Abstract: Provided is a means useful for enjoying the physiological action of kaempferol. A plant extract contains 1 mg/g or more of a kaempferol aglycone on a dry-weight basis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for improvement in physical activity efficiency, a composition for reducing fatigue, and a composition for improving dynamic/kinetic visual acuity, comprising a plant-derived extract and/or a plant-derived processed product.

Abstract: The present application provides a method for improvement in physical activity efficiency, a method for reducing fatigue, and a method for improving dynamic/kinetic visual acuity, comprising administering a composition comprising a kaempferol analog to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: The present application provides a composition for improvement in physical activity efficiency, a composition for reducing fatigue, and a composition for improving dynamic/kinetic visual acuity, comprising a kaempferol analog.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: The determination method of the present invention includes steps of measuring equol in a biological sample derived from a subject who has ingested soybean isoflavone by an immunological method using S-equol as at least one antigen selected from the group consisting of the standard antigen and the labeled antigen, and determining an equol-producing ability of the subject based on the measured value of equol obtained in the above step.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide enzymes associated with equol synthesis, genes coding such enzymes, and a process for producing equol and its intermediates using the enzymes and genes. The present invention provides a dihydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, tetrahydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, equol synthesizing enzyme, and genes coding these enzymes. The present invention also provides a process for synthesizing dihydrodaidzein, tetrahydrodaidzein, and/or equol using these enzymes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide enzymes associated with equol synthesis, genes coding such enzymes, and a process for producing equol and its intermediates using the enzymes and genes. The present invention provides a dihydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, tetrahydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, equol synthesizing enzyme, and genes coding these enzymes. The present invention also provides a process for synthesizing dihydrodaidzein, tetrahydrodaidzein, and/or equol using these enzymes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide enzymes associated with equol synthesis, genes coding such enzymes, and a process for producing equol and its intermediates using the enzymes and genes. The present invention provides a dihydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, tetrahydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, equol synthesizing enzyme, and genes coding these enzymes. The present invention also provides a process for synthesizing dihydrodaidzein, tetrahydrodaidzein, and/or equol using these enzymes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide enzymes associated with equol synthesis, genes coding such enzymes, and a process for producing equol and its intermediates using the enzymes and genes. The present invention provides a dihydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, tetrahydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, equol synthesizing enzyme, and genes coding these enzymes. The present invention also provides a process for synthesizing dihydrodaidzein, tetrahydrodaidzein, and/or equol using these enzymes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide enzymes associated with equol synthesis, genes coding such enzymes, and a process for producing equol and its intermediates using the enzymes and genes. The present invention provides a dihydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, tetrahydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, equol synthesizing enzyme, and genes coding these enzymes. The present invention also provides a process for synthesizing dihydrodaidzein, tetrahydrodaidzein, and/or equol using these enzymes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring equol in a biological sample by an immunological method, a kit for the measurement, and a method for determining equol-producing ability of a subject. The measurement method of the present invention is characterized in that S-equol is used as at least one antigen selected from the group consisting of a standard antigen used for the preparation of a standard curve and a labeled antigen that competes with equol in a biological sample. The kit of the present invention is characterized in including S-equol as at least one antigen selected from the group consisting of the standard antigen and the labeled antigen.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide enzymes associated with equol synthesis, genes coding such enzymes, and a process for producing equol and its intermediates using the enzymes and genes. The present invention provides a dihydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, tetrahydrodaidzein synthesizing enzyme, equol synthesizing enzyme, and genes coding these enzymes. The present invention also provides a process for synthesizing dihydrodaidzein, tetrahydrodaidzein, and/or equol using these enzymes.