Abstract: A composition containing 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid at a high concentration is obtained by intracellularly and extracellularly producing 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid using a bacterium belonging to the genus Propionibacterium and collecting it. This composition is efficacious in improving intestinal flora, alleviating abdominal ailments in association with the intake of milk, and preventing metabolic bone diseases.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a milk drink obtained by starting with a milk protein-containing powder (skim milk powder, etc.) having a seriously worsened flavor which is free from worsening in the flavor after heating and sustains a flavor comparable to a product obtained by starting with fresh milk or fermented milk alone without using such a starting material as described above. An inert gas such as nitrogen gas is bubbled into a conditioned milk liquor containing a milk protein-containing powder (for example, whole milk powder or defatted milk powder) which is obtained by starting with fresh milk or milk so as to lower the dissolved oxygen concentration in the conditioned milk liquor to 8 ppm or below. Next, the conditioned milk liquor is subjected as such to heat sterilization.

Abstract: The present invention provides agents for alleviating symptoms resulting from inflammation, which have an activity to alleviate inflammatory symptoms caused by bacterial infection, particularly accumulation of body fluid such as bronchocavemous plasma exudation, ascites, etc., at the inflammatory site, or excessive increase of blood neutrophils; symptoms resulting from inflammation caused by bacterial infection, particularly accumulation of body fluid such as bronchocavemous plasma exudation ascites, etc., at the inflammatory site, or excessive increase of blood neutrophils, can be alleviated effectively by ingesting or administering orally or parenterally a composition containing human-type lactoferrin as an effective component.

Abstract: A object of the present invention is to provide a novel system whereby an enteral nutrient or an enriched liquid food can be solidified so that it can be easily administered within a short period of time without liguefying in the body to thereby lighten a care-giver's burden in tube feeding such as gastrostomic feeding. As the results of studies, it is found out that such a nutrient or an enriched liquid food can be quickly thickened or solidified at a temperature of 40° C. or below by using a starch adhesive, which contains as the main component sodium iota-carrageenan, sodium kappa-carrageenan, sodium lambda-carrageenan or a mixture thereof, without dissolving the starch adhesive by heating. Further, it was confirmed that it is an administration method almost free from water liberation when the solidified product was administered from a syringe, thus the present invention was completed.

Abstract: An indole derivative represented by the following general formula (1): wherein at least one of R1, R2, R3, and R4 represents an alkoxy group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and other groups of the R1, R2, R3, and R4 represent hydrogen, an alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, acetyl group, or hydroxyl group; and either one of X and Y represents —(CH2)nOH wherein n is an integer of 0 to 30, and the other one of the X and Y represents hydrogen atom; or a salt thereof; and a drug and an agent for promoting differentiation of a stem cell containing such indole derivative or its salt as an effective component, wherein the indole derivative (1) has action of inducing differentiation of neural stem cell specifically into a neuron, and this indole derivative is useful as a prophylactic or therapeutic drug for brain dysfunction or neuropathy caused by loss or degeneration of the neuron.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a preventive and/or a therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel diseases containing a fermentation product of a propionic acid bacterium as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating an inflammatory bowel disease, including administering an effective amount of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid or a salt thereof.

Abstract: A process for producing cyclohexenone long-chain alcohol represented by the following formula (1): (wherein A represents a C10-C18 alkylene or alkenylene group, and each of R1, R2, and R3 individually represents hydrogen or methyl), comprising reacting a 3-alkoxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one derivative represented by the following formula (2): (wherein R1, R2, and R3 have the same meanings as above, and R4 represents a C1-C5 alkyl group) with a Grignard's reagent prepared by protecting the hydroxyl groups of C10-C18 ?-halogenoalcohol through silylation, and hydrolyzing the resultant reaction product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a TNF-? production inhibitor containing a kavalactone as an active ingredient, which inhibitor has high safety, exerts an excellent effect of inhibiting TNF-? production, and is useful as a drug or an animal drug for preventing, ameliorating, or treating diseases such as cachexia attributed to cancer or infectious diseases, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory diseases, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rejection during bone marrow transplantation, multiple organ failure, AIDS, meningitis, hepatitis, and type-II diabetes. The present invention also provides a preventive, ameliorating, or therapeutic agent for diseases caused by abnormal production of TNF-?, the agent containing a kavalactone as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A process for producing 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, comprising initiating the culture of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid producing bacteria belonging to propionic acid bacteria under anaerobic conditions and culturing the bacteria under aeration into a medium when the concentration of a carbon source in the medium is 3.5% by mass or less.

Abstract: Provided is a medicament having an excellent therapeutic effect on ageing macular degeneration. The therapeutic agent for ageing macular degeneration comprises a progesterone derivative represented by the following formula (1): (wherein, R1 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 23 carbon atoms) as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: A preventive and therapeutic drug for a neurodegenerative disease containing, as an active ingredient, a cyclohexenone long-chain alcohol compound represented by formula (1) wherein each of R1, R2, and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and X represents a C10–C28 alkylene group or alkenylene group. Since the compound of the present invention exhibits excellent neurite-extension ability and an inhibition effect on disorders caused by mutation in an SOD gene, it is useful as the active ingredient of a preventive and therapeutic drug for neurodegenerative diseases, inter alia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and as the active ingredient of an inhibitory drug for disorders caused by mutation in an SOD gene.

Abstract: A food or drink product with a disinfection property of Helicobacter pylori and/or a protection property against infection with H. pylori, comprising as the effective ingredient Lactobacillus gasseri OLL 2716 (FERM BP-6999) with a high disinfection potency of H. pylori. The food or drink product prepared by using the lactic acid bacterium, such as acid milk and the like, is suitable for long-term ingestion as a food or drink product with a disinfection property of H. pylori and/or a protection property against infection with H. pylori.

Abstract: A long-acting improver of muscular fatigue characterized by comprising 4 kinds of amino acids made up of leucine, isoleucine, valine and glutamine, and a whey protein component (whey protein and/or decomposition product of whey protein). At least one of a whey protein isolate (WPI), a whey protein concentrate (WPC), ?-lactoglobulin, and ?-lactalbumin is used as the whey protein. Novel food or drink, and pharmaceuticals which exhibit sustained recovery effects on muscular fatigue are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a TNF-? production inhibitor containing a kavalactone as an active ingredient, which inhibitor has high safety, exerts an excellent effect of inhibiting TNF-? production, and is useful as a drug or an animal drug for preventing, ameliorating, or treating diseases such as cachexia attributed to cancer or infectious diseases, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory diseases, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rejection during bone marrow transplantation, multiple organ failure, AIDS, meningitis, hepatitis, and type-II diabetes. The present invention also provides a preventive, ameliorating, or therapeutic agent for diseases caused by abnormal production of TNF-?, the agent containing a kavalactone as an active ingredient.

Abstract: This invention relates to drinks and foods having osteogenetic function, each of which comprises as an active ingredient an effective amount of a culture of a propionic acid bacterium and/or a lactic acid bacterium, said culture containing 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone; and preventives and/or remedies for metabolic bone diseases, each of which comprises as an active ingredient a naphthoquinone compound selected from the group consisting of 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 8-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-(?-hydroxy-?-methylpentenyl)-5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and salts thereof. These cultures and naphthoquinones promote bone metabolism and increase bone mass and bone strength.

Abstract: An amino acid composition comprises alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, and glutamine. The amino acid composition of the present invention has such an effect that it can improve the action of promoting the process wherein the body fat is converted into the energy required for the physical exercise during and/or after the anoxic motions performed under an extremely high load.

Abstract: A peptide-based immunotherapeutic agent effective for every allergy patient is provided. A reagent for typing HLA class II molecules of the patient to be used in selecting a peptide-based immunotherapeutic agent effective for every allergy patient is also provided. The peptide-based immunotherapeutic agent enables the optimal peptide-based immunotherapy for each patient, so that a marked improvement in peptide-immunotherapy can be expected. The peptide-based immunotherapeutic agent is also effective for patients who cannot be treated by peptide-based immunotherapy using major antigen peptide recognized in a particular patient population. Furthermore, the peptide-based immunotherapeutic agent enables simple and easy typing of HLA class II molecules of allergy patients.

Abstract: An indole derivative represented by the following general formula (1): wherein at least one of R1, R2, R3, and R4 represents an alkoxy group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and other groups of the R1, R2, R3, and R4 represent hydrogen, an alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, acetyl group, or hydroxyl group; and either one of X and Y represents —(CH2)n OH wherein n is an integer of 0 to 30, and the other one of the X and Y represents hydrogen atom; or a salt thereof; and a drug and an agent for promoting differentiation of a stem cell containing such indole derivative or its salt as an effective component. The indole derivative (1) of the present invention has action of inducing differentiation of neural stem cell specifically into a neuron, and this indole derivative is useful as a prophylactic or therapeutic drug for brain dysfunction or neuropathy caused by loss or degeneration of the neuron.

Abstract: Functional food including milk products from which an antihypertensive effect is obtained in a more natural way, more specifically functional food of which ACE inhibitory activity is enhanced by adding EMC preferably with ACE inhibitory activity of 9,000 units or more is provided. ACE inhibitory activity of this functional food is made 5,000 units or more per daily standard intake of the product. For example, in case of processed cheese, ACE inhibitory activity is made 350 units per gram or more assuming daily intake to be approximately 15 g.