Composition or method

Abstract

The objective is to suppress or improve the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time. [Solution] The above problem can be solved by a composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time, which contains cumin aldehyde, or cumin (Cuminum cyminum) containing cumin aldehyde or a processed product thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for suppressing or improving a decrease in cognitive function speed or reaction time. The present invention also relates to a composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation. The present invention relates to a method for suppressing or improving a decrease in cognitive function speed or reaction time in a subject. The present invention also relates to a method for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation in a subject.

Background Art

[0002] In Japan, where the aging population is increasing, it is desired to extend the healthy life span. In particular, cognitive function tends to decline with age, and a decline in cognitive function can also cause various diseases and accidents. Although the decline in cognitive function becomes prominent after a person reaches old age, it has been pointed out that the decline in cognitive function itself progresses gradually from a relatively young age.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a therapeutic agent for diseases related to a decline in cognitive function. However, it is considered extremely beneficial for many people to ingest a food composition that can prevent a decline in cognitive function, improve or enhance a declined cognitive function, and further enhance cognitive function in daily meals. Therefore, a composition for improving cognitive function that can be safely ingested in the form of a food composition has been desired. An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for improving cognitive function that can be safely ingested in the form of a food composition.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] Cumin, scientifically known as Cuminum cyminum, is a spice primarily used in curries. In recent years, many studies have reported on the effects of cumin, its extracts, and its ground form. The inventors diligently researched compositions for improving cognitive function. As a result, they found that cuminaldehyde has an effect of suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function, particularly cognitive speed and reaction time. Furthermore, it was considered that cuminaldehyde also has an effect of suppressing or improving chronic inflammation. This invention is based on these findings. Therefore, the present invention is [1] Cumin aldehyde, or Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) or processed products containing cuminaldehyde. Compositions for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time, [2] The composition for inhibiting or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time, according to [1], wherein the processed cumin is an extract or pulverized cumin seed of cumin. [3] A food composition, a composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time as described in [1] or [2], [4] The subject is a young person, middle-aged or elderly person, elderly person, healthy person, person who is aware of a decline in cognitive function, or a person who wants to further improve cognitive function speed and / or reaction time, and is a composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time as described in any of [1] to [3]. [5] A method for suppressing or improving the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time in a subject, characterized by administering or ingesting the compositions described in [1] to [4] (excluding medical procedures for humans), [6] Cumin aldehyde, or Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) or processed products containing cuminaldehyde. Compositions for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation, [7] The composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation according to [6], wherein the processed cumin is an extract or powder of cumin seeds. [8] A composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation as described in [6] or [7], which is for suppressing neurotransmission inhibition caused by chronic inflammation in the brain. [9] A food composition, a composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation as described in any of [6] to [8], and

[10] A method for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation in a subject, characterized by administering or ingesting any of the compositions described in [6] to [9] (excluding medical procedures for humans). Regarding. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The present invention's composition for suppressing or improving the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time can suppress or improve the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time. The present invention's composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation can suppress or improve chronic inflammation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This figure shows an overview of a study comparing the effects of cumin oil capsules with those of placebo capsules. [Figure 2] This figure shows the results of measuring cognitive function speed, reaction time, overall memory, verbal memory, visual memory, overall attention, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, executive function, simple attention, and motor speed in subjects after ingestion of cumin oil capsules or placebo capsules. [Figure 3]It is a diagram showing the results of measuring the overall memory, cognitive function speed, reaction time, cognitive flexibility, and overall attention of the subjects after taking cumin oil capsules or placebo capsules. For the purpose of making the results easier to understand, the scale size on the vertical axis is changed compared to Figure 2. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the results of measuring amyloid β (Ab42 / 40), chronic inflammation marker (IL-6), oxidative stress marker (d-ROMs), bone metabolism marker (BAP), tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) of the subjects after taking cumin oil capsules or placebo capsules. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the results of measuring amyloid β, chronic inflammation marker, oxidative stress marker, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor of the subjects after taking cumin oil capsules or placebo capsules. For the purpose of making the results easier to understand, the scale size on the vertical axis is changed compared to Figure 4.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the notation "A to B" for numerical values A and numerical values B shall be equivalent to "A or more and B or less". That is, the notation "A to B" includes both of the numerical values A and B at both ends. When only the numerical value B is provided with a unit in such notation, the unit shall also be applied to the numerical value A. The notation "including A or B" shall include the aspect including both A and B. Hereinafter, when referring to "the composition of the present invention", it means both the composition for suppressing or improving the decline in the cognitive function speed or reaction time of the present invention and the composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation of the present invention.

[0009] (Cuminaldehyde) Cuminaldehyde is a compound having the following structure.

Chemical formula

[0010] Cuminaldehyde, also known as 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde, has a CAS registry number of 122-03-2. Cuminaldehyde may be extracted from plants, particularly cumin, or commercially available cuminaldehyde may be used. In addition, derivatives or salts of cuminaldehyde may be used, as long as they produce cuminaldehyde after addition and have the effects of the present invention.

[0011] (cumin) Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Apiaceae family, native to the eastern Mediterranean coast. Cumin seeds are oblong, narrow at both ends, about 6 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, and are covered with white bristles. In this specification, "cumin seeds" generally refer to the part of the cumin plant commonly used as a spice, which corresponds to the fruit botanically. "Seeds" of cumin refer to the part of the plant that corresponds to the seed botanically.

[0012] The parts of the cumin plant used are not particularly limited and may include the whole plant, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, cumin seeds (fruit), or seeds, or a mixture of at least two of these. However, cumin seeds are preferred. If cumin seeds are used, other parts may also be included. Cumin may be used fresh or dried. Furthermore, the origin of the cumin is not limited in this invention, and cumin from any origin can be used.

[0013] (Processed material) In this specification, “processed product” means cumin that has been subjected to physical (e.g., mechanical treatment or heat treatment) or chemical treatment (e.g., extraction). A processed product of cumin may be one or more selected from the group consisting of extracts, dried products, pulverized products, powders, and heat-treated products, and combinations thereof, but is not limited to the following. Preferably, a processed product of cumin is one or more selected from the group consisting of cumin extracts, dried products, and pulverized products, preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of cumin extracts and pulverized products, and more preferably a cumin extract.

[0014] (extract) Extracts containing the active ingredient can be extracted by conventional extraction methods used for extracting plant-derived components. These extraction methods are not limited to, but include solvent extraction, steam distillation, pressing, or supercritical fluid extraction. Combinations of these methods may also be used, for example, a combination of solvent extraction and steam distillation. The extract can be in any form, such as oil, liquid, paste, or powder. In the case of a powder, other ingredients besides cumin extract, such as excipients, may be added. Dextrin is an example of an excipient.

[0015] The cumin used for extraction may be used fresh during the grinding or extraction process, or it may be dried (for example, sun-dried, mechanically dried, freeze-dried, atmospheric-pressure dried, pressure-dried, or vacuum-dried). When extracting, it is preferable to process the cumin into a crushed, preferably powdered, material using grinding equipment or devices such as a crusher, mill, blender, mixer, and mortar and pestle to improve extraction efficiency.

[0016] (Solvent extraction method) The extraction solvent used in solvent extraction is not limited as long as it can sufficiently extract the active ingredients into the extract. For example, organic solvents, aqueous solvents, or mixed solvents of organic solvents and aqueous solvents can be used. Aqueous solvents are particularly preferred as the extraction solvent.

[0017] The aqueous solvent is not limited as long as it contains water; for example, water, physiological saline, or buffer solutions can be used. Examples of buffer solutions include phosphate buffer, sodium phosphate buffer, sodium carbonate buffer, citrate buffer, citrate-phosphate buffer, acetate buffer, and Tris buffer. The preferred aqueous solvent is water. The pH of the aqueous solvent is not particularly limited.

[0018] Examples of organic solvents include alcohols, acetone, benzene, ethyl acetate, hexane, chloroform, or diethyl ether. The organic solvent may be either a polar or nonpolar organic solvent. Examples of polar organic solvents include alcohols. Examples of nonpolar organic solvents include ethyl acetate, hexane, chloroform, or diethyl ether. The alcohol is not limited as long as the active ingredient can be sufficiently extracted into the extract, but examples include monohydric alcohols with 1 to 5 carbon atoms such as methanol, ethanol, propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and butyl alcohol, and polyhydric alcohols with 2 to 5 carbon atoms such as 1,3-butylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and glycerin.

[0019] When a mixture of a polar solvent and a nonpolar solvent is used as the extraction solvent, the proportion of the polar solvent in the total extraction solvent may be 50% or more by volume, 60% or more by volume, 70% or more by volume, 80% or more by volume, 90% or more by volume, 95% or more by volume, or 99% or more by volume.

[0020] When the extract is extracted by solvent extraction, the extraction temperature is not particularly limited, as long as it is a temperature at which the active ingredients can be sufficiently extracted into the extract, but it is preferably between -50°C and 150°C. The lower limit of the extraction temperature is, for example, -25°C or higher or 0°C or higher. The upper limit of the extraction temperature is, for example, 120°C or lower or 100°C or lower. The upper and lower limits of the temperature can be combined as appropriate.

[0021] Furthermore, during extraction, stirring or shaking may be performed to improve extraction efficiency. The extraction time can be appropriately determined depending on the part of the plant to be used, such as the whole plant, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, cumin seeds (fruits), or seeds. The extraction time can also be appropriately determined depending on the state or processing of the cumin. In addition, the extraction time can be appropriately determined depending on the extraction conditions, such as the temperature of the extract, stirring conditions, and shaking conditions. The extraction time can be 1 minute to 72 hours, 1 hour to 48 hours, or 12 hours to 36 hours.

[0022] (Distillation method) Cumin extract can be obtained by distillation. Distillation is a method in which a mixture obtained from cumin or its processed products is heated, and the resulting vapor is cooled and re-condensed. Other distillation methods that can be used include steam distillation, in which steam is passed through raw materials packed in a column, and the aromatic components distilled out with the steam are condensed together with the steam, as well as pressurized and vacuum distillation.

[0023] (Compression method) The pressing method is a method of extracting extracts from cumin by applying physical pressure. There are three types: direct pressing at room temperature, high-temperature pressing at high temperatures, and cold pressing at low temperatures. In this invention, cumin extract can be extracted using any of these pressing methods.

[0024] (Supercritical extraction method) In this invention, cumin extract can be extracted using supercritical fluid extraction. Supercritical fluid extraction is a method of extracting an extract from a specific plant using a substance in a supercritical state. For example, carbon dioxide can be used as a substance in a supercritical state.

[0025] (dried) Dried cumin can be obtained by conventional methods, including sun drying, mechanical drying, freeze-drying, atmospheric pressure drying, pressure drying, or vacuum drying. The dried cumin obtained by the above methods may be ground to an appropriate size using crushing equipment or devices such as crushers, mills, blenders, mixers, and mortars.

[0026] (Crushing material) The cumin pulverized product in this invention is not particularly limited as long as the cumin is in a pulverized state, but examples include powder, granules, or paste-like pulverized products, but powder is preferred. Powder can also be molded or granulated into, for example, cubes, blocks, or granules. Other raw materials besides cumin pulverized product, such as excipients, can be added during molding or granulation. Dextrin can be used as an excipient. The processing for creating the pulverized product is not particularly limited, but examples include grinding the plant material using grinding equipment or tools such as crushers, mills, blenders, mixers, and millstones, in any method commonly used by those skilled in the art. The plant material may be dried before grinding. The drying method is as described above. When the cumin included in this invention is in pulverized form, the average longest diameter of the cumin pulverized product is, for example, 0.01 to 2 mm, although this is not limited to the pulverized product.

[0027] The heat-treated cumin product is not limited to any cumin that has been heat-treated, but an example is roasted cumin. The roasting temperature and time are not particularly limited.

[0028] The compositions of the present invention may contain cumin or a processed product thereof in an amount of 1% or more by mass, 10% or more by mass, 30% or more by mass, 50% or more by mass, 80% or more by mass, or 99% or more by mass, based on the total amount of the composition.

[0029] The amount of the composition of the present invention to be ingested or administered can be appropriately determined depending on the type of active ingredient, the age, sex, weight of the subject, the presence or severity of symptoms, or the method of ingestion or administration. The dosage for ingestion or administration to humans is, for example, 1-200 mg / day, 5-150 mg / day, 10-100 mg / day, or 20-50 mg / day as cuminaldehyde. The duration of ingestion or administration, when administered to a target, preferably a human, is, for example, 1, 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks or longer. The composition of the present invention can be ingested or administered to any subject, for example, young people (under 40 years of age), middle-aged and elderly people (40 to under 65 years of age), the elderly (65 years of age and older), healthy people, people who are aware of a decline in cognitive function, people who want to further improve their cognitive function, especially cognitive speed or reaction time, people who have not been diagnosed with dementia but have a decline in cognitive function, or people who want to suppress or improve the decline in cognitive function in daily life that comes with aging. The composition of the present invention can preferably be ingested or administered to middle-aged and elderly people (40 to under 65 years of age) who are aware of a decline in cognitive function, and more preferably to the elderly (65 years of age and older) who are aware of a decline in cognitive function.

[0030] In the composition of the present invention, the concentration of cuminaldehyde, which is the active ingredient, is not limited as long as the effects of the present invention can be obtained, but for example, it can be 1 to 99% by mass, 2 to 50% by mass, 3 to 30% by mass, or 5 to 20% by mass.

[0031] (Suppression or improvement of the decline in cognitive function speed) Cognitive speed refers to the speed at which the brain processes visual information and the body reacts. Therefore, improving cognitive speed means improving the speed at which complex visual information is recognized, responded to, and motor coordinated. Cognitive speed is considered particularly necessary for activities such as playing musical instruments, driving, and the precise operation of machinery or tools. "Suppression of decline" in cognitive function speed includes reducing the degree of decline in cognitive function speed, slowing down the rate of decline, and / or preventing the decline in cognitive function speed from occurring in the first place. "Improvement" in cognitive function speed includes restoring cognitive function speed that has declined to its original level, restoring it to some extent without restoring it to its original level, and / or further improving cognitive function speed that is already at a normal level. When cognitive function speed is slowed down or improved, it becomes possible, for example, to improve athletic performance, quickly avoid danger, and perform tasks, jobs, or studies more efficiently. A decline in cognitive speed can lead to, for example, an increased risk of falls, poorer driving skills, and slower movements.

[0032] (Suppression or improvement of the decrease in reaction time) Reaction time encompasses both the time it takes to react to or decide on a reaction to driving, conversation, or an explanation (reaction time), and the total time that includes both the time it takes to react or decide on a reaction and the time it takes to perform the action (action time). Improving reaction time makes it possible to reduce both the time it takes to react or decide on a reaction and the total time that includes both the time it takes to react or decide on a reaction and the time it takes to perform the action. "Suppression of reaction time decline" includes reducing the degree of decline in reaction time, slowing down the rate of decline, and / or preventing a decline in reaction time from occurring in the first place. "Improvement" in reaction time includes restoring a reduced reaction time to its original level, restoring it to some extent without restoring it to its original level, and / or further improving a reaction time that is already at a normal level. Improving reaction time can lead to improvements in areas such as athletic performance and the ability to quickly avoid danger. A decrease in reaction time can, for example, lead to slower instantaneous reactions and potentially worsen driving skills.

[0033] Cognitive function speed and reaction time can be measured using methods such as Cognitrax.

[0034] (Suppression of chronic inflammation) Chronic inflammation refers to inflammation that persists in the body over a long period of time. In this specification, "chronic inflammation" means systemic chronic inflammation. That is, in this specification, "chronic inflammation" includes chronic inflammation in the brain and chronic inflammation in other parts of the body. "Suppression" of chronic inflammation includes reducing the degree of chronic inflammation, slowing the rate of progression of chronic inflammation, and / or preventing chronic inflammation from occurring in the first place. "Improvement" of chronic inflammation means restoring chronic inflammation, once it has occurred, to its original level, and / or restoring it to some extent, even if it does not reach the original level. When chronic inflammation occurs in parts of the body other than the brain, inflammatory substances can reach the brain, potentially causing inflammation there as well. As chronic inflammation in the brain progresses, some brain nerve cells may die, leading to impaired neurotransmission, which is thought to result in a decline in cognitive speed and reaction time. If brain inflammation can be suppressed, it may be possible to prevent the death of some brain nerve cells, prevent neurotransmission inhibition, and consequently suppress the decline in "cognitive speed" and "reaction time." Chronic inflammation can be tested by measuring the amount of chronic inflammatory markers, such as IL-6, through blood tests.

[0035] In the examples described later, factors other than chronic inflammatory markers (amyloid-beta, oxidative stress, brain nutrition) showed no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group, while only chronic inflammatory markers showed a significant difference. Therefore, it is possible that the composition of the present invention, in particular the active ingredient cuminaldehyde, was able to prevent inflammatory substances from reaching brain nerve cells from sources other than the brain. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that cuminaldehyde has a neuroprotective effect against amyloid-beta, and this effect may have suppressed the decline in "cognitive function speed" and "reaction time."

[0036] (composition) The compositions of the present invention may be used in vivo or in vitro. The compositions of the present invention may be, for example, pharmaceutical compositions or food compositions. The forms of intake or administration of the compositions of the present invention are not limited, and either oral intake (oral administration) or parenteral intake (parenteral administration) (intravenous, intra-arterial, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal injection, nasal, transdermal, etc.) may be selected, but oral intake (oral administration) is preferred. The compositions of the present invention are preferably food compositions.

[0037] The claims "for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time" and "for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation" include indicating such uses, effects, and / or properties. The aforementioned "indication" includes all actions that make consumers aware of the aforementioned uses, effects, and / or properties. The indication can be on any medium, such as packaging, containers, catalogs, brochures, and websites. The compositions for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time of the present invention may be labeled as helping to maintain cognitive function speed, which is a part of the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly people, or helping to maintain cognitive reaction speed, which is a part of the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly people.

[0038] Specifically, the compositions of the present invention for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time can be labeled as follows: (A) It has been reported to support cognitive speed (the ability to recognize, respond to, and coordinate motor functions based on complex visual information), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age. (B) It has been reported that this function helps maintain cognitive speed (the ability to quickly and accurately judge visual information and translate it into appropriate action), which is a part of cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly people. (C) It has been reported that this helps maintain cognitive speed (the ability to quickly and accurately judge visual information and translate it into appropriate action), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age, in healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals who experience a decline in memory. (D) It has been reported to support reaction time (the ability to respond as quickly as possible to instructions that gradually become more complex), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age. (E) It has been reported that it has a function that helps maintain reaction time (the ability related to driving), which is part of the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly people. (F) It has been reported that in healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals who experience a decline in memory, it helps maintain reaction time (the ability to cope with conversations), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age. (G) It has been reported that it helps maintain reaction time (the ability to understand and respond to simple instructions), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age, in healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals who experience a decline in memory. (H) It has been reported that in healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals who experience a decline in memory, it helps maintain reaction time (the ability related to the time it takes to decide on a response), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age.

[0039] The above display is merely an example, and it is possible to extract and combine parts of each display, or to create or modify parts of them to create a new display. For example, by combining (A) and (B), the following display can be adopted. It has been reported to support cognitive speed (the ability to quickly and accurately judge visual information and translate it into appropriate action), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age. Furthermore, the expression in (G) above can be modified to display as follows: • In healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals experiencing a decline in memory, this helps maintain reaction time (the ability to understand and respond to simple instructions), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age. • In healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals experiencing a decline in memory, this device supports the maintenance of reaction time (the ability to understand and respond to simple instructions), which is a part of cognitive function that declines with age.

[0040] The composition of the present invention may be in the form of a powder, granules, solid, liquid, capsule, gel, paste, or tablet.

[0041] (Food composition) The food composition of the present invention includes food and beverages. Examples of food products include: fresh prepared foods such as salads; cooked foods such as steaks, pizzas, and hamburgers; stir-fried foods such as stir-fried vegetables; vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, bitter melon, carrots, potatoes, and asparagus, and processed foods made from these vegetables; confectionery such as cookies, bread, biscuits, hardtack, cakes, rice crackers, yokan, puddings, jellies, ice cream, chewing gum, crackers, chips, chocolate, and candy; noodles such as udon, pasta, and soba; processed fish products such as kamaboko, ham, and fish sausage; dairy products such as cheese, cream, and butter; seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, dressings, ketchup, mayonnaise, soup bases, noodle soup bases, curry powder, mirin, and roux; soy products such as tofu; and konjac. Preferably, the food products are roux (for example, for curry or stew), seasoning spices, or supplements.

[0042] Examples of beverages include coffee beverages; cocoa beverages; vegetable juices obtained from the aforementioned vegetables; fruit juices such as grapefruit juice, orange juice, grape juice, and lemon juice; tea beverages such as green tea, black tea, sencha, and oolong tea; alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine (red wine, white wine, or sparkling wine, etc.), sake, plum wine, sparkling wine, whiskey, brandy, shochu, rum, gin, and liqueurs; dairy beverages; soy milk beverages; liquid foods, thickened beverages (drinks to prevent aspiration); and sports drinks.

[0043] Food or beverages include animal feed. Examples of animals include primates, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, or mice.

[0044] These foods or beverages may optionally contain food additives and food ingredients, either individually or in combination of two or more, such as antioxidants, flavorings, acidulants, colorings, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, sweeteners, spices, pH adjusters, stabilizers, vegetable oils, animal oils, sugars and sugar alcohols, vitamins, organic acids, fruit extracts, vegetable extracts, grains, legumes, vegetables, meats, and seafood. The amounts of these food ingredients and food additives can be appropriately determined within a range that does not impair the purpose of the present invention.

[0045] These foods or beverages can be subjected to common sterilization treatments such as heat and pressure sterilization, batch sterilization, plate sterilization, electrostatic sterilization, microwave sterilization, and steam sterilization, including injection and infusion.

[0046] Food or beverages can be provided in packaging containers such as molded containers (PET bottles) mainly composed of polyethylene terephthalate, metal cans, paper containers composited with metal foil or plastic film, pouches such as aluminum pouches, plastic containers, vinyl containers, and bottles.

[0047] Foods and beverages include foods with functional claims, health foods, nutritional supplements, foods for specified health uses, foods for sick people, and foods for the elderly. [Examples]

[0048] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, "%" indicates mass%.

[0049] Example 1: Evaluation of the suppression or improvement of cognitive decline in subjects who ingested cumin oil capsules, and blood tests. The effect of cumin oil capsules (containing 25 mg of cumin aldehyde) on suppressing or improving cognitive decline was evaluated as a test sample. The cumin oil capsules contain a cumin extract containing cumin aldehyde, prepared by steam distillation. Cumin oil contains 43.04% by weight of cumin aldehyde, and the cumin oil capsules contain 6.56% by weight of cumin aldehyde. Nineteen men and women aged 65 and over who reported experiencing cognitive decline were given one cumin oil capsule per day for two weeks as the experimental group. Conversely, the same 19 men and women aged 65 and over who reported cognitive decline were given one placebo capsule per day for two weeks as the control group. Two weeks later, cognitive function tests (Cognitrax) and blood tests were performed and compared with the results before sample intake.

[0050] The results of the cognitive function tests are shown in Table 1 and Figures 2-3. [Table 1]

[0051] In the experimental group, Psychomotor speed and Reaction time were significantly improved compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in the remaining items: Composite memory, Verbal memory, Visual memory, Complex attention, Cognitive flexibility, Processing speed, Executive function, Simple attention, and Motor speed. Therefore, it was found that ingesting cumin oil capsules containing cumin aldehyde can suppress or improve the decline in cognitive function speed and reaction time.

[0052] The results of the blood test are shown in Table 2 and Figures 4-5. [Table 2]

[0053] In the experimental group, the levels of IL-6, a chronic inflammation marker, showed a significant improvement compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in the remaining items: dRoms, BAP, Aβ_42 / 40, BDNF, and TNFα. IL-6 is a chronic inflammation marker affecting the entire body, including the brain. Therefore, it was found that administering cumin oil capsules containing cumin aldehyde can suppress or improve chronic inflammation. [Industrial applicability]

[0054] The present invention's composition for suppressing or improving the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time can suppress or improve the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time. The present invention's composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation can suppress or improve chronic inflammation.

Claims

1. Cumin aldehyde, or Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) or processed products containing cuminaldehyde. A composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time, comprising:

2. The composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time according to claim 1, wherein the processed cumin is an extract or pulverized cumin seed of cumin.

3. A food composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time as described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The composition for suppressing or improving the decline of cognitive function speed or reaction time according to claim 3, wherein the target is young people, middle-aged and elderly people, elderly people, healthy people, people who are aware of a decline in cognitive function, or people who want to further improve cognitive function speed and / or reaction time.

5. A method for suppressing or improving the decline in cognitive function speed or reaction time in a subject, characterized by administering or ingesting the composition described in claim 3 (excluding medical procedures for humans).

6. Cumin aldehyde, or Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) or processed products containing cuminaldehyde. A composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation, comprising the above.

7. The composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation according to claim 6, wherein the processed cumin is an extract or pulverized cumin seed of cumin.

8. A composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation according to claim 6 or 7, which is for suppressing neurotransmission inhibition caused by chronic inflammation in the brain.

9. A food composition for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation as described in claim 6 or 7.

10. A method for suppressing or improving chronic inflammation in a subject, characterized by administering or ingesting the composition described in claim 6 or 7 (excluding medical procedures for humans).

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