Abstract: The invention provides a peptide having an activity of inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and a food and drink and/or a pharmaceutical composition containing the peptide.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing cytopathy caused by ischemia, comprising a midkine family protein as an active ingredient, and a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing ischemic disorders, comprising a midkine family protein as an active ingredient, are provided. Midkine is efficacious in treating or preventing ischemic disorders and cytopathy caused by ischemia and can remarkably prevent, for example, the development of cerebral infarction, a representative of ischemic brain disorders. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is also efficacious against, for example, cerebral ischemic disorders such as cerebrovascular-spasm following a subarachnoid hemorrhage, Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia of Alzheimer's type, and cerebrovascular senile dementia, as well as cerebral ischemia, transient cerebral ischemic disease, and head trauma, and other cerebrovascular diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, and amyotrophic regressive disorders.

Abstract: The invention provides a peptide having an activity of inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and a food and drink and/or a pharmaceutical composition containing the peptide.

Abstract: The present inventors produced lotus leaf extracts, and discovered that quercetin is one of the active ingredients. As a result of treating ?3-adrenergic receptor-expressing cells and feeding diabetes model mice with quercetin and evaluating its effects, the present inventors discovered specifically that quercetin produces obesity-improving effects and antidiabetic effects by acting as a ?3-adrenergic receptor agonist.

Abstract: The present inventors focused on the lotus plant and prepared lotus extracts. When ?-glucosidase and its substrate sucrose were reacted with the lotus extracts to examine the effect of adding the extracts on the enzymatic reaction, the lotus extracts were found to have ?-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Furthermore, when the lotus extract and sucrose were administered to mice and their blood glucose levels were measured, the lotus extracts were found to suppress blood glucose levels. More specifically, the present inventors discovered that the lotus extracts have ?-glucosidase inhibitory activity and can be used to control blood glucose levels.

Abstract: MK (midkine) was found to rise in the blood or urine of patients with various types of cancers at early stage. Based on this finding, a method for detecting early cancer, comprising the step of measuring MK in blood or urine was completed.

Abstract: Processed cheeses with an antihypertensive effect greater than that of conventional cheese are provided in order to obtain a sufficient antihypertensive effect with a small intake. Specifically, processed cheeses with ACE inhibitory activity of 350 units per gram or more are manufactured using natural cheese such as cheddar cheese produced in New Zealand and Emmental cheese produced in Switzerland with ACE inhibitory activity of 420 units per grams or more. In addition, it is preferable to use low salt or unsalted natural cheese as a raw material, and use potassium salt as molten salt in order to make sodium content 990 mg or less per 100 g of processed cheese.

Abstract: Functional food including milk products from which an antihypertensive effect is obtained in a more natural way, more specifically functional food of which ACE inhibitory activity is enhanced by adding EMC preferably with ACE inhibitory activity of 9,000 units or more is provided. ACE inhibitory activity of this functional food is made 5,000 units or more per daily standard intake of the product. For example, in case of processed cheese, ACE inhibitory activity is made 350 units per gram or more assuming daily intake to be approximately 15 g.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel use of the MK family that is used alone as an agent for proliferating hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic precursor cells. The invention also provides an agent for remarkably enhancing the above-described effect for promoting the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic precursor cells, comprising the MK family in combination with known hematopoietic factors such as IL-3, IL-6, G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, SCF, and EPO.

Abstract: Proteins belonging to the MK family can suppress apoptosis induced by various stimuli such as carcinostatics, ultraviolet light and radiation, ischemic stresses, etc. Based on this finding, the invention provides novel agents for treating or preventing various diseases attributed to apoptosis such as cerebropathy, cardiopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, or hepatopathy, etc., comprising proteins belonging to the MK family as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing cytopathy caused by ischemia, comprising a midkine family protein as an active ingredient, and a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing ischemic disorders, comprising a midkine family protein as an active ingredient, are provided. Midkine is efficacious in treating or preventing ischemic disorders and cytopathy caused by ischemia and can remarkably prevent, for example, the development of cerebral infarction, a representative of ischemic brain disorders. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is also efficacious against, for example, cerebral ischemic disorders such as cerebrovascular-spasm following a subarachnoid hemorrhage, Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia of Alzheimer's type, and cerebrovascular senile dementia, as well as cerebral ischemia, transient cerebral ischemic disease, and head trauma, and other cerebrovascular diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, and amyotrophic regressive disorders.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel drug for relieving drug-induced nephropathy and acute hepatopahy containing a midkine (MK) family protein such as pleiotrophin (PTN). The MK family proteins can inhibit nephropathy induced by an antitumor agent or acute hepatopathy caused by carbon tetrachloride and thus effectively relieve drug-induced nephropathy or hepatopathy.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel use of the MK family that is used alone as an agent for proliferating hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic precursor cells. The invention also provides an agent for remarkably enhancing the above-described effect for promoting the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic precursor cells, comprising the MK family in combination with known hematopoietic factors such as IL-3, IL-6, G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, SCF, and EPO.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel use of the MK family that is used alone as an agent for proliferating hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic precursor cells. The invention also provides an agent for remarkably enhancing the above-described effect for promoting the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic precursor cells, comprising the MK family in combination with known hematopoietic factors such as IL-3, IL-6, G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, SCF, and EPO.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel drug for relieving drug-induced nephropathy and acute hepatopahy containing a midkine (MK) family protein such as pleiotrophin (PTN). The MK family proteins can inhibit nephropathy induced by an antitumor agent or acute hepatopathy caused by carbon tetrachloride and thus effectively relieve drug-induced nephropathy or hepatopathy.

Abstract: An anti-ulcer composition is provided, which comprises as an active ingredient at least one of MK protein, its derivative having biological activity of MK protein, and their fragment having biological activity of MK protein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition exhibits an effect for treating ulcer by promoting autotherapy without recurrence of ulcer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a complex formed by the coordination between a thiol group-containing compound and a silver ion; an antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agent containing the same as the active agent; and an antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral composition containing the above agent and a vehicle or a carrier.The agent has a wide antibacterial and antifungal spectrum and an antiviral activity, is well compatible with various vehicles and carriers, sustains its activity for long, and has reduced peroral toxicity, skin irritation and mucosa irritation.

Abstract: New high molecular polysaccharide MPS-80 was obtained by culturing high molecular polysaccharide MPS-80-producing bacteria belonging to genera Lactobacillus or Streptococcus. The new high molecular polysaccharide MPS-80 has an excellent anti-tumor effect, and it is expected for the utilization as anti-tumor agent.