Abstract: To provide a microbial oil that contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) at a high concentration and can effectively exert the function of EPA. A microbial oil containing EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in which the content of EPA is 38% by area or greater relative to the total fatty acids and which has at least one fatty acid ratio selected from the group consisting of (a) to (c): (a) a ratio of the content of EPA to the content of DHA of 1.7 or more; (b) a ratio of the content of fatty acid(s) having 18 carbon atoms to the content of fatty acid(s) having 20 carbon atoms of 0.3 or less; and (c) a ratio of the content of fatty acid(s) having 18 carbon atoms to the content of fatty acid(s) having 22 carbon atoms of 1.5 or less.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof. Substance production of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof has been possible by the conventional technology. However, concentrations of the produced substances have been low. The substance production of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof has been possible. However, the substances produced cannot be obtained in sufficient concentrations and cannot be used as compositions. The present invention provides very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof with increased concentrations. Moreover, the object of the present invention is to provide a composition comprising very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising: a specific amount of at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or in free fatty acid form; and specific amount of thermally-produced fatty acid having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms in a fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form. A production method thereof comprising: providing a starting oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in an alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form obtained from microbial biomass; performing a rectification of the starting oil under specific conditions; and obtaining the aforementioned microbial oil. A concentrated microbial oil obtained using the production method described above, and a production method thereof. An agent for treating or preventing an inflammatory disease comprising the microbial oil or the concentrated microbial oil.

Abstract: Provided is a dried powder of microorganisms, which is highly suitable for processing and has excellent usefulness as one component of various products. The present invention provides: a dried powder of microorganisms, the dried powder exhibiting a brightness of 55 or more and a chromaticness of 18 or less; and a method for producing a dried powder of microorganisms, the method comprising: washing microorganisms at least once with a liquid having an osmotic pressure lower than that of a liquid culture medium for culturing the microorganisms; and drying and heating the microorganisms after the washing to thereby obtain the dried powder of the microorganisms, which exhibits a brightness of 55 or more and a chromaticness of 18 or less.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising: a specific amount of at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or in free fatty acid form; and specific amount of thermally-produced fatty acid having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms in a fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form. A production method thereof comprising: providing a starting oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in an alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form obtained from microbial biomass; performing a rectification of the starting oil under specific conditions; and obtaining the aforementioned microbial oil. A concentrated microbial oil obtained using the production method described above, and a production method thereof. An agent for treating or preventing an inflammatory disease comprising the microbial oil or the concentrated microbial oil.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising: a specific amount of at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or in free fatty acid form; and specific amount of thermally-produced fatty acid having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms in a fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form. A production method thereof comprising: providing a starting oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in an alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form obtained from microbial biomass; performing a rectification of the starting oil under specific conditions; and obtaining the aforementioned microbial oil. A concentrated microbial oil obtained using the production method described above, and a production method thereof. An agent for treating or preventing an inflammatory disease comprising the microbial oil or the concentrated microbial oil.

Abstract: Provided is a free-polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-containing composition that has a total metal content of 0.1 ppm or less and that comprises at least one free polyunsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, in an amount that is at least 80.0% of the amount of fatty acids in the composition; and a method for manufacturing a free-polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-containing composition, comprising: providing a raw material composition containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms; performing a hydrolysis treatment on a reaction solution prepared by combining the provided raw material composition, a lower alcohol, water having a total metal content of 0.01 ppm or less, and an alkali catalyst; and limiting the contact between the reaction composition and the metal after the hydrolysis treatment so that the product T [cm2×days] of the contact surface area [cm2] per 1 g and the contact time [days] between the composition and the metal is 100 or less.

Abstract: Provided is a free-polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-containing composition that has a total metal content of 0.1 ppm or less and that comprises at least one free polyunsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, in an amount that is at least 80.0% of the amount of fatty acids in the composition; and a method for manufacturing a free-polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-containing composition, comprising: providing a raw material composition containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms; performing a hydrolysis treatment on a reaction solution prepared by combining the provided raw material composition, a lower alcohol, water having a total metal content of 0.01 ppm or less, and an alkali catalyst; and limiting the contact between the reaction composition and the metal after the hydrolysis treatment so that the product T [cm2×days] of the contact surface area [cm2] per 1 g and the contact time [days] between the composition and the metal is 100 or less.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an oil/lipid that contains dihomo-?-linolenic acid at a higher purity. Provided is a microbial oil/lipid that is specified by a high content of dihomo-?-linolenic acid contained therein and/or a reduced content of undesirable constituting fatty acid(s).

Abstract: To provide a microbial oil that contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) at a high concentration and can effectively exert the function of EPA. A microbial oil containing EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in which the content of EPA is 38% by area or greater relative to the total fatty acids and which has at least one fatty acid ratio selected from the group consisting of (a) to (c): (a) a ratio of the content of EPA to the content of DHA of 1.7 or more; (b) a ratio of the content of fatty acid(s) having 18 carbon atoms to the content of fatty acid(s) having 20 carbon atoms of 0.3 or less; and (c) a ratio of the content of fatty acid(s) having 18 carbon atoms to the content of fatty acid(s) having 22 carbon atoms of 1.5 or less.

Abstract: Provided is a dried powder of microorganisms, which is highly suitable for processing and has excellent usefulness as one component of various products. The present invention provides: a dried powder of microorganisms, the dried powder exhibiting a brightness of 55 or more and a chromaticness of 18 or less; and a method for producing a dried powder of microorganisms, the method comprising: washing microorganisms at least once with a liquid having an osmotic pressure lower than that of a liquid culture medium for culturing the microorganisms; and drying and heating the microorganisms after the washing to thereby obtain the dried powder of the microorganisms, which exhibits a brightness of 55 or more and a chromaticness of 18 or less.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising dihomo-?-linolenic acid as a constituent fatty acid of an oil, the microbial oil has a content, in terms of a weight ratio of arachidonic acid relative to dihomo-?-linolenic acid (arachidonic acid/dihomo-?-linolenic acid) of less than 1/13. Preferably, the microbial oil has a triglyceride content of greater than or equal to 70% by weight, and a saturated fatty acid content of less than or equal to 40% by weight. Moreover, a lower alcohol ester of dihomo-?-linolenic acid or a free fatty acid of dihomo-?-linolenic acid obtained from the microbial oil is provided.

Abstract: A method for producing monovalent unsaturated free fatty acids having 20 and/or 22 carbons or low-grade alcohol esters thereof, said method involving the following: obtaining free fatty acids or low-grade alcohol esters through the hydrolysis or alcoholysis of oils and fats derived from marine products; carrying out distillation on the free fatty acids or low-grade alcohol esters, and reducing the concentration of fatty acids with 18 or less carbons in the low-grade alcohol esters or free fatty acids; and collecting fractions of monovalent unsaturated free fatty acids having 20 and/or 22 carbons or low-grade alcohol esters thereof by column chromatography based on reversed-phase distribution.

Abstract: Provided is a free-polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-containing composition that has a total metal content of 0.1 ppm or less and that comprises at least one free polyunsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, in an amount that is at least 80.0% of the amount of fatty acids in the composition; and a method for manufacturing a free-polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-containing composition, comprising: providing a raw material composition containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms; performing a hydrolysis treatment on a reaction solution prepared by combining the provided raw material composition, a lower alcohol, water having a total metal content of 0.01 ppm or less, and an alkali catalyst; and limiting the contact between the reaction composition and the metal after the hydrolysis treatment so that the product T [cm2×days] of the contact surface area [cm2] per 1 g and the contact time [days] between the composition and the metal is 100 or less.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising dihomo-?-linolenic acid as a constituent fatty acid of an oil, the microbial oil has a content, in terms of a weight ratio of arachidonic acid relative to dihomo-?-linolenic acid (arachidonic acid/dihomo-?-linolenic acid) of less than 1/13. Preferably, the microbial oil has a triglyceride content of greater than or equal to 70% by weight, and a saturated fatty acid content of less than or equal to 40% by weight. Moreover, a lower alcohol ester of dihomo-?-linolenic acid or a free fatty acid of dihomo-?-linolenic acid obtained from the microbial oil is provided.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising dihomo-?-linolenic acid as a constituent fatty acid of an oil, the microbial oil has a content, in terms of a weight ratio of arachidonic acid relative to dihomo-?-linolenic acid (arachidonic acid/dihomo-?-linolenic acid) of less than 1/13. Preferably, the microbial oil has a triglyceride content of greater than or equal to 70% by weight, and a saturated fatty acid content of less than or equal to 40% by weight. Moreover, a lower alcohol ester of dihomo-?-linolenic acid or a free fatty acid of dihomo-?-linolenic acid obtained from the microbial oil is provided.

Abstract: A method for producing monovalent unsaturated free fatty acids having 20 and/or 22 carbons or low-grade alcohol esters thereof, said method involving the following: obtaining free fatty acids or low-grade alcohol esters through the hydrolysis or alcoholysis of oils and fats derived from marine products; carrying out distillation on the free fatty acids or low-grade alcohol esters, and reducing the concentration of fatty acids with 18 or less carbons in the low-grade alcohol esters or free fatty acids; and collecting fractions of monovalent unsaturated free fatty acids having 20 and/or 22 carbons or low-grade alcohol esters thereof by column chromatography based on reversed-phase distribution.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising dihomo-?-linolenic acid as a constituent fatty acid of an oil, the microbial oil has a content, in terms of a weight ratio of arachidonic acid relative to dihomo-?-linolenic acid (arachidonic acid/dihomo-?-linolenic acid) of less than 1/13. Preferably, the microbial oil has a triglyceride content of greater than or equal to 70% by weight, and a saturated fatty acid content of less than or equal to 40% by weight. Moreover, a lower alcohol ester of dihomo-?-linolenic acid or a free fatty acid of dihomo-?-linolenic acid obtained from the microbial oil is provided.

Abstract: A microbial oil comprising: a specific amount of at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or in free fatty acid form; and specific amount of thermally-produced fatty acid having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms in a fatty acid alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form. A production method thereof comprising: providing a starting oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid having at least 20 carbon atoms in an alkyl ester form and/or a free fatty acid form obtained from microbial biomass; performing a rectification of the starting oil under specific conditions; and obtaining the aforementioned microbial oil. A concentrated microbial oil obtained using the production method described above, and a production method thereof. An agent for treating or preventing an inflammatory disease comprising the microbial oil or the concentrated microbial oil.

Abstract: A compound derived from the culture product of an actinomycete and having an antitumor activity is provided. Provided is a compound represented by any one of formulas (I), (II) and (III) or an optical isomer thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof which can be isolated from the culture fluid of an actinomycete which belongs to the genus Streptomyces, wherein R1, R2, R5 and R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a hydroxymethyl group, a hydroxyl group, or a double bond by which R1 and R2 or R5 and R6 are bonded; R3, R4, R7 and R8 each independently represent a methyl group or a hydroxymethyl group; and R9 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group.