Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for enhancing the pharmacological activity of a water-soluble silicate polymer which comprises the water-soluble silicate polymer and a saturated fatty acid in pharmaceutically effective amounts for use as a medicine such as anti-allergic agent. The water soluble silicate polymers used according to the present invention may be obtained by polymerization and/or by extraction from plants, animals or fungi, or inflammatory tissue. The saturated fatty acid contained as an effective ingredient in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be a straight chain or branched chain saturated fatty acid having about 8 carbon atoms to about 26 carbon atoms. The saturated fatty acid and water-soluble silicate polymer, effective ingredients of the present invention, can be formulated for various pharmaceutical compositions by combining with a suitable carrier or diluent for medical use.

Abstract: Crude drug extracts containing soluble silicon compounds as an effective component are obtained by subjecting a crude drug to extraction with water or an aqueous solvent, preferably at an alkaline pH. The crude drugs subjected to extraction to obtain the extracts may be derived from animals, plants, etc. The quality of the crude drug extract can be standardized using the soluble silicon compounds as an index. The soluble silicon compounds exhibit inhibitory action towards the production of plasma kallikrein. The amount of soluble silicon compounds in the dry extract may be used as an index whereby the quality of various crude drugs can be standardized which contributes to providing crude drug extracts having a stable or consistent quality. Consequently, the present invention greatly contributes to the appropriate standardization of pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Crude drug extracts containing soluble silicon compounds as an effective component are obtained by subjecting a crude drug to extraction with water or an aqueous solvent, preferably at an alkaline pH. The crude drugs subjected to extraction to obtain the extracts may be derived from animals, plants, etc. The quality of the crude drug extract can be standardized using the soluble silicon compounds as an index. The soluble silicon compounds exhibit inhibitory action towards the production of plasma kallikrein. The amount of soluble silicon compounds in the dry extract may be used as an index whereby the quality of various crude drugs can be standardized which contributes to providing crude drug extracts having a stable or consistent quality. Consequently, the present invention greatly contributes to the appropriate standardization of pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for enhancing the pharmacological activity of a water-soluble silicate polymer which comprises the water-soluble silicate polymer and a saturated fatty acid in pharmaceutically effective amounts for use as a medicine such as anti-allergic agent. The water soluble silicate polymers used according to the present invention may be obtained by polymerization and/or by extraction from plants, animals or fungi, or inflammatory tissue. The saturated fatty acid contained as an effective ingredient in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be a straight chain or branched chain saturated fatty acid having about 8 carbon atoms to about 26 carbon atoms. The saturated fatty acid and water-soluble silicate polymer, effective ingredients of the present invention, can be formulated for various pharmaceutical compositions by combining with a suitable carrier or diluent for medical use.

Abstract: A highly active bioactivating substance which exhibits suppressing action on histamine liberation and inhibition of hyaluronidase activity may be obtained by adding a silicate to an extracted substance from tissues activated by adding internal or external stressors to animals or animal tissues such as infecting with poxvirus. The highly active bioactivating substance may also be obtained by performing a special extraction to effect a high content of silicic acid in the extracted substance from the activated tissues. The bioactivating substance may be in the form of a powder and may have a silicon component content which is more than 20 &mgr;g, for example greater 22 &mgr;g, preferably greater than 25 &mgr;g, calculated as silicon per mg of dried substance.

Abstract: Crude drug extracts containing soluble silicon compounds as an effective component are obtained by subjecting a crude drug to extraction with water or an aqueous solvent, preferably at an alkaline pH. The crude drugs subjected to extraction to obtain the extracts may be derived from animals, plants, etc. The quality of the crude drug extract can be standardized using the soluble silicon compounds as an index. The soluble silicon compounds exhibit inhibitory action towards the production of plasma kallikrein. The amount of soluble silicon compounds in the dry extract may be used as an index whereby the quality of various crude drugs can be standardized which contributes to providing crude drug extracts having a stable or consistent quality. Consequently, the present invention greatly contributes to the appropriate standardization of pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: A therapeutic agent for osteoporosis brought about by a decrease in estrogen comprises an extract from inflammatory rabbit skin inoculated with vaccinia virus as an effective component. In ovariectomized rats, a model animal for osteoporosis brought about by a decrease in estrogen, the extract from inflammatory rabbit skin inoculated with vaccinia virus has an excellent action for maintaining bone volume and bone strength. The therapeutic agent containing the extract as an active component is very useful for treatment and prevention of osteoporosis brought about by a decrease in estrogen which is frequently caused by menopause or ovariectomy in women. The extract from inflammatory rabbit skin inoculated with vaccinia virus has a high safety profile even when administered for a long term.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition containing an extract from inflammatory tissue inoculated with vaccinia virus may be used to suppress the death of cells caused by endotoxin, and suppress excessive production of nitrogen monoxide induced by endotoxin. The extract may also be used to relieve hypotension induced by endotoxin. In sepsis and other serious bacterial infectious diseases, endotoxin (an intracellular toxin) is produced and a shock symptom is induced by its action. The extract, having an excellent inhibitory action toward endotoxin-induced toxicity, is quite useful for the treatment or the prevention of endotoxin-induced shock symptoms, sepsis and various symptoms accompanied thereby. In addition, the extract has an inhibitory action towards abnormal nitrogen monoxide production during the diseased state and, therefore, it is also useful as a therapeutic and preventive agent for diseases wherein an excessive nitrogen monoxide production occurs, such as acute hypotension.

Abstract: The present invention provides silicate polymers which regulate the function of a living body by restoring and normalizing the lowered cell functions due to diseases. The silicate polymers are preferably water soluble. The molecular weight of the polymers is in the range of 4,800 to 2,000,000, preferably 20,000 to 1,000,000, and they have a degree of polymerization in the range of 75 to 33,000, preferably 490 to 16,500. The monomer unit is --(SiO.sub.2)--. The polymers may be produced by dissolving a water-soluble silicate or a silicic acid containing material such as water glass in water to obtain an aqueous solution. The solution may be admixed with an acid to adjust the pH to 2-10, preferably 4-9.5. A saccharide or sugar alcohol or pharmaceutically acceptable salt may also be admixed with the solution. The aqueous solution is preferably dried to obtain a powder by heating at 150.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. or by lyophilization.

Abstract: The present invention provides silicate polymers which regulate the function of a living body by restoring and normalizing the lowered cell functions due to diseases. The silicate polymers are preferably water soluble. The molecular weight of the polymers is in the range of 4,800 to 2,000,000, preferably 20,000 to 1,000,000, and they have a degree of polymerization in the range of 75 to 33,000, preferably 490 to 16,500. The monomer unit is (SiO.sub.2). The polymers may be produced by dissolving a water-soluble silicate or a silicic acid containing material such as water glass in water to obtain an aqueous solution. The solution may be admixed with an acid to adjust the pH to 2-10, preferably 4-9.5. A saccharide or sugar alcohol or pharmaceutically acceptable salt may also be admixed with the solution. The aqueous solution is preferably dried to obtain a powder by heating at 150.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. or by lyophilization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a physiologically active substance which inhibits plasma kallikrein production, improves peripheral blood flow, and exhibits analgesic, antiinflammatory and antiallergic action. The physiologically active substance of the present invention is prepared by activating various animals or animal tissues by means of inoculation with virus or tumor cells which act as a stressor, and then extracting the effective factor from the activated tissues. The substance exhibits a pharmacological action of inhibiting activity for production of plasma kallikrein and recovering and normalizing abnormal functions which are associated with the diseased state. The physiologically active substance and pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention exhibit excellent regulating activity for biofunctions. They provide recovery and normalization of abnormal functions in living organisms in various diseased states.

Abstract: The present invention provides silicate polymers which regulate the function of a living body by restoring and normalizing the lowered cell functions due to diseases. The silicate polymers are preferably water soluble. The molecular weight of the polymers is in the range of 4,800 to 2,000,000, preferably 20,000 to 1,000,000, and they have a degree of polymerization in the range of 75 to 33,000, preferably 490 to 16,500. The polymers may be produced by dissolving a water-soluble silicate or a silicic acid containing material such as water glass in water to obtain an aqueous solution. The solution may be admixed with an acid to adjust the pH to 2-10, preferably 4-9.5. A saccharide or sugar alcohol or pharmaceutically acceptable salt may also be admixed with the solution. The aqueous solution is preferably dried to obtain a powder by heating at 150.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. or by lyophilization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions for cerebral and neuronal diseases containing physiologically active substances extracted from infected tissues. The physiologically active substances of the present invention have NGF-like nerve growth stimulating effect. Therefore, the substances of the invention are useful as drugs for various cerebral and neuronal diseases such as dementia, post-herpetic neuralgia, brain edema and spino-cerebellar degeneration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to physiologically active substances extracted from infected tissues inoculated with a poxvirus. The substances of the present invention have excellent actions to improve blood flow and recover functions of diseased tissues, thus are useful as drugs for various diseases caused by blood flow disorders.

Abstract: An antiulcer composition containing a dipeptide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient. The dipeptide employed can be any combination of two amino acids selected from glycine (Gly), serine (Ser), histidine (His) and lysine (Lys) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or metal complexes thereof. The preferred dipeptide active substances are Gly-Ser, Ser-His, His-Lys or cyclic His-Lys.

Abstract: Novel peptides having the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein A denotes an amino acid residue which may optionally have protecting group; R.sub.1 denotes hydrogen atom, lower alkyl group, acyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, or aralkyloxycarbonyl group which may optionally be substituted with halogen atom, alkoxy group, or nitro group; R.sub.2 denotes hydroxy group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, aralkyloxy group, or amiono group which may optionally be substituted with lower alkyl group; R.sub.3 denotes hydrogen atom, lower alkyl group, acyl group, or aralkyl group; R.sub.4 denotes hydrogen atom, tosyl group, trityl group, aralkyl group, or aralkyloxycarbonyl group which may optionally be substituted with halogen atom, alkoxy group, or nitro group; R.sub.

Abstract: New hydantoin derivatives, a process for the preparation thereof and pharmaceutical compositions containing the derivatives as active ingredients, particularly remedies for treatment of diseases caused by stress.