Abstract: Provided are a piceatannol-containing composition which is a composition originating in a natural material and containing piceatannol at a high concentration, and a method of producing the piceatannol-containing composition. A piceatannol-containing composition which contains 0.0001 to 99.9% by mass of piceatannol is obtained by extracting passion fruit seeds. The extraction of piceatannol is carried out by grinding the passion fruit seeds, adding at least one solvent selected from an aqueous alcohol-based solvent and an aqueous ketone-based solvent and agitating to thereby extract piceatannol into the above-described solvent. In this case, it is preferable to conduct stepwise extraction by using both of the aqueous alcohol-based solvent and the aqueous ketone-based solvent.

Abstract: Provided are a piceatannol-containing composition which is a composition originating in a natural material and containing piceatannol at a high concentration, and a method of producing the piceatannol-containing composition. A piceatannol-containing composition which contains 0.0001 to 99.9% by mass of piceatannol is obtained by extracting passion fruit seeds. The extraction of piceatannol is carried out by grinding the passion fruit seeds, adding at least one solvent selected from an aqueous alcohol-based solvent and an aqueous ketone-based solvent and agitating to thereby extract piceatannol into the above-described solvent. In this case, it is preferable to conduct stepwise extraction by using both of the aqueous alcohol-based solvent and the aqueous ketone-based solvent.

Abstract: Provided are a piceatannol-containing composition which is a composition originating in a natural material and containing piceatannol at a high concentration, and a method of producing the piceatannol-containing composition. A piceatannol-containing composition which contains 0.0001 to 99.9% by mass of piceatannol is obtained by extracting passion fruit seeds. The extraction of piceatannol is carried out by grinding the passion fruit seeds, adding at least one solvent selected from an aqueous alcohol-based solvent and an aqueous ketone-based solvent and agitating to thereby extract piceatannol into the above-described solvent. In this case, it is preferable to conduct stepwise extraction by using both of the aqueous alcohol-based solvent and the aqueous ketone-based solvent.

Abstract: A composition for lowering internal lipid in a subject which contains a capsinoid substance represented by the following formula wherein n is an integer from 0 to 10. Methods of using the compositions are disclosed and include administering to a subject in need of such treatment.

Abstract: A composition for lowering internal lipid in a subject which contains a capsinoid substance represented by the following formula wherein n is an integer from 0 to 10. Methods of using the compositions are disclosed and include administering to a subject in need of such treatment.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a composition against periodontal bacteria, which has a high safety without showing any side effects and exhibits an excellent effect of killing periodontal bacteria without affecting the growth of nonpathogenic indigenous microorganisms in the oral cavity, and foods, drinks and mouth washers against periodontal bacteria. A composition against periodontal bacteria is blended with a cocoa fraction contained in cacao mass, a hot water-extract of the cocoa fraction, polyphenols originating in the cocoa fraction or free fatty acids originating in the cocoa fraction as the active ingredient. Then the obtained composition against periodontal bacteria is added to foods, drinks, mouth washers or toothpaste. As well as the above-described cocoa fraction, a composition containing cacao mass and/or cocoa is instantly available for the composition against periodontal bacteria.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for removing bacteria From antibody-containing milk that has been expressed from a bovid animal producing antibodies by sensitization with one or more antigens selected from among pathogens and their metabolic products, characterized in that defatting treatment is followed by filtration using a microfilter comprising a support and a filter membrane formed from ceramic fine particles, having filtration pores and a thickness between 40 to 150 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method of treating a human suffering from a wound comprising administering to a human in need thereof an effective wound healing-promoting amount of a cocoa component.

Abstract: A method for reducing the blood ammonia concentration in a human comprising administering to a human in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a cocoa component.

Abstract: A method for one-step immunoassay of human type IV collagen, which uses a carrier immobilizing monoclonal antibody against human type IV collagen and a labelled polyclonal antibody against human type IV collagen, as well as a kit therefor and monoclonal antibodies which are particularly suited therefor.It is possible to accurately and quickly measure human type IV collagen in blood serum, for example, and obtain measurement results which accurately reflect pathological conditions.

Abstract: A pencil head for automatic pencil drawing is provided with an up-and-down moving mechanism for one of pencil leads held on a periphery of a holding turret and a mounting mechanism for the holding turret, the up-and-down moving mechanism comprising a spring for raising a resilient member grasping the pencil lead which slides through a tubular holder fixed in the periphery of the holding turret and a pushing stick for pushing down the pencil lead, which is supported by a slider sliding along a rail, and the mounting mechanism comprising a coupler projected coaxially from the holding turret with a stair-stepped male cross-section and a socket for engaging and rotating the coupler with a slitted stair-stepped female cross-section corresponding to the stair-stepped male cross-section of the coupler. Accordingly, high fidelity and quick response of the pencil head used for automatic pencil drawing and shortening of time duration required therefor can be realized.