Abstract: Dietary fibers having average molecular weight of 2,000-15,000, which are prepared by partially hydrolyzing polysaccharides of Konnyaku powder with a cellulase derived from microorganisms belonging to the genus Aspergillus, which are readily soluble in water, which do not prevent adsorption of useful minerals such as calcium in the digestive tract, and which do not give rise to diarrhea when an excessive amount thereof is ingested.

Abstract: Therapeutic agents are prepared by:A. grinding placenta with water or diluted physiological saline to form an emulsion, and acidifying the emulsion with a mixture of aqueous acetic acid and hydrochloric acid, to 0.5 to 2.0N;B. heating the acidified emulsion;C. cooling the emulsion, removing insoluble protein by centrifugation, neutralizing the emulsion with an alkali solution, centrifuging said emulsion to remove insoluble matter and collecting a clear supernatant;D. concentrating the supernatant, and dialyzing the resulting concentrated liquid through a dialysis membrane, or filtrating said supernatant through a membrane filter to obtain a dialyzed fluid or filtrate;E. subjecting the dialyzed fluid or filtrate, after concentration to column chromatography, to obtain any one of fractions, of 0.96 - 1.82 in distribution coefficient with Sephadex G-25, of 0.35 - 1.24 with Sephadex G-15, or of 0.35 - 1.25 with Sephadex G-10; andF. lyophilizing the fraction.

Abstract: A granular composition having a grain size of 10 to 50 mesh and a bulk density of 0.5 to 0.7 g/cm.sup.3 suitable for use in a tobacco filter or a tobacco pipe and having the ability to selectively remove carcinogenic and deleterious components from tobacco smoke comprises granules which are composed of bovine milk whey protein power and/or egg white protein powder, and one or more excipients selected from the group consisting of powdered cellulose, wheat flour, starch, rice flour, sugar, glucose, lactose, talc, alumina, zeolite or silica gel; or composite granules which are a blend of said granules and charcoal granules.