Composition for improving motor function containing dried powder of Japanese knotweed leaves, anti-allergic composition, and method for producing dried powder of Japanese knotweed leaves

Abstract

To provide a method of effective use of a Japanese knotweed leaf that has a vitalizer function of increasing the amount of exercise.SOLUTION: A Japanese knotweed leaf dry powdery substance, characterized by using a Japanese knotweed leaf. A Japanese knotweed leaf dry powdery substance, characterized by containing at least the following components (a) to (d). (a) neochlorogenic acid (b) chlorogenic acid (c) rutin (d) quercetin. An exercise function improving composition, characterized by containing a Japanese knotweed leaf dry powdery substance as an active ingredient.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dry powder material using Japanese Knotweed leaves. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese knotweed is a perennial plant of the Polygonaceae family, and it has been widely known that the dried root and rhizome parts have been used as a herbal medicine (kojo root) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, particularly in Kochi Prefecture, the young stems that sprout in the spring are harvested and enjoyed as a food ingredient, mainly in ordinary households (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] However, as mentioned above, Japanese knotweed is harvested either before the leaves grow thick (around spring) for food or after the leaves die (around autumn to winter) for the roots and rhizomes as herbal medicine, and there is no known effective use for the leaves. Japanese knotweed grows quickly, and the leaves grow thick and the stems branch out and become hard, so despite being a highly reproductive plant, it has not been used effectively enough. As for food, only a small amount of "Japanese knotweed bean paste yokan" has been suggested (see Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-56685 [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-103849 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-203856 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to effectively utilize the leaf parts of Japanese knotweed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors fed an extract of dried and crushed Japanese knotweed leaves to mice and evaluated lipid metabolism. They found that Japanese knotweed leaves suppress weight gain and improve lipid metabolism, and that they can also be expected to function as a stimulant to increase activity. They further found that Japanese knotweed leaves contain at least four components, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin, and that they contain higher amounts of each component than other parts of Japanese knotweed, and that they contain particularly higher amounts of neochlorogenic acid than other edible leaves, which led to the completion of the present invention.

[0007] The first invention is a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that it uses Japanese knotweed leaves.

[0008] A second invention is a dried powdery substance of Japanese Knotweed leaves, characterized by containing at least the following components (a) to (d): (a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin

[0009] A third invention is a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that the leaves of Japanese knotweed have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more.

[0010] The fourth invention is a composition for improving motor function, which contains dried powder of Japanese knotweed leaves as an active ingredient.

[0011] The fifth invention is a food containing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves. According to the present invention, the active ingredient contained in the dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves can be easily ingested as, for example, noodles, bread, green juice, smoothies, and other foods.

[0012] The sixth invention is a beverage obtained by extracting or dissolving a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves in water or hot water. According to the present invention, the active ingredient contained in the dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves can be easily ingested as a beverage such as tea.

[0013] The seventh invention is a method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are dried at 80° C. or less and pulverized by a pulverizer. According to the present invention, a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves can be produced while retaining the active ingredients that would be lost in a high-temperature environment.

[0014] The eighth invention is a method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are dried at 25° C. to 45° C. According to the present invention, a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves can be produced easily in a temperature range that is suitable for use in a general low-temperature dryer, and a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves can be produced with minimal loss of active ingredients.

[0015] The ninth invention is a method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that the collected Japanese knotweed leaves are frozen and then dried. According to the present invention, by freezing, the Japanese knotweed leaves can be stored in a frozen state for a long period of time, and active ingredients can be efficiently extracted from the dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves. Effect of the Invention

[0016] By making Japanese knotweed leaves into a dried powdered substance, the present invention makes it possible to easily ingest Japanese knotweed leaves, which have the functions of suppressing weight gain, improving lipid metabolism, and even acting as a stimulant to increase the amount of exercise, and makes effective use of parts of Japanese knotweed leaves that have not been effectively used until now.

[0017] The dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves of the present invention is dried and then pulverized, which not only offers great advantages in terms of storage and distribution, but also makes it very easy to use in foods and beverages, and is therefore likely to have a wide range of uses. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a production flow of a dried powdery material of Japanese knotweed leaves according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 shows (a) fecal triglycerides for each group and (b) fecal cholesterol for each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 shows the amount of locomotion (integrated amount of locomotion) during tail suspension in each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 shows the body weight of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 shows the visceral fat weight of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 shows the weight of mesenteric fat in each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 shows the weight of epididymal fat in each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 shows perirenal fat weight for each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 shows liver weights for each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 shows the liver triglyceride levels of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 shows the liver cholesterol levels of each group in the functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 shows serum triglyceride levels in each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 shows serum cholesterol levels in each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 shows the expression level of MCAD in the liver of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 shows the expression level of IGF-1 in the gastrocnemius muscle of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 shows the expression level of FGF21 in the gastrocnemius muscle of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 shows the expression level of FGF21 in the liver of each group in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the change in β-hexosaminidase release rate from RBL-2H3 due to Japanese knotweed leaf extract in a functionality evaluation experiment. [Figure 19] Photograph showing the state after crushing for Example 1 of the present invention. [Figure 20] Photograph showing the state after straining for Example 1 of the present invention. [Figure 21] Photograph showing the state after grinding for Example 3 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a production flow of a dried powdery material of Japanese Knotweed leaves of the present invention, which comprises the following steps (a) to (c).

[0020] (a) Japanese knotweed leaves 2 are collected from wild or cultivated Japanese knotweed 1. (b) The Japanese knotweed leaves 2 are dried using a drying device 10. (c) Dried Japanese knotweed leaves 3 are crushed by a crushing device 20.

[0021] The above process produces a dried powdery substance 4 of Japanese knotweed leaves. This dried powdery substance 4 of Japanese knotweed leaves can be put directly into a container or the like for commercial distribution, and can also be easily processed into foods such as noodles kneaded with wheat flour, or beverages such as tea extracted from tea leaves, and can also be used as a composition for improving motor function.

[0022] Japanese knotweed leaves contain four active ingredients: neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin.

[0023] The best time to collect Japanese knotweed leaves is from July to September, when the leaf blades are at least 50 mm long.

[0024] The drying method is preferably carried out at 80° C. or less to prevent a decrease in the active ingredients. In this embodiment, a gas dryer with a set temperature of 80° C. is used as the drying device. The dried leaves are dried for a specified time until the moisture content is such that the leaf stalk breaks with a snapping sound when force is applied to the leaf stalk.

[0025] Furthermore, in order to prevent a decrease in the active ingredients, it is more preferable to dry at 25° C. to 45° C. This temperature range is compatible with the temperature range used in general low-temperature dryers, so production can be easily performed using a low-temperature dryer.

[0026] In addition, the Japanese knotweed leaves may be dried in the sun before being dried using a drying device.

[0027] In addition, the Japanese knotweed leaves may be frozen before being dried in a drying device. By freezing the leaves, they can be stored for a long period of time in a frozen state, and the active ingredients can be efficiently extracted.

[0028] The grinding method may be performed using a conventional grinding device such as a cutter mill, a ball mill, or any other known grinding device. In this embodiment, a food processor is used.

[0029] In addition, the powdery substance is not limited to the so-called powder, but may be granular or any other substance of a certain size. The size of the powdery material obtained after pulverization can be adjusted by the type of pulverizing device or the number of pulverization steps.

[0030] In light of the fact that the root and rhizome parts have traditionally been used as herbal medicines, the inventors conducted a functionality evaluation of Japanese knotweed leaves. They prepared an 80% ethanol extract from Japanese knotweed leaves harvested in Kochi Prefecture in July, and administered the extract to mice to evaluate its functionality in terms of lipid metabolism.

[0031] 1. Method 1-1. Preparation of 80% ethanol extract from Japanese knotweed leaves 287 g of low-temperature dried Japanese knotweed leaves were crushed and stirred overnight in 13 L of 80% ethanol. The mixture was then centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes, and the supernatant was collected as the extract. The extract was filtered and concentrated using an evaporator. The concentrated extract was freeze-dried to obtain 102.67 g of extract. The resulting extract was used as the Japanese knotweed leaf extract in a mouse feeding experiment.

[0032] 1-2. Rearing experiment using 80% ethanol extract of Japanese knotweed leaves Seven-week-old C57BL / 6J male mice were divided into four groups of eight mice each, and bred for five weeks (38 days): low-fat diet group (LF group), high-fat diet group (HF group), 0.5% Itadori diet group (HF group) in which 0.5% Itadori leaf extract was added to the HF (0.5% IT group), and 1.0% Itadori diet group (HF group) in which 1.0% Itadori leaf extract was added to the HF (1.0% IT group). The feed composition table for each group was shown in Table 1.

[0033] [Table 1]

[0034] On the 15th day of feeding, feces were collected from each group and fecal triglyceride and cholesterol levels were measured. On the 35th day of rearing, a 6-minute tail suspension test was performed to measure the amount of locomotion. On the 38th day of rearing, the animals were dissected and the body weight, visceral fat weight (epididymal fat weight, perirenal fat weight, and mesenteric fat weight), liver weight, liver triglyceride level, liver cholesterol level, serum triglyceride level, and serum cholesterol level were measured.

[0035] 1-3. Anti-allergy test using Japanese knotweed leaf extract Using a rat basophil-derived cell line (RBL-2H3), the β-hexosaminidase release rate was measured by adding an aqueous extract or an ethanol extract of Japanese Knotweed leaves, and this was used as an index of the degranulation inhibitory effect.

[0036] 2.Results 2-1. Fecal triglyceride and cholesterol levels The amounts of fecal triglyceride and cholesterol are shown in Table 2 and Figures 2(a) and 2(b). Both the amounts of fecal triglyceride and fecal cholesterol were lower in the group that ingested the Japanese knotweed leaf extract, and this tendency became stronger as the concentration became higher.

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] 2-2. Tail suspension test The accumulated activity values ​​for each group in the 6-minute tail suspension test are shown in Table 3 and Figure 3. The values ​​were significantly lower in the HF group than in the LF group, suggesting that activity is reduced by a high-fat diet (obesity). However, the HF group value was higher in the 1.0% IT group, suggesting that activity can be restored by adding a high concentration of Japanese knotweed leaf extract, even in the case of a high-fat diet.

[0039] [Table 3]

[0040] 2-3. Body weight and visceral fat weight The body weight and visceral fat weight (epididymal fat weight, perirenal fat weight, and mesenteric fat weight) of each group at the time of dissection are shown in Table 4. Figures 4 to 6 show the weights of various internal fats. Only mesenteric fat showed significantly lower values ​​in the group administered Japanese Knotweed Leaf Extract compared to the HF group. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the body weight and visceral fat weight were significantly lower in the 1.0% IT group than the HF group. This suggests that a diet containing a high concentration of Japanese Knotweed Leaf Extract makes it difficult for visceral fat to accumulate, or may lead to weight loss.

[0041] [Table 4]

[0042] 2-4. Liver data The average liver weight, liver triglyceride, and liver cholesterol for each group are shown in Table 5. As shown in Figure 9, liver weight was smaller in the 1.0% IT group than in the HF and 0.5% IT groups. As shown in Figure 10, there was no significant difference in liver triglyceride between the HF and IT groups, but the 1.0% IT group had a lower value than the 0.5% IT group. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, liver cholesterol was significantly lower in the 1.0% IT group than the HF group.

[0043] [Table 5]

[0044] 2-5.Blood Data The mean serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol values ​​for each group are shown in Table 6. As shown in Figure 12, serum triglyceride values ​​were significantly lower in the 1.0% IT group than in the HF group. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, no significant difference was observed in serum cholesterol among the groups.

[0045] [Table 6]

[0046] 2-6. Metabolic gene data 1) Fatty acid breakdown in the liver The effect on medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in the liver is shown in Figure 14. MCAD is an enzyme that acts in the first stage of fatty acid β-oxidation. In this experiment, the administration of Japanese knotweed showed an effect of suppressing body fat accumulation and lowering serum triglyceride levels, which was due to the fact that the Japanese knotweed extract induced an increase in β-oxidation in the liver.

[0047] 2) Promotion of mitokine-related gene expression in skeletal muscle Mitokines are skeletal muscle enhancing factors secreted by skeletal muscles. In this experiment, IGF-1 and FGF21 were selected as mitokines, and their expression levels in skeletal muscles were examined. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the expression levels of IGF-1 and FGF21 increased with the administration of Japanese knotweed. This suggests that the amount of skeletal muscles that carry out β-oxidation of fats is increased.

[0048] 3) Suppression of FGF21 gene expression in the liver When mice are fed a high-fat diet, the amount of FGF21 in the liver increases. However, as shown in Figure 17, administration of Japanese knotweed significantly suppresses FGF21 gene expression in the liver. In the future, we will investigate the effects on fatty liver and the preventive and therapeutic effects on diseases related to high-fat diet intake.

[0049] 2-7. Anti-allergic effect β-hexosaminidase is a lysosomal enzyme that is abundantly present in the granules of basophils, and the amount released outside the cell correlates with the amount of degranulation. Therefore, it is considered one of the indicators of anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. As shown in Figure 18, the amount of degranulation was significantly suppressed by adding Japanese knotweed leaf extract. As shown in Table 7, the addition of 500 μg / ml of the aqueous extract suppressed degranulation by 97.4%, while the addition of 250 μg / ml of the ethanol extract suppressed degranulation by 88.7%.

[0050] [Table 7]

[0051] As described above, the 1.0% IT group showed a reduction in body weight and visceral fat, confirming that the Japanese Knotweed Leaf Extract is expected to have an effect of suppressing weight gain. In addition, the reduction in serum triglycerides was confirmed, confirming that the extract is expected to have an effect of improving lipid metabolism. The amount of exercise was also higher in the control group than in the HF group, confirming that it may also function as a stimulant. Fecal triglyceride levels were lower in the 0.5% IT and 1.0% IT groups in a concentration-dependent manner than in the HF group, suggesting that lipid absorption may have improved. Furthermore, the 1.0% IT group experienced weight loss and a decrease in neutral fat, suggesting that lipid burning in the body has been promoted.

[0052] The reason why Japanese knotweed has the effect of lowering body fat and serum triglycerides is that Japanese knotweed extract enhances the breakdown of fatty acids in the liver.Furthermore, it is thought that by increasing the amount of skeletal muscle, it breaks down fat in the body through the gene expression of mitokines, which increase skeletal muscle, an organ that breaks down fatty acids like the liver.

[0053] Regarding anti-allergic properties, some polyphenols have been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. Chlorogenic acid, which is abundant in Japanese knotweed leaves, has also been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties, which is thought to support the results of this study. In addition, there have been few reports on the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties of neochlorogenic acid, which is abundant in Japanese knotweed leaves, but as it is a derivative of chlorogenic acid, it is assumed to have similar effects, and it is thought that the high anti-inflammatory effects were achieved by the actions of both chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid.

[0054] In order to confirm that Japanese knotweed leaves contain a large amount of polyphenols, the inventors first measured the polyphenol content using a boiled liquid and powder of Japanese knotweed leaves. At this time, the boiled liquid was obtained by boiling 4g of dried leaves in 1L of water, and the powder was obtained by crushing the dried leaves. In addition, as a comparison, the boiled liquid and powder of bayberry leaves prepared in the same manner were used to measure the polyphenol content. The following Table 8 shows the results.

[0055] [Table 8]

[0056] As shown in Table 8 above, it was confirmed that Japanese knotweed leaves contain significantly more polyphenols than Bayberry leaves.

[0057] Next, in order to confirm that Japanese knotweed leaves have a higher neochlorogenic acid content than other edible leaves, the inventors performed component analysis by chromatography using spinach and Chinese chives as comparative samples.

[0058] [Table 9]

[0059] As shown in Table 9 above, it was confirmed that Japanese knotweed leaves harvested in July in particular contained 3,549 times as much neochlorogenic acid as spinach, and 55 times as much neochlorogenic acid as Chinese chives.

[0060] In order to effectively utilize Japanese knotweed leaves, which have been confirmed to have a higher content of neochlorogenic acid than other edible leaves from Table 9 above, a component analysis was carried out by chromatography to check for the presence or absence of active ingredients contained in Japanese knotweed leaves that have the lipid metabolism improving effect confirmed in the mouse experiment described above, and it was confirmed that the leaves contain four active ingredients: neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin. Table 10 below shows the content of active ingredients in the leaves and the parts other than the leaves (skin and stems) used for comparison by harvest month.

[0061] [Table 10]

[0062] As seen from Table 10 above, compared to the bark and stem parts of Japanese knotweed used for comparison, the leaves of Japanese knotweed contain higher levels of all four active ingredients.

[0063] Therefore, the inventors conducted experiments to establish a method for processing Japanese knotweed leaves, which contain four active ingredients, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and quercetin, to make these active ingredients easier to ingest and to increase convenience in terms of storage, distribution, and secondary processing.

[0064] As itadori is a perennial plant, it grows from spring to autumn and ripens its fruit in autumn. In winter, the above-ground parts die, and in spring, sprouts appear from the underground stems.

[0065] The leaves grow to a size of about 60mm to 150mm, but the best time to harvest them is from July to September, when the leaf blade will be at least 50mm long.

[0066] Table 11 below shows that the content of active ingredients changes depending on the harvest time of Japanese knotweed leaves. That is why.

[0067] [Table 11]

[0068] The harvested Japanese knotweed leaves contain a lot of water and are not suitable for storage or distribution as is, so they are dried in a dryer. The following Table 12 shows the neochlorogenic acid content after drying for a specified period of time at high temperatures of 80℃, 100℃, and 125℃.

[0069] [Table 12]

[0070] From Table 12, it was confirmed that high-temperature drying at or above 80°C reduces the content of at least the neochlorogenic acid among the active ingredients, and it was found that the amount of reduction tends to increase in proportion to the temperature and the length of drying time.

[0071] Next, a low-temperature drying experiment was conducted. Fresh and dried Japanese knotweed leaves were used as samples, and the Japanese knotweed leaf samples were extracted as tea beverages and the content of active ingredients was analyzed by chromatography, as shown in Table 13 below. At this time, the leaves were once frozen and then dried at room temperature (10°C) as a drying method.

[0072] [Table 13]

[0073] From Table 13 above, it was confirmed that dried tea leaves contain more neochlorogenic acid than fresh tea leaves. This is in contrast to the experimental results shown in Table 12 above, in which neochlorogenic acid was significantly reduced when high-temperature drying was performed. Therefore, it can be said that drying at low temperatures is an effective drying method. Also, freezing before drying allows for long-term storage in a frozen state, and it is also thought that freezing destroys the cell walls of Japanese knotweed leaves, allowing more active ingredients to be extracted.

[0074] The dried Japanese knotweed leaves are finely processed by a grinding device. The grinding device used may be, for example, a cutter mill, a ball mill, or any other conventionally known grinding device. In this embodiment, a food processor is used.

[0075] As described above, the dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves of the present invention is dried and then pulverized, which not only has great advantages in terms of storage and distribution, but also makes it very easy to use in foods and beverages, and is likely to have a wide range of uses.

[0076] The above experiments were conducted by Kochi Prefectural University (experiments conducted by Kazuhito Takemoto, Masaki Iji, and Hiroyuki Watanabe). EXAMPLES

[0077] (1) Thaw 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that were harvested and stored in a frozen state by leaving them at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour. (2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened and placed on a tray, after which they are immersed in pH-adjusted hypochlorous acid water and stirred for 5 minutes to disinfect. (3) The entire amount of the Japanese knotweed leaves is divided into 300 to 500 g portions, which are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and first dried at 40°C for 20 hours, and then further dried at 70°C for 1 hour. (4) The Japanese knotweed leaves, which had been dried to a moisture content of 8% or less, were hand-kneaded and put into a mixer and crushed for about 30 seconds (see Figure 19), and then sieved through a 50-mesh sieve to obtain a fine powder (see Figure 20). EXAMPLES

[0078] (1) Thaw 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that were harvested and stored in a frozen state by leaving them at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour. (2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened, and the total amount is divided into portions of 300 to 500 g each. These are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and first dried at 40°C for 20 hours, and then further dried at 70°C for 1 hour. (3) The Japanese knotweed leaves, which had been dried to a moisture content of 8% or less, were hand-kneaded and placed in a mixer. After being crushed for about 30 seconds, they were sieved through a 50-mesh sieve to obtain a fine powder. EXAMPLES

[0079] (1) Thaw 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that were harvested and stored in a frozen state by leaving them at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour. (2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened and placed on a tray, after which they are immersed in pH-adjusted hypochlorous acid water and stirred for 5 minutes to disinfect. (3) The entire amount of the Japanese knotweed leaves is divided into 300 to 500 g portions, which are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and dried at 40° C. for 6 hours. (4) Japanese knotweed leaves dried to a moisture content of less than 8% were hand-crushed and placed in a mixer, then crushed for about 1 second to obtain a coarse powder (see Figure 21). EXAMPLES

[0080] (1) Thaw 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that were harvested and stored in a frozen state by leaving them at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour. (2) The Japanese knotweed leaves are thoroughly loosened, and the total amount is divided into portions of 300 to 500 g each. These are placed on the drying rack of an electric dryer and dried at 40°C for 6 hours. (3) Japanese knotweed leaves dried to a moisture content of less than 8% were hand-crushed and placed in a mixer, then crushed for about 1 second to obtain a coarse powder.

[0081] The steps for Examples 1 to 4 above are provided in Table 14 below.

[0082] [Table 14]

[0083] In Examples 1 to 4, 1 kg of Japanese knotweed leaves that had been harvested and then stored in a frozen state was left at room temperature (22°C) for 1 hour to thaw, after which no deterioration or dripping was observed, and the materials were easily separated. It was therefore confirmed that frozen storage is an effective means of preserving harvested Japanese knotweed leaves in a fresh state for long periods of time.

[0084] In addition, in order to prevent the leaves from sticking to each other at the wet parts during drying, which would result in poor ventilation, it is preferable to stir the leaves appropriately during drying.

[0085] Furthermore, poor drying efficiency can result in uneven drying, which can lead to bacterial growth inside the dryer and deterioration of product quality. Therefore, in order to ensure breathability, it is preferable to place approximately 300 to 500 g of Japanese knotweed leaves on one shelf of the electric dryer.

[0086] Regarding color, it was bright green before drying due to moisture, but after drying, it was observed to become lighter in color. Although the drying times of Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 3 and 4 are different, there was no difference in color between Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 3 and 4. In addition, Examples 1 and 3 and Examples 2 and 4 differ in the presence or absence of a disinfection process using hypochlorous acid water, but there was no difference in color between Examples 1 and 3 and Examples 2 and 4.

[0087] In terms of weight, Examples 1 and 2, which were dried at 40°C for 20 hours and at 70°C for 1 hour, had a lighter finished weight than Examples 3 and 4, which were dried at 40°C for 6 hours, and it is presumed that this is due to the difference in moisture content.

[0088] As described above, there are differences between Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 3 and 4 in terms of moisture content and form (fine powder and coarse powder). However, the results of Examples 3 and 4 confirmed that a coarse powder product can be produced by drying at least for 6 hours at 40°C. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1 Japanese knotweed, 2 Japanese knotweed leaves, 3 dried Japanese knotweed leaves, 4 dried powdered material of Japanese knotweed leaves, 10 drying device, 20 crushing device

Claims

1. A composition for improving motor function containing a dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves, Contains at least the following components (a) to (d): (a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin It has a muscle-building effect or an exercise-enhancing effect, A composition for improving motor function comprising a dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves, wherein the Japanese knotweed leaves have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more.

2. An anti-allergic composition containing a dried powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves, Contains at least the following components (a) to (d): (a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin It has anti-allergic effects, An anti-allergic composition containing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, wherein the Japanese knotweed leaves have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more.

3. A method for producing a dry powder material of Japanese knotweed leaves, comprising the steps of: The collected Japanese knotweed leaves are dried at 40°C or less using a dryer and crushed using a crusher. The obtained dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves contains at least the following components (a) to (d): (a) Neochlorogenic acid (b) Chlorogenic acid (c) Rutin (d) Quercetin A method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves, characterized in that the Japanese knotweed leaves have a leaf blade of at least 50 mm or more.

4. 4. The method for producing a dried powdery substance of Japanese knotweed leaves according to claim 3, characterized in that the harvested Japanese knotweed leaves are frozen and then dried.

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