Abstract: Provided are an inhibitor, a prophylactic, and a therapeutic agent for rheumatoid arthritis that have no side effects and that can correct immune abnormality associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The inhibitor, the prophylactic, and the agent for rheumatoid arthritis contain a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient. The inhibitor, the prophylactic and the agent are used as an antirheumatic drug for controlling the activity of rheumatoid arthritis by alleviating immune abnormality associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The inhibitor, the prophylactic, and the agent are also used for a living individual who has not been definitively diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The inhibitor, the prophylactic, and the agent are continuously administered to the living individual from any point before definitive diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis to any point after the definitive diagnosis.

Abstract: Provided are a novel renal failure progression inhibitor, prophylactic agent for renal failure, and indoxyl sulfate production inhibitor, intended for human use, in particular, for a patient with renal failure. The renal failure progression inhibitor, prophylactic agent for renal failure, and indoxyl sulfate production inhibitor each comprises paramylon derived from Euglena or a processed product thereof as an active ingredient. In the case of the renal failure progression inhibitor, for example, paramylon is continuously orally administered to a patient suffering from chronic renal failure, undergoing a dialysis therapy, several times per day in a dose of 1 to 5 g per intake. In particular, the renal failure progression inhibitor is singly administered to the patient in a capsule or powdered preparation at a prescribed time interval before and after administration of other drugs.

Abstract: Provided are an antiviral agent and an antiviral food as novel methods for utilizing a Euglena-derived material. The antiviral agent and antiviral food, both comprising a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient, are to be used for preventing or treating an infectious disease caused by an envelope-free RNA virus. Examples of the envelope-free RNA virus include rotaviruses belonging to Reoviridae. Examples of the Euglena-derived material include Euglena, a hot water extract of Euglena, paramylon and an alkali-treated paramylon.

Abstract: Provided are a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a peptic ulcer, a food additive for prevention and treatment of a peptic ulcer, an iNOS expression inhibitor, and a COX-2 expression inhibitor, all of which have little side effects. The prophylactic or therapeutic agent contains a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient. The Euglena-derived material may be Euglena, paramylon, or an acid-treated paramylon. The prophylactic or therapeutic agent is useful for the prevention or treatment of a peptic ulcer induced by psychological stress. The peptic ulcer may be a gastric ulcer. The food additive contains a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An algae culture method capable of efficiently producing an osmotic pressure adjusting substance, a production method of the substance, and an algae culture method for recovering carbon dioxide from a mixed gas containing carbon dioxide and sulfurous acid gas. The methods involve preparing a plurality of enrichment cultures each containing betaine by culturing a culture of microalgae derived from an environmental specimen under a photoautotrophic condition and under a plurality of culture conditions; making a cultivation plan in which an optimum enrichment culture suitable for a main culture is selected from the plurality of enrichment cultures; producing a main culture that contains betaine under the photoautotrophic condition and a salt concentration of 10 wt. % or more; and separating betaine. In the main culture, the algae containing betaine are cultured while the mixed gas containing sulfurous acid gas and carbon dioxide is blown to a culture solution of the algae.

Abstract: Provided are an inhibitor, a prophylactic, and a therapeutic agent for rheumatoid arthritis that have no side effects and that can correct immune abnormality associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The inhibitor, the prophylactic, and the agent for rheumatoid arthritis contain a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient. The inhibitor, the prophylactic and the agent are used as an antirheumatic drug for controlling the activity of rheumatoid arthritis by alleviating immune abnormality associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The inhibitor, the prophylactic, and the agent are also used for a living individual who has not been definitively diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The inhibitor, the prophylactic, and the agent are continuously administered to the living individual from any point before definitive diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis to any point after the definitive diagnosis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an organic acid using algal biomass, The present invention pertains to the production of organic acids such as succinic acid using Euglena , by means of a method containing; either a nitrogen deficient culture step in which Euglena is cultured. aerobically under nitrogen-deficient conditions or a heterotrophic culture step in which Euglena is cultured aerobically using a culture medium containing a carbon source; and an anaerobic culture step in which the culture product obtained in the nitrogen-deficient culture step is incubated under anaerobic conditions.

Abstract: Provided are a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a peptic ulcer, a food additive for prevention and treatment of a peptic ulcer, an iNOS expression inhibitor, and a COX-2 expression inhibitor, all of which have little side effects. The prophylactic or therapeutic agent contains a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient. The Euglena-derived material may be Euglena, paramylon, or an acid-treated paramylon. The prophylactic or therapeutic agent is useful for the prevention or treatment of a peptic ulcer induced by psychological stress. The peptic ulcer may be a gastric ulcer. The food additive contains a Euglena-derived material as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Provided are a novel renal failure progression inhibitor, prophylactic agent for renal failure, and indoxyl sulfate production inhibitor, intended for human use, in particular, for a patient with renal failure. The renal failure progression inhibitor, prophylactic agent for renal failure, and indoxyl sulfate production inhibitor each comprises paramylon derived from Euglena or a processed product thereof as an active ingredient. In the case of the renal failure progression inhibitor, for example, paramylon is continuously orally administered to a patient suffering from chronic renal failure, undergoing a dialysis therapy, several times per day in a dose of 1 to 5 g per intake. In particular, the renal failure progression inhibitor is singly administered to the patient in a capsule or powdered preparation at a prescribed time interval before and after administration of other drugs.

Abstract: An algae culture method capable of efficiently producing an osmotic pressure adjusting substance, a production method of the substance, and an algae culture method for recovering carbon dioxide from a mixed gas containing carbon dioxide and sulfurous acid gas. The methods involve preparing a plurality of enrichment cultures each containing betaine by culturing a culture of microalgae derived from an environmental specimen under a photoautotrophic condition and under a plurality of culture conditions; making a cultivation plan in which an optimum enrichment culture suitable for a main culture is selected from the plurality of enrichment cultures; producing a main culture that contains betaine under the photoautotrophic condition and a salt concentration of 10 wt. % or more; and separating betaine. In the main culture, the algae containing betaine are cultured while the mixed gas containing sulfurous acid gas and carbon dioxide is blown to a culture solution of the algae.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel immune balance regulator that regulates an immune balance in a living body. The immune balance regulator contains a Euglena-derived material and regulates an immune balance between Th1, Th2, and Th17, which is a balance between immune responses individually induced by Th1, Th2, and Th17 in a living body. The immune balance regulator regulates the immune balance between Th1, Th2, and Th17 so that immune responses induced by Th1 become relatively dominant over immune responses induced by Th2 or Th17 to improve a physical constitution that has an immune imbalance of Th1, Th2, and Th17 shifted towards Th2 and to prevent or treat a disease associated with the immune imbalance of Th1, Th2, and Th17 shifted towards a Th2 dominance. The immune balance regulator is administered prior to expected onset of a disease associated with the immune imbalance of Th1, Th2, and Th17 shifted towards the Th2 dominance.