Abstract: Provided is a dietary fiber characterized in that bitterness and unpleasant aftertaste are restrained. The dietary fiber has terminal sugars and is characterized in that the ratio of aldoses relative to the total of the terminal sugars is 10% or less. Such a dietary fiber may be, for example, indigestible dextrin, polydextrose or the like. The dietary fiber may be used as a food additive (for example, a beverage additive).

Abstract: Provided is a dietary fiber characterized in that bitterness and unpleasant aftertaste are restrained. The dietary fiber has terminal sugars and is characterized in that the ratio of aldoses relative to the total of the terminal sugars is 10% or less. Such a dietary fiber may be, for example, indigestible dextrin, polydextrose or the like. The dietary fiber may be used as a food additive (for example, a beverage additive).

Abstract: The present invention provides a radiolabeled ligand which is highly selective and potent for glutamate transporters and is usable in specifically detecting the glutamate transporter. Specifically, the present invention provides a 3-[3-(benzoylamido)benzyloxy]aspartic acid having a radioactive substituent on the benzoyl group which is represented by the following formula (1), or an ester or salt thereof: wherein X represents a substituent containing a radioactive atom(s) which is selected from a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkoxy group, an amino group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic acylamido group, a halogen atom and a straight or branched lower aliphatic haloalkyl group; and R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group or an acetoxymethyl group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ?-benzyloxyaspartic acid derivative having two substituents on its benzene ring, wherein the derivative has L-glutamate uptake inhibitory effect. More specifically, the present invention provides a compound of Formula (1) having an inhibitory effect against the glutamate uptake activity of L-glutamate transporters (wherein R1 represents an optionally substituted aromatic group, and substituent R2 represents a group selected from an optionally substituted linear or branched C1-C30 aliphatic group whose chain may contain nitrogen or oxygen, and an optionally substituted aromatic group) or a salt thereof, and a method for obtaining the above compound, as well as a method for purifying or detecting L-glutamate transporters using the above compound.

Abstract: L-threo-?-benzyloxyaspartate derivatives having a substituent on the benzene ring, represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is hydrogen, a linear or branched lower aliphatic acyl group with the acyl portion optionally substituted, an alicyclic acyl group, an aromatic acyl group with a substituent on the aromatic ring, an amino acid-derived group or a biotin derivative-derived group, having an amino substituent on the benzene ring, and salts thereof, which can easily bind to affinity column chromatography carriers as ligands of glutamate transporter proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photosensitive derivatives of optically active L-threo-?-benzyloxyaspartate or its benzene ring-substituted analogs, represented by the following formula (1) or (2): (1) (2) wherein R1 represents hydrogen atom, amino group, straight or branched lower aliphatic acylamino group optionally substituted at the acyl group portion, alicyclic acylamino group or aromatic acylamino group optionally having a substituent on the aromatic ring, R2 represents hydrogen atom or one or more straight or branched optionally substituted lower aliphatic alkyloxy groups on the benzene ring, R3 represents hydrogen atom, methyl group or carboxyl group, and R4 and R5 each represent hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, straight or branched lower alkyloxy group optionally substituted at the alkyl portion, amino group, straight or branched lower alkyl-substituted amino group, or a halogen atom, which upon photoirradiation can produce compounds exhibiting a function of suppressing the glutamate uptake activity o

Abstract: The present invention provides a radiolabeled ligand which is highly selective and potent for glutamate transporters and is usable in specifically detecting the glutamate transporter. Specifically, the present invention provides a 3-[3-(benzoylamido)benzyloxy]aspartic acid having a radioactive substituent on the benzoyl group which is represented by the following formula (1), or an ester or salt thereof: wherein X represents a substituent containing a radioactive atom(s) which is selected from a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkoxy group, an amino group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic acylamido group, a halogen atom and a straight or branched lower aliphatic haloalkyl group; and R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group or an acetoxymethyl group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ?-benzyloxyaspartic acid derivative having two substituents on its benzene ring, wherein the derivative has L-glutamate uptake inhibitory effect. More specifically, the present invention provides a compound of Formula (1) having an inhibitory effect against the glutamate uptake activity of L-glutamate transporters (wherein R1 represents an optionally substituted aromatic group, and substituent R2 represents a group selected from an optionally substituted linear or branched C1-C30 aliphatic group whose chain may contain nitrogen or oxygen, and an optionally substituted aromatic group) or a salt thereof, and a method for obtaining the above compound, as well as a method for purifying or detecting L-glutamate transporters using the above compound.

Abstract: L-threo-?-benzyloxyaspartate derivatives having a substituent on the benzene ring, represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is hydrogen, a linear or branched lower aliphatic acyl group with the acyl portion optionally substituted, an alicyclic acyl group, an aromatic acyl group with a substituent on the aromatic ring, an amino acid-derived group or a biotin derivative-derived group, having an amino substituent on the benzene ring, and salts thereof, which can easily bind to affinity column chromatography carriers as ligands of glutamate transporter proteins.

Abstract: L-threo-?-benzyloxyaspartate derivatives having a substituent on the benzene ring, represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is hydrogen, a linear or branched lower aliphatic acyl group with the acyl portion optionally substituted, an alicyclic acyl group, an aromatic acyl group with a substituent on the aromatic ring, an amino acid-derived group or a biotin derivative-derived group, having an amino substituent on the benzene ring, and salts thereof, which can easily bind to affinity column chromatography carriers as ligands of glutamate transporter proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to photosensitive derivatives of optically active L-threo-?-benzyloxyaspartate or its benzene ring-substituted analogs, represented by the following formula (1) or (2): (1) (2) wherein R1 represents hydrogen atom, amino group, straight or branched lower aliphatic acylamino group optionally substituted at the acyl group portion, alicyclic acylamino group or aromatic acylamino group optionally having a substituent on the aromatic ring, R2 represents hydrogen atom or one or more straight or branched optionally substituted lower aliphatic alkyloxy groups on the benzene ring, R3 represents hydrogen atom, methyl group or carboxyl group, and R4 and R5 each represent hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, straight or branched lower alkyloxy group optionally substituted at the alkyl portion, amino group, straight or branched lower alkyl-substituted amino group, or a halogen atom, which upon photoirradiation can produce compounds exhibiting a function of suppressing the glutamate uptake activity o

Abstract: L-threo-&bgr;-benzyloxyaspartate derivatives having a substituent on the benzene ring, represented by the following formula (1): 1

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel amino acid dysiherbaine which is a non-NMDA type glutamate receptor agonist as well as salts and biological precursors thereof, which are useful as experimental materials for elucidating neuronal death or the functions of signal transduction of the central nervous system associated with glutamate receptors and which provide a possibility for the development of a glutamate receptor blocker.A novel amino acid dysiherbaine represented by the formula (1): ##STR1## is obtained by purifying an aqueous extract of a sponge such as D. herbacea on the basis of toxicity to mice by liquid chromatography using Sephadex LH20 or the like and HPLC using a C18 column, and optionally converting it into a biological precursor thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides blockers for glutamate transporters. During a series of syntheses searching for glutamate uptake inhibition in Xenopus oocytes injected with bovine glutamate transporter genes (BGLAST), we obtained .beta.-hydroxyaspartic acid derivatives of the following chemical formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R represents an aromatic acyl group which may be substituted on the ring, a straight or branched lower aliphatic acyl group, an aryl group which may be substituted on the ring, an aralkyl group which may be substituted on the ring, or a straight or branched lower alkyl group; and salts thereof. These compounds are blockers of glutamate transporters, which are useful for the understanding of the function of glutamate transporters and show promise for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract: (2S,1'R,2'R,3'R)-2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)-glycine (DCG-I) and (2S,1'S,2'S,3'S)-2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG-II), as well as methods for synthesizing these compounds are provided. Studies on L-glutamate receptors with the use of DCG-I and DCG-II, which are agonists for NMDA receptors, contribute to the development of remedies for various nervous disorders. Further, DCG-I and DCG-II selectively inhibit monosynaptic reflex even at a low concentration, which makes them useful as a remedy for spastic palsy, an anesthetic and an analgesic.

Abstract: (2R,3S,4S)-.alpha.-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine of the formula (1) and salts thereof are disclosed. ##STR1## The compound (1) exhibits most potent depolarizing activities among the known NMDA agonists and will be a useful tool to investigate various neuronal functions related to the excitatory amino acid receptors.

Abstract: A novel compound (2S,3R,4S)-carboxycyclopropylglycine represented by the formula (1): ##STR1## has proved to be the most potent agonist for the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor which is one of the glutamate receptor sub-types in the mammalian central nervous system. This compound provides useful tools to open a road to the development of glutamic acid receptor antagonists that may have thereapeutic value in epilepsy, neuronal disorders such as Huntington's chorea and Parkinsonism, as well as various acute and chronic neurodegerative disorders.Also disclosed is a process for producing this compound, as well as a process for individually synthesizing four carboxycyclopropylglycine steroisomers including those of the following formulas (1a, 1b, 1c): ##STR2## and the formula (1).