Health foods and sleep disorder improving foods and sleep disorder improving agents using Jurou extract

Abstract

To provide a health food having the effect of improving sleep disorder, and a food or an agent for improving sleep disorder.SOLUTION: The inventive health food of Paris polyphylla includes the powder that is prepared by pulverizing the rhizomes of the Paris polyphylla plant, subjecting the pulverized rhizomes to the elution process with hydrous ethanol to give a concentrated liquid, which is then sprayed and dried. There are also provided a food or an agent for improving sleep disorder.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a health food, a food for improving sleep disorders, and an agent for improving sleep disorders, which uses the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla, a plant of the genus Parviflora in the family Liliaceae. [Background technology]

[0002] The present inventors have been conducting extensive research and development into health foods and therapeutic agents using natural plants, particularly plants of the genus Paeoniae of the Liliaceae family. Plants of the genus Paeoniae of the Liliaceae family, such as Paeonia suffruticosa, Paeonia suffruticosa, and Paeonia suffruticosa, are considered natural medicines in traditional Chinese medicine. Paeonia suffruticosa, particularly Yunnan Paeonia suffruticosa, is known to have hemostatic, detoxifying, immunoregulatory, cardiovascular, sedative, and analgesic effects, and is also taken orally to treat menstrual irregularities, irregular bleeding, infantile convulsions, chronic bronchitis, rheumatism, atopic dermatitis, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and, more recently, cancer, in the hope of its antitumor effects.

[0003] Conventionally, preventive and therapeutic agents and health foods using plants of the genus Paeoniae of the Liliaceae family have been proposed, for example, in JP 2003-81858 A (Patent Document 1) as preventive and therapeutic agents for diabetes, and in JP 2004-143126 A (Patent Document 2) the use of plants of the genus Paeoniae of the Liliaceae family as gastric mucosa protective agents has been proposed.

[0004] The active ingredient of the aforementioned sialosoma plant of the genus Tetranychus in the Liliaceae family is sialosoma saponin, but the standard value for the total sialosoma saponin content of sialosoma powder distributed in China is 0.6% or more. With such a low content of active ingredients, it is difficult to fully utilize the expected medicinal effects and improve the above-mentioned diseases unless a large amount is taken.

[0005] Furthermore, to obtain the excellent medicinal effects of saponin, it is desirable to ingest it in the form of a powder containing a high content of the active ingredient. However, the extraction rate of saponin varies greatly depending on the solvent, temperature, and time, and previous technology has not been able to extract a concentrated extract containing a high percentage of saponin, the main active ingredient, or to efficiently produce the powder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-81858 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-143126 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present inventors have discovered that the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla, a plant of the genus Parviflora in the Liliaceae family, can be used to produce a previously unknown effect of improving sleep disorders by ingesting a certain amount of Paris polyphylla extract powder. As mentioned above, Paris polyphylla is known to have various medicinal effects, but its effect of improving sleep disorders has not been proposed or clarified until now.

[0008] In particular, when using the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla, it is particularly important to improve the extraction efficiency of Paris polyphylla saponins. This is an important point, and as a result of further intensive research, the inventors have completed the present invention.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide foods or health foods with new functions based on jurousaponin by improving the extraction efficiency of jurousaponin through high-pressure extraction technology.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a food for improving sleep disorders and an agent for improving sleep disorders that are highly effective in improving sleep disorders. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention provides a health food and a food for improving sleep disorders, as well as a sleep disorder improving agent, made from the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla plants, which are crushed, extracted with aqueous ethanol, concentrated, and spray-dried to form a powder.

[0012] More specifically, the inventors have discovered that taking a certain amount or more of ginseng extract powder can produce a previously unknown effect of improving sleep disorders, and have established a manufacturing method for highly efficiently extracting ginseng saponin, the active ingredient in ginseng extract powder, and have completed the present invention as described below.

[0013] (1) A food product in the form of a single serving unit, containing 0.5 g or more of jurou extract powder as a single serving.

[0014] (2) A food product whose main ingredient is Jurou extract powder, which is obtained by dissolving crushed rhizomes of Yunnan Jurou twice with aqueous ethanol at 70℃ to 100℃, and then dissolving the liquid with hot water at 100℃, and concentrating the liquid under vacuum pressure of -0.06MPa to 0.1MPa and temperature conditions of 40℃ to 80℃.

[0015] (3) Foods in which the total content of jurou saponin in jurou extract powder is 2% or more.

[0016] (4) The food according to any one of (1) to (3) above, which is in the form of a powder, tablet, capsule, granule, solution, or jelly.

[0017] (5) The food product according to any one of (1) to (4) above, which is packaged in a single serving size.

[0018] (6) A food for improving sleep disorders, containing a substance that can become jurou saponin in an amount effective for improving sleep disorders.

[0019] (7) A food for improving sleep disorders according to (6) above, wherein the effective amount is 0.5 g or more per serving in terms of powdered cumin extract.

[0020] (8) A sleep disorder improving agent containing a substance that can become jurou saponin in an amount effective for improving sleep disorders. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] The health food of the present invention can improve the extraction efficiency of the saponin extract. In particular, the present invention optimizes the extraction efficiency of the active ingredient (saponin) in the saponin extract powder by introducing high-pressure extraction technology, providing a product with a higher saponin content than conventional products (saponin content of 2% or more in the saponin extract powder), making it possible to obtain maximum medicinal effects with a small intake.

[0022] Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a food for improving sleep disorders and a sleep disorder improving agent that are excellent in improving sleep disorders. That is, according to the present invention, a sleep disorder improving agent containing Chourou extract powder is provided, which can effectively or satisfactorily improve deep sleep disorders such as difficulty falling asleep, a feeling of sleep deprivation, or a lack of satisfaction with various states expected from adequate sleep. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the extraction process steps for highly efficient extraction of jujube saponin in one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. <Health food using Jurou extract> First, the invention of the health food using the Chou Lou extract of the present invention will be explained as follows.

[0025] (1) The essence of the present invention is a new use of saponin extract powder and a health food, sleep disorder improving food, or sleep disorder improving agent suitable for that use. Saponin is a general term for saponins composed of saponin I (C44H70O16), saponin II (C51H82O20), saponin VI (C39H62O13), and saponin VII (C51H82O21).

[0026] The component composition of the health food, food for improving sleep disorders, or sleep disorder improving agent using the Chou Lou extract of the present invention is exemplified by a health food made of powder that satisfies the standard values ​​in Table 1 below.

[0027] [Table 1]

[0028] (2) The food product of the present invention, which is in the form of a serving size, contains 0.5 g or more of a substance (a powdered extract of a substance obtained by extracting the crushed rhizomes of Yunnan Atractylodes macrocarpa) per serving, calculated as powdered extract of a substance, and the content of a powdered extract of a substance containing a saponin of ...

[0029] (3) "Food in the form of a unit intake per meal" refers to food in a form in which the amount to be consumed per meal is predetermined. In this specification, food is a concept that broadly encompasses anything that can be taken orally (excluding pharmaceuticals), including not only so-called "food" but also beverages, health supplements, health functional foods (foods for specified health uses, foods with nutrient functions), and supplements. Examples of the unit intake per meal include, for example, in the case of foods in the form of granules, powders, capsules, or tablets, where a fixed amount can be specified on the packaging, or the amount to be consumed per meal can be displayed on the container, etc.

[0030] (4) The form of the substance made of the powdered soybean extract contained in the food product is not particularly limited, and may be in the form of powder or granules, or may be in the form of tablets, capsules, solutions, or jellies. Among these, granules and powders are preferred for reasons of portability and ease of packaging.

[0031] (5) For example, in the case of a so-called health food, the food may be packaged in a form containing 0.5 g or more of granular churou extract powder in a unit intake amount per meal.

[0032] [Example] In the present invention, the procedure for producing health food using the Chou Lou extract is as follows, which is explained with reference to FIG. (1) Primary extraction: High-pressure extraction is performed using 6 times the volume of 75% aqueous ethanol at a pressure of 50 MPa and a temperature of 70-80°C (30 minutes). (2)Second extraction: Next, high-pressure extraction is performed using four times the amount of 75% aqueous ethanol at a pressure of 50 MPa and a temperature of 70-80°C (20 minutes). (3) Tertiary extraction: Next, extract with four times the amount of hot water at 80°C (1 hour). (4) Concentration process: Furthermore, the liquid obtained in the above steps (1) to (3) is concentrated under reduced pressure at a temperature of 40 to 60°C under a vacuum pressure of -0.06 to 0.1 MPa. (5) Spraying and drying process: Finally, dextrin in an amount 0.5 times the amount of the raw materials is added, and the mixture is spray-dried at a temperature of 90°C or higher to obtain a powder.

[0033] By the above procedure, the desired powdered health food product using the Chou Lou extract of the present invention was obtained.

[0034] In the above example, the concentrated extract obtained in the concentration step is powdered. However, the use of the concentrated extract after the extraction is not limited to the form of use, and may be other than that, for example, when the concentrated extract is used in its liquid state or when the liquid of the concentrated extract is used in a form other than powder.

[0035] <Foods for improving sleep disorders> and / or <Sleep disorder improvement agents> Another embodiment of the present invention is to use a food containing a powdered extract of the rhizomes of Yunnan Chonglou as a food for improving sleep disorders.

[0036] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to so-called foods, but can also be applied to so-called "sleep disorder improving agents," and includes these categories.

[0037] In these cases, the food for improving sleep disorders and / or the agent for improving sleep disorders can be produced according to the above procedures (1) to (4) or (1) to (5).

[0038] Here, "sleep disorders" refer to difficulties in falling asleep, a lack of satisfaction with deep sleep upon waking, a feeling of sleep deprivation, or a lack of satisfaction with various states expected from adequate sleep. Examples of sleep disorders include difficulty falling asleep, shallow sleep, difficulty transitioning to deep slow-wave sleep after falling asleep, sleep interruptions, not waking at the expected time, and insufficient sleep duration. Sleep disorders are also more likely to occur when the sleep environment is inappropriate, mental or physical stress is present, caffeine or other stimulants are consumed before bedtime, excessive alcohol consumption is present, irregular sleep cycles or disrupted biological rhythms are present, or time zone differences exist. Sleep is generally known not only for physical rest but also for more active relief of physical and mental fatigue, memory consolidation, and, particularly in deep sleep, for the secretion of growth hormones and other hormones, which promote growth and regulate metabolic balance in the body.

[0039] Therefore, if sleep disorders cause people to not get enough sleep and their physical and mental state does not improve, they feel tired, lose motivation for life, sleep too much the next day, feel tired, feel like they have not slept enough, or even have headaches, then improving these (improving sleep disorders) can be expected to result in, for example, a reduction in fatigue, improvements in physical and mental state such as a sense of alertness when waking up, a sense of having had deep sleep, a sense of having had good quality sleep, and an increased motivation for life and improved concentration.

[0040] In addition, irregular working patterns such as shift work and travel involving time differences can also cause sleep disorders, so improving these can be expected to improve concentration while awake, prevent excessive daytime sleepiness, reduce fatigue, and increase motivation to work.

[0041] The sleep disorder improving foods and sleep disorder improving agents of the present invention are foods that are effective not only in improving the sleep disorders described above, but also in improving the quality of sleep, thereby enabling the act of sleep to fulfill its inherent role. Such roles include, for example, feeling refreshed upon waking, reducing fatigue, and preventing excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep disorder improving foods are foods that can improve the sleep disorders described above. Note that the concept of so-called "insomnia" is also included in the concept of "sleep disorders" described above.

[0042] The food and sleep disorder improving agent of the present invention as a sleep disorder improving food contain a substance obtained by extracting the rhizome of Yunnan Chou Lou with aqueous ethanol to obtain Chou Lou extract powder (with a Chou Lou saponin content of more than 2%). The intake amount of the food for this use is preferably 16 mg to 25 mg / kg / day (daily intake per kg of body weight) in terms of Chou Lou extract powder. A value equal to or greater than the lower limit of the above-mentioned range is sufficient to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

[0043] These sleep-related effects are expected to improve sleep quality by improving sleep onset disorders in stressful environments. In today's lifestyles, it can be difficult to achieve regular sleep due to shift schedules and shift work. In such disrupted lifestyles, improving the feeling of deep sleep upon waking and reducing daytime sleepiness can improve quality of life.

[0044] The effects of Jurou extract powder as described above are thought to be related to several mechanisms, but its effect on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems is thought to be particularly prominent. Modern life is said to make it easy for the sympathetic nervous system to become dominant due to mental stress, but Jurou extract powder is thought to induce a transition to slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), improve the quality of sleep, appropriately regulate the activity of internal organs during sleep, and promote natural sleep.

[0045] When taking Chourou extract powder for such sleep-related purposes, it is best to take it before going to bed.

[0046] Eight adult subjects (weight 50-65 kg) who normally have difficulty falling asleep and feel that they are not getting enough sleep were given 1.5 g of the present invention's powdered cherries extract before going to bed. The results were compared between those who did not take the powder and those who did not. The ease with which they fell asleep and the feeling of deep sleep when they woke up the next morning were recorded. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0047] [Table 2]

[0048] The results of this experiment show that the ability to fall asleep and the feeling of deep sleep improved for all subjects depending on the number of days of intake.

[0049] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0050] For example, as a type of rhododendron, Yunnan rhododendron harvested in Yunnan Province, China is particularly preferable in terms of the ingredients contained therein and medicinal effects. [Industrial Applicability]

[0051] The present invention can be widely used industrially in health foods, foods for improving sleep disorders, and non-food agents for improving sleep disorders using the Chou Lou extract. (Addendum) In addition to the inventions described in the claims, the present invention also includes the following aspects.

[0052] Supplementary Note 1. A food or drug for improving sleep disorders that uses Jourou extract, which is made from the rhizomes of the Jourou (Paris polyphylla) plant, crushed, and extracted under high pressure with aqueous ethanol and hot water, followed by concentrating the liquid.

[0053] Appendix 2. A food or agent for improving sleep disorders as described in Appendix 1 above, whose ingredient composition satisfies the following standard values: TIFF0007756410000003.tif41170

[0054] Appendix 3. A food or agent for improving sleep disorders according to Appendix 1 or 2 above, which is obtained by crushing the rhizomes of the Paris polyphylla plant as a raw material, eluting the rhizomes twice with aqueous ethanol at 70-80°C under a high pressure of 50 MPa, and then eluting the liquid with hot water at 80°C or higher, and concentrating the liquid under a vacuum pressure of -0.06-0.1 MPa at a temperature of 40-60°C.

[0055] Appendix 4. A food or agent for improving sleep disorders according to any one of Appendixes 1 to 3, which consists of the concentrated extract spray-dried into powder.

[0056] Appendix 5. A food or agent for improving sleep disorders according to Appendix 4 above, which is obtained by adding an excipient to the powder and forming it into granules or tablets.

[0057] Appendix 6. A food or agent for improving sleep disorders according to any one of Appendixes 1 to 3, wherein the concentrated extract is formed into a capsule, solution, or jelly form.

Claims

1. A method for producing Paris polyphylla extract, comprising the steps of crushing the rhizome of Paris polyphylla plant as raw material, extracting it with aqueous ethanol at a high pressure of 50 MPa, and then concentrating the liquid extracted with hot water.

2. 2. The method for producing the extract of claim 1, comprising the steps of crushing the rhizome of Paris polyphylla plant as raw material, eluting the rhizome twice with aqueous ethanol at 70-80°C under a high pressure of 50 MPa, and then eluting the liquid with hot water at 80°C or higher, and concentrating the resulting liquid under a vacuum pressure of -0.06-0.1 MPa at a temperature of 40-60°C.

3. A method for producing a powder of cumin extract, comprising the step of spray-drying the cumin extract produced by the method according to claim 1 or 2 to obtain a powder.

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