The present invention aims to provide a microbiota improving agent for improving at least one of mucosal microbiota,
skin microbiota, or nail microbiota, the microbiota improving agent exhibiting a high
pathogenic bacteria inhibitory effect while maintaining resident non-
pathogenic bacteria, thus persistently improving the microbiota balance. The present invention relates to a microbiota improving agent for improving at least one of mucosal microbiota,
skin microbiota, or nail microbiota, the microbiota improving agent containing: a substance (X); and a base (Y) containing a non-volatile component, the substance (X) including at least one selected from the group consisting of a compound (X1) having two or more hydroxy groups contained in at least one
oxoacid group and a salt of the compound (X1), a compound (X2) having one
hydroxy group contained in an
oxoacid group and a salt of the compound (X2), a
heterocyclic compound (X3) having no
oxoacid group and a salt of the compound (X3), and a
ketone (X4) having no oxoacid group. In the compound (X1), a total
mass percentage of the at least one oxoacid group, a
hydroxy group not contained in the oxoacid group, a
carbonyl group not contained in the oxoacid group, carbon atoms contained in an
imidazole skeleton and a
pyridine skeleton, and
nitrogen atoms contained in the
imidazole skeleton and the
pyridine skeleton is 45% by
mass or more based on a molecular weight of the compound (X1). The compound (X2) has an atom having an unshared
electron pair, the atom excluding atoms contained in the oxoacid group and atoms contained in an amino group not constituting an
imidazole skeleton and in an amino group not constituting a
pyridine skeleton. In the compound (X2), a total
mass percentage of the oxoacid group, a
hydroxy group not contained in the oxoacid group, a
carbonyl group not contained in the oxoacid group, carbon atoms contained in an imidazole skeleton and a pyridine skeleton, and
nitrogen atoms contained in the imidazole skeleton and the pyridine skeleton is 55% by mass or more based on a molecular weight of the compound (X2). The
heterocyclic compound (X3) has an imidazole skeleton or a pyridine skeleton and at least one of a hydroxy group or a
carbonyl group, or has two or more skeletons selected from the group consisting of an imidazole skeleton and a pyridine skeleton. The
ketone (X4) has a linear β-
diketone structure. The substance (X) has a molecular weight of 550 or less. The non-volatile component has an HLB value of 7 or more. The microbiota improving agent satisfies the following conditions (i) and (ii): (i) the microbiota improving agent has a worked penetration of 100 to 400 as measured in accordance with JIS K 2220; and (ii) the microbiota improving agent has a
viscosity at 37° C. of 1 to 4,000 Pa·s as measured with a cone-and-plate
rheometer.