 100 parts by mass of the herbal medicine is preferably 1 part by mass or more, more preferably 20 parts by mass or more, even more preferably 50 parts by mass or more, and particularly preferably 80 parts by mass or more, and is preferably 500 parts by mass or less, more preferably 300 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 200 parts by mass or less, and particularly preferably 150 parts by mass or less.

[0042] 2. Method for producing polysaccharide composition The method for producing the polysaccharide composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and various methods can be used. In terms of ease of obtaining the yeast-derived components described above, it is preferable to use the following Production Method 1, Production Method 2, or Production Method 3 as the method for producing the polysaccharide composition of the present invention.

[0043] Production method 1: Step A1 of extracting yeast with acidic water having a pH of less than 5.5 to obtain a solution; The production method includes step B1 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in step A1 to a concentration of 20 to 40% by volume to obtain dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion liquid 1A.

[0044] Production method 2: Step A2 of extracting yeast with neutral water having a pH of 5.5 to 8.5 to obtain a solution; and A production method comprising step B2 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in step A2 to a concentration of 20 to 40% by volume to obtain dispersion liquid 2A in which yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion liquid 2A.

[0045] Production method 3: Step A3 of extracting yeast with alkaline water having a pH of more than 8.5 to obtain a solution; A step B3 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A3 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 3A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 3A; and The production method includes step C3, in which the yeast-derived components are separated from dispersion 3A, and a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium to a concentration of more than 40% by volume and not more than 70% by volume to obtain dispersion 3B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and the yeast-derived components are then separated from dispersion 3B once or repeatedly two or more times.

[0046] (Manufacturing method 1) In the production method 1, step A1 is a step of extracting yeast with acidic water, which extracts yeast-derived components from the yeast into the acidic water.

[0047] The acidic water may be an aqueous solution of various acids. The type of acid is not particularly limited, and may be various organic acids, inorganic acids, etc. For example, citric acid may be used as the acid.

[0048] The pH of the acidic water is preferably 1.5 or more and less than 5.5, and more preferably 3-5.

[0049] The method for extracting yeast with acidic water is not particularly limited, and for example, the extraction can be performed by mixing the yeast with acidic water. The method for mixing the yeast with acidic water is not particularly limited, and examples include a method in which the yeast is added to water with an unadjusted pH and then the pH is adjusted, and a method in which the yeast is mixed with acidic water whose pH has been adjusted. For example, a wide variety of known stirring means can be used for mixing.

[0050] When the acidic water and yeast are mixed to perform the extraction treatment, the temperature of the acidic water can be set to 5 to 150° C., preferably 20 to 130° C., and more preferably 30 to 121° C. The mixing time can be set appropriately depending on the temperature, and can be, for example, 0.2 to 24 hours.

[0051] The mixing ratio of acidic water and yeast is not particularly limited. For example, the solid content concentration of yeast relative to acidic water is preferably 1 to 50% by mass, more preferably 3 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 20% by mass.

[0052] In step A1, the extracted yeast is suspended in acidic water, and a suspension in which yeast-derived components are dissolved in the acidic water is obtained. The solids in the suspension are then separated from the solution, and the resulting solution (supernatant) is obtained as a yeast extract (a solution in which yeast-derived components are dissolved). This solution is then subjected to the next step B1.

[0053] The method for separating the solid content from the solution in the suspension obtained in step A1 is not particularly limited, and a wide range of known methods such as centrifugation can be used.

[0054] In production method 1, in step B1, a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the solution obtained in step A1 to a concentration of 20 to 40% by volume (i.e., 20% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less) to obtain dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and the yeast-derived components are then separated from dispersion liquid 1A. In step B1, the addition of the hydrophilic organic solvent causes the dissolved yeast-derived components to precipitate. Hereinafter, the hydrophilic organic solvent used in step B1 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (1B).

[0055] Examples of the hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) include lower aliphatic alcohol compounds having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, such as methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol, and isopropyl alcohol; lower aliphatic ketone compounds, such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone; and polyhydric alcohols having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, such as 1,3-butylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerin. The hydrophilic organic solvents can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0056] The hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) is preferably a lower aliphatic alcohol compound, more preferably ethanol, in that it allows for easy production of a polysaccharide composition and makes it easier to obtain a polysaccharide composition with high curcumin extraction activity.

[0057] In step B1, it is preferable to add a hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) to the solution obtained in step A1 so that the concentration is 30 to 40% by volume (that is, 30% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less).

[0058] After obtaining dispersion liquid 1A in which yeast-derived components are dispersed in step B1, the yeast-derived components are separated from dispersion liquid 1A. The separation method is not particularly limited, and a wide variety of known methods, such as centrifugation, can be used. This separation allows the yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium contained in dispersion liquid 1A to be obtained. The dispersion medium contained in dispersion liquid 1A can be used in step C1 of production method 1' described below, or may be discarded if production method 1' is not performed.

[0059] The yeast-derived component obtained by the separation in step B1 may be washed and dried as appropriate. This allows the yeast-derived component to be obtained as a solid, such as a powder. The obtained yeast-derived component may be used as a polysaccharide composition, or other components may be added to the polysaccharide composition as needed.

[0060] (Manufacturing method 1´) The polysaccharide composition of the present invention can also be produced by the following Production Method 1', which is a variation of Production Method 1. Production method 1': Step A1 of extracting yeast with acidic water having a pH of less than 5.5 to obtain a solution; A step B1 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A1 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 1A; and The production method includes step C1, in which a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 1A so that the concentration exceeds 40% by volume to obtain dispersion 1B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then the operation of separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 1B is carried out once or repeatedly two or more times.

[0061] In production method 1', steps A1 and B1 are the same as steps A1 and B1 in production method 1, respectively.

[0062] Since production method 1' includes step C1, it becomes possible to newly obtain yeast-derived components from the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment in step B1. That is, the yeast-derived components remaining in the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment in step B1 can be additionally obtained in step C1.

[0063] The hydrophilic organic solvent used in the first operation of step C1 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-1) hereinafter. Similarly, the hydrophilic organic solvents used in the second operation of step C1 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-2), hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-3), etc., in the order of the number of times they are used.

[0064] The hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-1) can be the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) used in step B1, and is preferably the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) used in step B1.

[0065] In the first operation of step C1, it is preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-1) to the dispersion medium obtained in step B1 so that the concentration is 41 vol% or more, and it is also preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-1) so that the concentration is 50 vol% or less, and it is more preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-1) so that the concentration is 45 vol% or less.

[0066] In step C1, a hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-1) is added to the dispersion medium obtained in step B1 to obtain dispersion 1B in which the yeast-derived component is dispersed. This dispersion 1B can be separated into new yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium contained in dispersion 1B by a separation treatment similar to that used for dispersion 1A. The yeast-derived component thus obtained can also be used as the polysaccharide composition of the present invention.

[0067] On the other hand, when the operation performed in step C1 is repeated two or more times, the operation is repeated sequentially from the second time onwards. For example, in the second repetition of step C1, the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment of dispersion 1B prepared in the first repetition of step C1 is used. By mixing this dispersion medium with a hydrophilic organic solvent (1C-2) in the same manner as in the first repetition, dispersion 1C in which yeast-derived components are dispersed is obtained. By separating the yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium from dispersion 1C, new yeast-derived components can be obtained, which can be used as a polysaccharide composition, while the dispersion medium can be reused in the next repetition (i.e., the third repetition). That is, by subjecting the dispersion prepared in each repetition to a separation treatment, the dispersion medium can be recovered, and this recovered dispersion medium can be used in the next repetition. In other words, when the operation of step C1 is repeated n times (n is a natural number), the dispersion medium obtained in the previous (n-1) repetition is used in the nth repetition, and this dispersion medium is mixed with a hydrophilic organic solvent to obtain yeast-derived components. The mixing method and separation treatment in each step can be the same as those used in the first step of step C1.

[0068] Here, the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium in the n-th operation of step C1 is X n The concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium in the n-1th operation is X n-1 In this case, X n >X n-1 This allows the yeast-derived components to be obtained in higher yields. n -X n-1 The value is preferably 1 to 5.

[0069] However, in each step of step C1, the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added is preferably less than 60% by volume. This makes it easier for the yeast-derived components obtained in each step to satisfy the following conditions: the protein ratio relative to the total mass of mannan is 7% by mass or more, and the protein content relative to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid is 20% by mass or less. In each step of step C1 (especially the second and subsequent steps), the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added is more preferably 58% by volume or less, even more preferably 55% by volume or less, and particularly preferably 52% by volume or less.

[0070] The number of times step C1 is repeated (the aforementioned n) is preferably 5 times or less, and more preferably 4 times or less.

[0071] As described above, when the operation of step C1 is repeated two or more times in production method 1', yeast-derived components can be obtained by the same procedure as that which can be performed in the immediately preceding operation, except that the type of dispersion medium and the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the water containing the hydrophilic organic solvent are changed in the immediately preceding operation.

[0072] (Manufacturing method 2) In production method 2, step A2 is a step for extracting yeast with neutral water, which extracts yeast-derived components from the yeast into the neutral water.

[0073] The neutral water preferably has a pH of 5.5 to 8, more preferably 6 to 7.5. Neutral water can be prepared using various acids or alkalis. For example, neutral water with a pH of about 7 can be obtained by adding an alkali to pure water. Examples of acids include those that can be used to prepare the acidic water in the above-mentioned Production Method 1, and examples of alkalis include various alkalis such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and ammonia.

[0074] The method for extracting yeast with neutral water is not particularly limited, and for example, extraction can be performed by mixing neutral water and yeast. The method for mixing neutral water and yeast is not particularly limited, and examples include a method of adding yeast to water with an unadjusted pH and then adjusting the pH, and a method of mixing yeast with neutral water whose pH has been adjusted. For example, any known stirring means can be widely used for mixing.

[0075] When neutral water and yeast are mixed to perform the extraction treatment, the temperature of the neutral water can be set to 5 to 150° C., preferably 20 to 130° C., and more preferably 30 to 121° C. The mixing time can be set appropriately depending on the temperature, and can be, for example, 0.2 to 24 hours.

[0076] The mixing ratio of neutral water and yeast is not particularly limited. For example, the solid content concentration of yeast relative to neutral water is preferably 1 to 50% by mass, more preferably 3 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 20% by mass.

[0077] In step A2, the extracted yeast is suspended in acidic water, and a suspension of yeast-derived components dissolved in neutral water is obtained. The solids in the suspension are then separated from the solution, and the resulting solution (supernatant) is obtained as a yeast extract (a solution in which yeast-derived components are dissolved). This solution is then subjected to the next step B2.

[0078] The method for separating the solid content from the solution in the suspension obtained in step A2 is not particularly limited, and a wide range of known methods such as centrifugation can be used.

[0079] In production method 2, in step B2, a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the solution obtained in step A2 to a concentration of 20 to 40% by volume (i.e., 20% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less) to obtain dispersion liquid 2A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and the yeast-derived components are then separated from dispersion liquid 2A. In step B2, the addition of the hydrophilic organic solvent causes the dissolved yeast-derived components to precipitate. Hereinafter, the hydrophilic organic solvent used in step B2 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (2B).

[0080] The type of hydrophilic organic solvent (2B) can be the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) used in Production Method 1. The preferred embodiment of the hydrophilic organic solvent (2B) is also the same, and therefore, the hydrophilic organic solvent (2B) is preferably a lower aliphatic alcohol compound, more preferably ethanol.

[0081] In step B2, it is preferable to add a hydrophilic organic solvent (2B) to the solution obtained in step A2 so that the concentration is 30 to 40% by volume (that is, 30% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less).

[0082] After obtaining dispersion liquid 2A in which yeast-derived components are dispersed in step B2, the yeast-derived components are separated from dispersion liquid 2A. The separation method is not particularly limited, and a wide variety of known methods, such as centrifugation, can be used. This separation allows the yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium contained in dispersion liquid 2A to be obtained. The dispersion medium contained in dispersion liquid 2A can be used in step C2 of production method 2' described below, or may be discarded if production method 2' is not performed.

[0083] The yeast-derived component obtained by the separation in step B2 may be washed and dried as appropriate. This allows the yeast-derived component to be obtained as a solid, such as a powder. The obtained yeast-derived component may be used as a polysaccharide composition, or other components may be added to the polysaccharide composition as needed.

[0084] (Manufacturing method 2´) The polysaccharide composition of the present invention can also be produced by the following Production Method 2', which is a variation of Production Method 2. Production method 2': Step A2 of extracting yeast with neutral water having a pH of 5.5 to 8.5 to obtain a solution; A step B2 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A2 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 2A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 2A; and The production method includes step C2, in which a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 2A so that the concentration exceeds 40% by volume to obtain dispersion 2B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then the operation of separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 2B is carried out once or repeatedly two or more times.

[0085] In the production method 2', steps A2 and B2 are the same as steps A2 and B2 in the production method 2, respectively.

[0086] Since production method 2' includes step C2, it becomes possible to newly obtain yeast-derived components from the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment in step B2. That is, the yeast-derived components remaining in the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment in step B2 can be additionally obtained in step C2.

[0087] The hydrophilic organic solvent used in the first operation of step C2 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) hereinafter. Similarly, the hydrophilic organic solvents used in the second operation of step C2 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-2), hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-3), etc., in the order of the number of times they are used.

[0088] The hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) can be the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (2B) used in step B2, and is preferably the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (2B) used in step B2.

[0089] In the first operation of step C2, it is preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) to the dispersion medium obtained in step B2 so that the concentration is 41 vol% or more, and it is also preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) so that the concentration is 50 vol% or less, and it is more preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) so that the concentration is 45 vol% or less.

[0090] In step C2, a hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) is added to the dispersion medium obtained in step B2 to obtain dispersion 2B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed. This dispersion 2B can be separated into new yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium contained in dispersion 2B by a separation treatment similar to that used for dispersion 2A. The yeast-derived components thus obtained can also be used as the polysaccharide composition of the present invention.

[0091] On the other hand, when the operation performed in step C2 is repeated two or more times, the operation is considered to be repeated sequentially from the second time onwards. For example, in the second repetition of step C2, the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment of dispersion 2B prepared in the first repetition of step C2 is used. By mixing this dispersion medium with a hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-2) in the same manner as in the first repetition, dispersion 2C in which yeast-derived components are dispersed is obtained. By separating the yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium from dispersion 2C, new yeast-derived components can be obtained, which can be used as a polysaccharide composition, while the dispersion medium can be reused in the next repetition (i.e., the third repetition). That is, by subjecting the dispersion prepared in each repetition to a separation treatment, the dispersion medium can be recovered, and this recovered dispersion medium can be used in the next repetition. In other words, when the operation of step C2 is repeated n times (n is a natural number), the dispersion medium obtained in the previous (n-1) repetition is used in the nth repetition, and this dispersion medium is mixed with water containing a hydrophilic organic solvent to obtain yeast-derived components. The mixing method and separation treatment in each step can be the same as the conditions used in the first step of step C2.

[0092] Here, the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium in the n-th operation of step C2 is defined as Xn The concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium in the n-1th operation is X n-1 In this case, X n >X n-1 This allows the yeast-derived components to be obtained in higher yields. n -X n-1 The value is preferably 1 to 5.

[0093] However, in each step of step C2, the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added is preferably less than 80% by volume. This makes it easier for the yeast-derived component obtained in each step to satisfy the following conditions: the protein ratio relative to the total mass of mannan is 7% by mass or more, and the protein content is 20% by mass or less. In each step of step C2 (especially the second and subsequent steps), the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added is more preferably 75% by volume or less, even more preferably 73% by volume or less, and particularly preferably 70% by volume or less.

[0094] The number of times step C2 is repeated (the aforementioned n) is preferably 5 times or less, and more preferably 4 times or less.

[0095] As described above, when the operation of step C2 is repeated two or more times in production method 2', yeast-derived components can be obtained by the same procedure as that which can be performed in the immediately preceding operation, except that the type of dispersant and the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the water containing the hydrophilic organic solvent are changed in the immediately preceding operation.

[0096] (Manufacturing method 3) In Production Method 3, Step A3 is a step of extracting yeast with alkaline water, which extracts yeast-derived components from the yeast into the alkaline water.

[0097] The alkaline water preferably has a pH of more than 8.5 (excluding 8.5) and not more than 11, more preferably 9 to 10.5. Alkaline water can be prepared using various alkalis. For example, alkaline water can be obtained by adding an alkali to pure water. Examples of alkalis include various alkalis such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and ammonia.

[0098] The method for extracting yeast with alkaline water is not particularly limited, and for example, the extraction can be performed by mixing alkaline water with yeast. The method for mixing alkaline water with yeast is not particularly limited, and examples include a method in which yeast is added to water with an unadjusted pH and then the pH is adjusted, and a method in which pH-adjusted alkaline water and yeast are mixed. For example, a wide variety of known stirring means can be used for mixing.

[0099] When alkaline water and yeast are mixed to perform the extraction treatment, the temperature of the alkaline water can be set to 5 to 150° C., preferably 20 to 130° C., and more preferably 30 to 121° C. The mixing time can be set appropriately depending on the temperature, and can be, for example, 0.2 to 24 hours.

[0100] The mixing ratio of alkaline water and yeast is not particularly limited. For example, the solid content concentration of yeast relative to alkaline water is preferably 1 to 50 mass %, more preferably 3 to 30 mass %, and even more preferably 5 to 20 mass %.

[0101] In step A3, the extracted yeast is suspended in alkaline water, and a suspension in which yeast-derived components are dissolved in alkaline water is obtained. The solids in the suspension are then separated from the solution, and the resulting solution (supernatant) is obtained as a yeast extract (a solution in which yeast-derived components are dissolved). In other words, this solution is a solution in which yeast-derived components are dissolved in alkaline water. This solution is then subjected to the next step B3.

[0102] The method for separating the solid content from the solution in the suspension obtained in step A3 is not particularly limited, and a wide range of known methods such as centrifugation can be used.

[0103] In production method 3, in step B3, a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the solution obtained in step A3 to a concentration of 20 to 40% by volume (i.e., 20% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less) to obtain dispersion 3A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and the yeast-derived components are then separated from dispersion 3A. In step B3, the addition of the hydrophilic organic solvent causes the dissolved yeast-derived components to precipitate. Hereinafter, the hydrophilic organic solvent used in step B3 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (3B).

[0104] The type of hydrophilic organic solvent (3B) can be the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (1B) used in Production Method 1. The preferred embodiment of the hydrophilic organic solvent (3B) is also the same, and therefore, the hydrophilic organic solvent (3B) is preferably a lower aliphatic alcohol compound, more preferably ethanol.

[0105] In step B3, it is preferable to add a hydrophilic organic solvent (3B) to the solution obtained in step A3 so that the concentration is 30 to 40% by volume (that is, 30% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less).

[0106] After obtaining dispersion 3A in which yeast-derived components are dispersed in step B3, the yeast-derived components are separated from dispersion 3A. This separation method is not particularly limited, and a wide variety of known methods, such as centrifugation, can be used. This separation allows the yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium contained in dispersion 3A to be obtained. The dispersion medium contained in dispersion 3A is used in step C3, which will be described later. Note that the yeast-derived components separated from dispersion 3A are discarded because they may not satisfy the requirements that the protein content relative to the total mass of mannan is 7% by mass or more and that the protein content relative to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid is 20% by mass or less.

[0107] In step C3, a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 3A so that the concentration is more than 40% by volume (excluding 40% by volume) but not more than 70% by volume to obtain dispersion 3B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and the operation of separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 3B is then performed once or repeatedly two or more times.

[0108] The hydrophilic organic solvent used in the first operation of step C3 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (3C-1) hereinafter. Similarly, the hydrophilic organic solvents used in the second operation of step C3 will be referred to as hydrophilic organic solvent (3C-2), hydrophilic organic solvent (3C-3), etc., in the order of the number of times they are used.

[0109] The hydrophilic organic solvent (3C-1) may be the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (3B) used in step B3, and is preferably the same as the hydrophilic organic solvent (3B) used in step B3.

[0110] In the first operation of step C3, it is preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) to the dispersion medium obtained in step B3 so that the concentration is 41 vol% or more, and it is also preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) so that the concentration is 50 vol% or less, and it is more preferable to add the hydrophilic organic solvent (2C-1) so that the concentration is 45 vol% or less.

[0111] In step C3, a hydrophilic organic solvent (3C-1) is added to the dispersion medium obtained in step B3 to obtain dispersion 3B in which the yeast-derived component is dispersed. This dispersion 3B can be separated into new yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium contained in dispersion 3B by a separation treatment similar to that for dispersion 3A described above. The yeast-derived component thus obtained can also be used as the polysaccharide composition of the present invention. The obtained yeast-derived component may be washed and dried as appropriate. This allows the yeast-derived component to be obtained as a solid such as a powder. The obtained yeast-derived component may be used as a polysaccharide composition, or other components may be added as needed to form a polysaccharide composition.

[0112] On the other hand, when the operation performed in step C3 is repeated two or more times, the operation is considered to be repeated sequentially from the second time onwards. For example, in the second repetition of step C3, the dispersion medium obtained by the separation treatment of dispersion 3B prepared in the first repetition of step C3 is used. By mixing this dispersion medium with a hydrophilic organic solvent (3C-2) in the same manner as in the first repetition, dispersion 3C in which yeast-derived components are dispersed is obtained. By separating the yeast-derived components and the dispersion medium from dispersion 3C, new yeast-derived components can be obtained, which can be used as a polysaccharide composition, while the dispersion medium can be reused in the next repetition (i.e., the third repetition). That is, by subjecting the dispersion prepared in each repetition to a separation treatment, the dispersion medium can be recovered, and this recovered dispersion medium can be used in the next repetition. In other words, when the operation of step C3 is repeated n times (n is a natural number), the dispersion medium obtained in the previous (n-1) repetition is used in the nth repetition, and this dispersion medium is mixed with water containing a hydrophilic organic solvent to obtain yeast-derived components. The mixing method and separation treatment in each step can be the same as the conditions used in the first step of step C3.

[0113] Here, the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium in the n-th operation of step C3 is defined as X n The concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when the hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium in the n-1th operation is X n-1 In this case, X n >X n-1 This allows the yeast-derived components to be obtained in higher yields. n -X n-1 The value is preferably 1 to 5.

[0114] However, in each step of step C3, the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the dispersion medium when added is preferably 70% by volume or less, which makes it easier for the yeast-derived components obtained in each step to satisfy the following conditions: the proportion of protein relative to the total mass of mannan is 7% by mass or more, and the proportion of protein relative to the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid is 20% by mass or less.

[0115] The number of times step C3 is repeated (the aforementioned n) is preferably 5 times or less, and more preferably 4 times or less.

[0116] As described above, when the operation of step C3 is repeated two or more times in production method 3, yeast-derived components can be obtained by the same procedure as that which can be performed in the immediately preceding operation, except that the type of dispersant and the concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent in the water containing the hydrophilic organic solvent are changed in the immediately preceding operation.

[0117] In specifying the inventions included in the present disclosure, the components (properties, structures, functions, etc.) described in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in any manner. In other words, the present disclosure includes all subject matter consisting of all combinations of the components that can be combined as described in this specification. [Example]

[0118] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0119] (Production Example 1) 150 g of powdered yeast (brewer's yeast powder sold by Miwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and 1500 g of pure water were placed in a 2 L glass beaker, and citric acid was added thereto to obtain Raw Material F, the pH of which was adjusted to 4.0.

[0120] (Production Example 2) 150 g of powdered yeast (brewer's yeast powder sold by Miwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and 1500 g of pure water were placed in a 2 L glass beaker, and sodium hydroxide was added thereto to adjust the pH to 7.0, thereby obtaining Raw Material S.

[0121] (Production Example 3) 150 g of powdered yeast (brewer's yeast powder sold by Miwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and 1500 g of pure water were placed in a 2 L glass beaker, and sodium hydroxide was added thereto to adjust the pH to 10, thereby obtaining Raw Material T.

[0122] Example 1A A 2 L glass beaker containing Raw Material F prepared in Production Example 1 was placed in a water bath, and the contents of the glass beaker were stirred at 300 rpm using a stainless steel disk turbine impeller. The internal temperature of the glass beaker was raised to 90°C, and the mixture was stirred at this temperature for 3 hours. The glass beaker was then cooled to room temperature in a water bath to obtain a suspension. The suspension was transferred to a 1 L polypropylene centrifuge tube and centrifuged using a Tomy Seiko high-speed refrigerated centrifuge "Suprema 25" equipped with an NA400 rotor. The centrifugation conditions were 20°C, a rotation speed of 8000 rpm (13529 G), and a time of 10 minutes. The precipitate obtained by centrifugation was discarded, and the supernatant a was recovered and used as the extracted solution (Step A1).

[0123] Ethanol (Nacalai Tesque, first-grade reagent; the same applies hereinafter) was added to the collected supernatant a so that the ethanol concentration was 40% by volume, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes to obtain a mixture consisting of supernatant b and a precipitate. This mixture was centrifuged under the same conditions as the above-mentioned centrifugation conditions to separate supernatant b and the precipitate. The obtained precipitate was vacuum-dried at 80°C and 0.2 to 0.3 kPa for 3 hours to obtain a yeast-derived component (step B1). This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 4, 40%-0%).

[0124] Example 1B Ethanol was added to the supernatant b obtained in step B1 of Example 1A to a concentration of 45% by volume, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes to obtain a mixture consisting of supernatant c and a precipitate. This mixture was centrifuged under the same conditions as those described above to separate the supernatant c from the precipitate. The resulting precipitate was vacuum-dried at 80°C and 0.2-0.3 kPa for 3 hours to obtain a yeast-derived component (step C1). This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 4, 45%-40%).

[0125] Example 1C Ethanol was added to the supernatant c obtained in step C1 of Example 1B to a concentration of 50% by volume, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes to obtain a mixture consisting of supernatant d and a precipitate. This mixture was centrifuged under the same conditions as those described above to separate the supernatant d from the precipitate. The resulting precipitate was vacuum-dried at 80°C and 0.2-0.3 kPa for 3 hours to obtain a yeast-derived component (step C1). This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 4, 50%-45%).

[0126] (Comparative Example 1A) Ethanol was added to the supernatant d obtained in step C1 of Example 1C to a concentration of 60% by volume, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes to obtain a mixture consisting of supernatant e and a precipitate. This mixture was centrifuged under the same conditions as the above-mentioned centrifugation conditions to separate the supernatant e and the precipitate. The obtained precipitate was vacuum-dried at 80°C and 0.2 to 0.3 kPa for 3 hours to obtain a yeast-derived component (step C1). This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 4, 60%-50%).

[0127] (Comparative example 1B) Ethanol was added to the supernatant e obtained in step C1 of Comparative Example 1A to a concentration of 70% by volume, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes to obtain a mixture consisting of supernatant f and a precipitate. This mixture was centrifuged under the same conditions as those described above to separate the supernatant f from the precipitate. The resulting precipitate was vacuum-dried at 80°C and 0.2 to 0.3 kPa for 3 hours to obtain a yeast-derived component (step C1). This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 4, 70%-60%).

[0128] Example 2A A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1A, except that raw material S obtained in Production Example 2 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was designated a polysaccharide composition (pH 7, 40%-0%).

[0129] Example 2B A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1B, except that raw material S obtained in Production Example 2 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 7, 45%-40%).

[0130] Example 2C A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1C, except that raw material S obtained in Production Example 2 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 7, 50%-45%).

[0131] Example 2D A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1A, except that raw material S obtained in Production Example 2 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 7, 60%-50%).

[0132] Example 2E A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1B, except that raw material S obtained in Production Example 2 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 7, 70%-60%).

[0133] (Comparative example 3A) A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1A, except that raw material T obtained in Production Example 3 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was designated a polysaccharide composition (pH 10, 40%-0%).

[0134] Example 3B A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1B, except that raw material T obtained in Production Example 3 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 10, 45%-40%).

[0135] Example 3C A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1C, except that raw material T obtained in Production Example 3 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was designated a polysaccharide composition (pH 10, 50%-45%).

[0136] Example 3D A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1A, except that raw material T obtained in Production Example 3 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 10, 60%-50%).

[0137] Example 3E A yeast-derived component was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1B, except that raw material T obtained in Production Example 3 was used instead of raw material F. This yeast-derived component was named a polysaccharide composition (pH 10, 70%-60%).

[0138] (Evaluation method) [Average particle size] The average particle size of the yeast-derived components was measured by dynamic light scattering using a nanoSAQLA (Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd.) with the polysaccharide compositions obtained in each example and comparative example as measurement samples.

[0139] [Shape observation] The shapes of the yeast-derived components were observed using a scanning probe microscope. 5 μL of a 0.001% by mass aqueous dispersion of the polysaccharide composition obtained in each Example and Comparative Example was dropped onto a mica plate and dried to prepare a measurement sample. Measurements were performed using a Hitachi High-Tech Science scanning probe microscope "AFM5300E" equipped with a SI-DF40P2 cantilever in dynamic force mode (DFM).

[0140] [Component analysis] Total sugars were analyzed using the phenol-sulfuric acid method. A 1% by mass aqueous dispersion of the polysaccharide composition was prepared and diluted 50-fold with water to achieve a total sugar concentration ranging from 50 μg / ml to 180 μg / ml. 400 μL of the diluted aqueous dispersion and 1000 μL of 5% by mass phenol aqueous solution were placed in a glass test tube and mixed. 2000 μL of 98% sulfuric acid was gently added using a glass pipette and immediately mixed gently with a vortex mixer, taking care not to boil. After leaving the mixture at room temperature for 30 minutes, the absorbance at 490 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer. A calibration curve was prepared using standard solutions with glucose concentrations of 0 μg / ml, 45 μg / ml, 90 μg / ml, 135 μg / ml, and 180 μg / ml, and the total sugar concentration in terms of glucose was calculated from the absorbance of the test sample. The total polysaccharide concentration was calculated by multiplying the glucose-equivalent total sugar concentration by a factor of 0.9.

[0141] α-Glucan analysis was performed using a β-glucan analysis kit (β-1,3:-1,6 yeast mushroom type) manufactured by Megazyme, following the protocol provided with the kit. The polysaccharide composition was dissolved in 1.7 M sodium hydroxide in an ice bath, neutralized with a buffer solution, and amyloglucosidase and invertase were added to hydrolyze the α-glucan to glucose. The β-glucan was not hydrolyzed to glucose during this process. The glucose produced by the degradation was reacted with glucose oxidase, and the resulting hydrogen peroxide was reacted with peroxidase to produce a red color of 4-aminoantipyrine. The absorbance at 490 nm was measured. A calibration curve was prepared using a separate glucose standard solution in the same manner, and the results were converted to glucose concentrations. The α-glucan concentration was calculated by multiplying the glucose concentration by a factor of 0.9.

[0142] The mannan concentration was calculated from the difference between the total sugar concentration and the α-glucan concentration. Since the polysaccharides extracted from yeast with water consist mostly of mannan and α-glucan, the error was assumed to be extremely small.

[0143] Protein analysis was performed using the Lowry assay. The Lowry Protein Assay Kit (Nacalai Tesque) was used, following the attached protocol. A calibration curve was created using a 2 mg / ml standard solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Nacalai Tesque) as the protein standard, and the protein concentration equivalent to BSA was calculated.

[0144] Nucleic acid analysis was performed by measuring the absorption spectrum using a Hitachi UV-visible spectrophotometer "U-3900H." The nucleic acid concentration was measured by measuring the absorbance at 260 nm of an aqueous dispersion of the polysaccharide composition at a nucleic acid concentration of 0.1% using a quartz glass cell, and then multiplying the absorbance by a concentration conversion factor of 40 to convert it into a nucleic acid concentration [μg / ml].

[0145] [Curcumin concentration measurement] Measurement samples prepared in the curcumin extraction test described below were filtered using a syringe through a hydrophilic PTFE membrane filter (25 mm diameter) with 0.45 μm openings to remove insolubilized polysaccharide composition. The filtrate was placed in a quartz glass cell, and the absorbance at 425 nm was measured using a Hitachi High-Tech U-3900H UV-Visible Spectrophotometer. The curcumin concentration (μg / ml) was calculated based on a previously determined calibration curve. The calibration curve was prepared by measuring the absorbance at 425 nm of a curcumin solution of known concentration (solvent: 80% v / v aqueous ethanol). Curcumin powder (average particle size: 107.3 μm) manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. was used as the curcumin used in preparing this calibration curve.

[0146] [Curcumin extract activity] 70 mg of turmeric powder (Yamamoto Kanpo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), 35 mg of a polysaccharide composition, and 7 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.2) were placed in a 10 mL screw-cap test tube and subjected to extraction by reciprocal shaking at 110 rpm for 18 hours at 37°C. The resulting extract (suspension) was centrifuged to obtain a supernatant (the precipitate was discarded). Centrifugation conditions were 25°C, 10,000 rpm, 10 min, and a 1.5 mL Eppendorf tube. The supernatant was filtered through a hydrophilic PTFE filter (25 mm diameter) with 0.45 μm pores. 1.0 mL of the resulting filtrate was added to a 5 mL screw-cap test tube, and 4.0 mL of ethanol was added to obtain a mixture. This mixture was filtered through a hydrophilic PTFE filter (25 mm diameter) with 0.45 μm pores, and the curcumin concentration was calculated using a calibration curve. The calibration curve was prepared by measuring the absorbance at 425 nm of a curcumin solution of known concentration (solvent: 80% v / v ethanol aqueous solution). Curcumin powder (average particle size: 107.3 μm) manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. was used as the curcumin used to prepare this calibration curve. As a blank test, extraction was performed in the same manner without using the polysaccharide composition. In the above extraction process, the polysaccharide composition that solubilizes 1 μg of curcumin per hour was defined as 1 unit. The curcumin extraction value (Unit / g) was calculated using the following formula: Curcumin Extraction Value (Unit / g) = [(curcumin concentration in the extract supernatant (μg / ml)) - (curcumin concentration in blank extraction supernatant (μg / ml))] ÷(Polysaccharide composition concentration (g / ml))÷(Extraction time (hr)) It is calculated as follows.

[0147] (Evaluation results) Table 1 shows the results of component analysis of the polysaccharide compositions (yeast-derived components) obtained in each Example and Comparative Example, the protein ratio R (% by mass) relative to the total mass of mannan in the yeast-derived components calculated from the results of this component analysis, the protein content T (% by mass), and the results of curcumin extraction evaluation. Note that "blank" in Table 1 means that the evaluation of curcumin extraction activity (measurement of curcumin extraction concentration) was carried out without using a polysaccharide composition.

[0148] In Table 1, "total sugar amount" refers to the total amount of sugars contained in the yeast-derived component, more specifically, the total amount of α-glucan and mannan. Also, in Table 1, R (mass%) refers to the ratio of protein to the total mass of mannan in the yeast-derived component.

[0149] In Table 1, the notation "Component analysis [g / 100 g]" means the amount (g) of each component when the total mass of α-glucan, mannan, protein, and nucleic acid is taken as 100 g.

[0150] Table 1 shows that curcumin can be extracted efficiently when the protein content of the yeast-derived components relative to the total mass of mannan is 7% by mass or more and the protein content is 20% by mass or less.

[0151] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, The yeast-derived component contains protein and mannan, The content ratio of the protein to the total mass of the mannan is 7% by mass or more, and A polysaccharide composition, wherein the protein content is 20% by mass or less relative to the total mass of α-glucan, the mannan, the protein, and the nucleic acid contained in the yeast-derived component.

2. The polysaccharide composition according to claim 1, which is used to extract active ingredients from herbal medicines.

3. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A1 of extracting yeast with acidic water having a pH of less than 5.5 to obtain a solution; A step B1 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in step A1 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion liquid 1A. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition comprising:

4. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A1 of extracting yeast with acidic water having a pH of less than 5.5 to obtain a solution; A step B1 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A1 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 1A in which the yeast-derived component is dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived component from the dispersion liquid 1A; and The method for producing a polysaccharide composition includes a step C1 in which a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to a dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion 1A so that the concentration exceeds 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion 1B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then the steps of separating the yeast-derived components from the dispersion 1B are carried out once or repeatedly two or more times.

5. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A2 of extracting the yeast with neutral water having a pH of 5.5 to 8.5 to obtain a solution; and A hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the solution obtained in step A2 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 2A in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then a step B2 is performed in which the yeast-derived components are separated from the dispersion liquid 2A. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition comprising:

6. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A2 of extracting the yeast with neutral water having a pH of 5.5 to 8.5 to obtain a solution; a step B2 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A2 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 2A in which the yeast-derived component is dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived component from the dispersion liquid 2A; and The method for producing a polysaccharide composition includes step C2, in which a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to a dispersion medium obtained by separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 2A so that the concentration exceeds 40 volume % to obtain dispersion 2B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and then the operation of separating the yeast-derived components from dispersion 2B is carried out once or repeatedly two or more times.

7. A method for producing a polysaccharide composition containing a yeast-derived component, comprising: A step A3 of extracting the yeast with alkaline water having a pH of more than 8.5 to obtain a solution; A step B3 of adding a hydrophilic organic solvent to the solution obtained in the step A3 so that the concentration is 20 to 40% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 3A in which the yeast-derived component is dispersed, and then separating the yeast-derived component from the dispersion liquid 3A; and The method for producing a polysaccharide composition includes a step C3 in which the yeast-derived components are separated from the dispersion liquid 3A, and a hydrophilic organic solvent is added to the dispersion medium to give a concentration of more than 40% by volume and not more than 70% by volume to obtain a dispersion liquid 3B in which the yeast-derived components are dispersed, and the steps C3 in which the yeast-derived components are separated from the dispersion liquid 3B are carried out once or repeatedly two or more times.

8. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the hydrophilic organic solvent is ethanol.

9. An extraction method comprising a step of extracting active ingredients of herbal medicines using the polysaccharide composition according to claim 1 or 2.

10. 10. The extraction method according to claim 9, wherein the active ingredient comprises curcumin.

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