Abstract: Provided is a prophylactic/therapeutic agent for influenza viral infection that is effective not only before and at an early stage of infection with influenza virus but also at an intermediate or late stage of the infection and is highly safe for human bodies. A prophylactic/therapeutic drug for influenza viral infection comprising, as active ingredients, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a derivative thereof or a salt of the 5-ALA or the derivative, and an iron compound is prepared. This prophylactic/therapeutic agent can be used for ameliorating (preventing) depression in food consumption, water consumption and body weight, for ameliorating (decreasing) increase in ketone body levels in blood that may otherwise cause ketosis, for ameliorating (preventing) depression in ATP levels in blood, or for ameliorating (increasing) a survival rate and depression in a body surface temperature.

Abstract: It is to provide photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) which are suitable for the diagnosis and therapy of a part requiring a certain degree of deep penetration, such as subcutaneous cancer and lymph nodes surrounded by blood vessels and fat. This is solved by performing PDT and PDD targeting cancer by administering a composition comprising a photosensitizing agent such as a tetrapyrrole-based compound (photofrin, protoporphyrin IX, etc.) or ALAs such as 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), ALA methyl ester, ALA ethyl ester, ALA propyl ester, ALA butyl ester, ALA pentyl ester, or a hydrochloride, phosphate, or sulfate thereof followed by irradiation with excitation light at a wavelength of 480 to 580 nm.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to elucidate the resistance mechanism in infections that show resistance to ALA-PDT that uses a single ALA, and to provide a novel treatment method against these infections. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for promoting protoporphyrin IX production in ALA-PDT for treating infection, characterized in that it comprises a substance that promotes the conversion from coproporphyrinogen III to protoporphyrin IX.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a tumor diagnostic agent which carries out early stage detection, monitoring of therapeutic effect and prognostic diagnosis of all tumors The tumor diagnostic agent of the present invention is a tumor diagnostic agent comprising ?-aminolevulinic acid represented by formula (I), a derivative thereof and a salt thereof: R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3??(I) wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents hydrogen, alkyl, acyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryl or aralkyl; and R3 represents hydroxy, alkoxy, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, aryloxy, aralkyloxy or amino, which is used for diagnoses by measuring porphyrins in a sample collected from the inside or outside of the body after its administration.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent for promoting graft survival which can suppress rejection without use of existing immunosuppressants, an organ preservation solution capable of maintaining the freshness of an organ excised from a donor, and the like. An agent for promoting graft survival or an organ preservation solution is prepared, which comprises 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or a derivative thereof, or a salt of ALA or the derivative and an iron compound as active ingredients. Preferable examples of the ALAs can include ALA and various esters such as methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, and pentyl ester of ALA, and their hydrochlorides, phosphates, and sulfates. Preferable examples of the iron compound can include sodium ferrous citrate.

Abstract: Provided is a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for malaria, comprising, as an active ingredient, 5-acetamido-4-oxo-5-hexenoic acid (Alaremycin) or a derivative thereof. A preventive and/or therapeutic agent for malaria is used which comprises, as an active ingredient, Alaremycin or a derivative thereof represented by formula (I) (wherein R1 represents a hydroxy group, an amino group, or a substituted or unsubstituted straight chain or branched alkoxy group or alkylamino group having 1 to 8 carbons; R2 represents hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted straight chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbons, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group having 4 to 10 carbons; and R3 represents hydrogen or a methyl group).

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a hangover prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent. The present invention provides a hangover prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent comprising ALAs.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a nuclear magnetic resonance diagnostic agent that has a lower toxicity to organisms and reduced side effects and yet has a site specificity toward a specific cell, tissue, organ, etc. [Solution] When ALA or an ALA derivative is administered in vivo, a metabolite thereof is accumulated in a specific cell, tissue, organ, etc. Focusing on this phenomenon, a nuclear magnetic resonance analysis was performed on a site wherein the metabolite of ALA that had been administered in vivo would be possibly accumulated. As a result, it was surprisingly found that ALA and an ALA derivative are useful as a diagnostic agent whereby the aforesaid problem can be solved.

Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to inhibit photobleaching of porphyrins as well as to provide a superior photodynamic diagnostic agent and a photodynamic diagnostic method employing the photobleaching inhibitor for porphyrins. The present invention provides a photodynamic diagnostic agent containing a precursor of porphyrins and a gallic acid. The present invention also provides a photobleaching inhibitor for porphyrins containing a gallic acid.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition which is different from an existing therapeutic agent of an adult disease, of a biochemical reaction-inhibiting type, and which action mechanism is to improve the basal metabolism, wherein the composition has no side effects, and does not generate drug resistance against adult disease; and a method for preventing/treating an adult disease by using the same.

Abstract: Provided is an antimalarial drug which is useful for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases caused by malaria parasites. A preventive and/or therapeutic agent for malaria, which contains, as an active ingredient, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a derivative thereof, or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof, is used.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a PDD diagnosis apparatus that even if there is a distance from an irradiation portion of an optical fiber to a diseased tissue, enables provision of a fluorescence detection sensitivity equivalent to that in a case where irradiation is provided in such a manner that the irradiation portion of the optical fiber is brought close to the diseased tissue.

Abstract: It is to provide a pharmaceutical composition which is different from an existing therapeutic agent of an adult disease, of a biochemical reaction-inhibiting type, and which action mechanism is to improve the basal metabolism, wherein the composition has no side effects, and does not generate drug resistance against adult disease; and a method for preventing/treating an adult disease by using the same.

Abstract: Provided is an antimalarial drug which is useful for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases caused by malaria parasites. A preventive and/or therapeutic agent for malaria, which contains, as an active ingredient, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a derivative thereof, or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof, is used.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for radiation damage that has a novel mechanism of action and can prevent and alleviate a wide range of symptoms of radiation damage for which no therapeutic measures have been available so far, and moreover, is highly safe to humans. A preventive and/or therapeutic agent for radiation damage comprising a compound represented by the following formula (I) such as 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) or a salt thereof as an active ingredient can be used to improve the survival rate, improve body weight reduction, and alleviate hematopoietic disorder: (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an acyl group; and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a regulatory dendritic cell inducing agent applicable to the treatment of immune disease as well as an immune tolerance inducing agent such as a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for allergic disease and a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for autoimmune disease, both of which are safe and have the mechanism of action different from that of conventional drugs. As a means for achieving the above object, an immune tolerance inducing agent comprising 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or a derivative thereof, or a salt of the 5-ALA or the derivative and an iron compound as active ingredients is prepared. Preferable examples of the ALAs can include ALA and various esters such as methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, and pentyl ester of ALA, and their hydrochlorides, phosphates, and sulfates. Preferable examples of the iron compound can include sodium ferrous citrate.

Abstract: Provided is a prophylactic/therapeutic agent for influenza viral infection that is effective not only before and at an early stage of infection with influenza virus but also at an intermediate or late stage of the infection and is highly safe for human bodies. A prophylactic/therapeutic drug for influenza viral infection comprising, as active ingredients, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a derivative thereof or a salt of the 5-ALA or the derivative, and an iron compound is prepared. This prophylactic/therapeutic agent can be used for ameliorating (preventing) depression in food consumption, water consumption and body weight, for ameliorating (decreasing) increase in ketone body levels in blood that may otherwise cause ketosis, for ameliorating (preventing) depression in ATP levels in blood, or for ameliorating (increasing) a survival rate and depression in a body surface temperature.

Abstract: Provided is an enhancer for cancer thermotherapy not combined with photodynamic therapy. Cancer treatment not combined with photodynamic therapy is made available by using, as an enhancer for cancer thermotherapy, 5-aminolevulinic acids represented by formula (1): R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3??(1) [wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group; and R3 represents a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, or an amino group] or a salt thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a sensitizing detection agent of an oral or intravenous administration type which enables the detection of bladder cancer with a higher sensitivity without causing pain to the patient. A sensitizing detection agent for bladder cancer comprising 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a derivative thereof, or a salt of these is orally or intravenously administered, and a video camera system is inserted via the urethra and a blue light at 380-440 nm is irradiated to observe the red fluorescent part. Further, VLD-M1 is inserted and a blue light at 405 nm is irradiated to observe fluorescence intensity (relative intensity) of the red light part. For oral administration, 20 mg/kg (maximum of 1 g) of ALA is dissolved in 50 mL of a 5% glucose solution prior to the administration.

Abstract: Provided is a device capable of determining whether or not cancer has metastasized to a sentinel lymph node, such as the axillary lymph node, thickly covered with fat, safely and in a simple manner without confirmation by biopsy or extirpation. Fluorescence generated in a sentinel lymph node upon the excitation of protoporphyrin (a photosensitizing substance) derived from 5-ALA administered to a subject can be detected by passing a hollow tube, into which a small-diameter optical fiber for launching light and the small-diameter optical fiber for receiving light are inserted, through the lymph vessel to identify the presence or absence of the metastasis of cancer cells even before the surgery of cancer or during prognosis.