JP2006117659A - Alleviator for falling-off of hair - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alleviator for the falling-off of hair which is highly safe, can be taken or administered daily, and is effective in alleviating the falling-off of hair. <P>SOLUTION: The invention relates to the alleviator for the falling-off of hair comprising a heat treated product or an extract of Momordica charantia which has an ameliorating effect to the falling-off of hair and is used as the active ingredient for alleviator for the falling-off of hair. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hair loss improving agent that effectively improves hair loss symptoms. Furthermore, this invention relates to the foodstuff or pharmaceutical composition containing the said hair loss improving agent.

  Sebum secreted from the sebaceous glands of the scalp plays a role of imparting appropriate oil and suppleness to the hair, and suppressing the entry of foreign matter into the scalp and the release of moisture from the scalp. However, it is known that when sebum is secreted excessively to the scalp, the sebum closes the pores, which causes the occurrence or worsening of hair loss symptoms.

  Conventionally, various hair growth agents have been used for the prevention and treatment of alopecia. In general, ingredients that contribute to blood circulation promotion, cleaning, anti-inflammatory, sterilization, cell activation, and the like are blended in conventional hair restorers. However, the ingredients used in conventional hair restorers do not have the effect of suppressing the excessive secretion of sebum to the scalp or are weak, so that a sufficient hair restoration effect may not be obtained. Against the background of such a conventional technique, development of a hair loss improving agent that suppresses the accumulation of sebum in pores and can effectively prevent the occurrence or deterioration of hair loss symptoms is desired.

On the other hand, it has been known that extract of bitter gourd has hair follicle cell proliferation activity and can be used as a hair restorer (see Patent Document 1). In addition, it has been reported that ground bitumen and extracts thereof have an action of improving lipid metabolism (see Patent Document 2). However, it is known that ingredients extracted from bitter gourd do not have an effect of reducing the amount of blood neutral fat that causes sebum secretion in the scalp (see paragraphs 0036 and 0046 of Patent Document 2). Even if this is ingested as a food or the like, a sufficient effect of improving hair loss cannot be expected. In addition, it is not known how the bitter melon heat-treated product affects the improvement of hair loss.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-212050 JP 2002-278804 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a hair loss improving agent that is highly safe, can be taken or administered on a daily basis, and is effective in improving hair loss. Furthermore, this invention aims at providing the foodstuff and pharmaceutical containing the said hair loss improving agent.

  The inventors of the present invention have intensively studied to solve the above-mentioned problems. As a result, the heat treatment of bitter gourd, particularly the bitter gourd heat obtained by drying the bitter gourd, suppresses the secretion of sebum in the scalp. Thus, it has been found that there is an effect of preventing or treating hair loss. The present invention has been developed through further studies based on such findings.

That is, the present invention provides the following inventions:
Item 1. A hair loss improving agent comprising a bitter gourd heat-treated product or an extract thereof as an active ingredient.
Item 2. Item 2. The hair loss improving agent according to Item 1, wherein the bitter gourd heat-treated product is obtained by drying bittern after heating.
Item 3. Item 3. A hair loss improving food comprising the hair loss improving agent according to Item 1 or 2.
Item 4. Item 4. The hair loss improving food according to Item 3, which is in the form of a powder, tablet, capsule, syrup, jelly, or beverage.
Item 5. Item 5. The food for improving hair loss according to Item 3 or 4, which is displayed to be used for improving hair loss.
Item 6. A food containing a bitter gourd heat-treated product or an extract thereof, which is displayed to be used for improving hair loss.
Item 7. Item 7. The food according to Item 6, which is in the form of a powder, tablet, capsule, syrup, jelly, or beverage.
Item 8. Item 3. A pharmaceutical product or quasi-drug for improving hair loss, comprising the hair loss improving agent according to item 1 or 2.

  The present invention is described in detail below. As for the hair loss improving agent of this invention, a bittern heat-processed material is used as an active ingredient.

Nigauri is a plant belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae and is known as the scientific name Momordica charantia L. It is native to tropical Asia and is cultivated in Okinawa and Kyushu regions in Japan. Nigari is also known as bitter gourd or pickle. The bitter gourd used in the present invention may be a wild species or an improved variety.

  As a raw material of the bitter gourd heat-treated product which is the active ingredient of the present invention, the fruit portion of bitter gourd is used. The fruit part includes fruit skin, fruit pulp, fruit juice, cotton, seeds, etc., but any of these parts may be used as the raw material for the bitter melon heat-treated product. Preferably, it is an edible part obtained by removing seeds and cotton from the fruit part, and more preferably pulp.

  The bitter gourd heat-treated product can be obtained by chopping or crushing bitter cucumber as necessary and heating it at 40 to 120 ° C. for about 1 to 60 minutes. Although it does not restrict | limit especially as a heating method, Preferably the method of roasting is mentioned.

  The bitter gourd heat-treated product is preferably obtained by heating the bitter gourd after drying. Hereinafter, a method for preparing a bitter gourd heat-treated product by drying and heating the bitter gourd will be described. In the preparation of such a bitter gourd heat-treated product, the bitter gourd is subjected to a step of drying the bitter gourd prior to the heat treatment of the bitter gourd, and it is desirable to cut or crush the bitter gourd into an appropriate size before the drying step. From the viewpoint of efficiently performing drying and heating, it is desirable to chop the bitter gourd into 1 to 20 mm, preferably about 5 to 8 mm. Drying of bitter melon may be carried out until the weight after drying of bitter melon is reduced to 1 to 20%, preferably about 5 to 12% of the weight before drying. The drying method and conditions are not particularly limited, and a drying method known or commonly used in the art may be employed. Specific examples of the drying method include a method of drying by applying hot air of about 40 to 120 ° C. and a method of drying for 1 to 5 days, preferably about 3 days in the sun. The dried bittern is then subjected to a heat treatment (for example, roasting treatment). About heating conditions, it adjusts suitably according to heating temperature and heating time. About heating temperature, what is necessary is just to set to 40-120 degreeC normally, Preferably it is 60-120 degreeC. Further, the heating time varies depending on the heating temperature and cannot be defined uniformly, but is usually 1 to 60 minutes, preferably about 3 to 15 minutes. Although it does not restrict | limit especially about a heating method, The method to fry on the said temperature conditions is mentioned as an example of a suitable heating method. The said heat processing can be implemented using a roasting machine etc., for example. By performing such heat treatment, a bitter gourd heat-treated product is prepared. The bitter gourd heat-treated product is usually reduced to a weight of about 1 to 10%, preferably about 5 to 7% of the weight of the bitter melon before drying.

  In the present invention, the bittern heat-treated product obtained by the above method can be used as it is as an active ingredient of the hair loss improving agent, but an extract of the bittern-heat-treated product may also be used.

An extract of the bitter melon heat-treated product can be obtained by extracting the bitter melon heat-treated product with an extraction solvent at room temperature or under heating. Examples of the extraction solvent include water; an organic solvent; or a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. Examples of the organic solvent used for extraction include methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform, pentane, hexane, heptane and the like alone or in combination of two or more. Can be mentioned. As an extraction solvent, preferably water; lower alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol; or a mixture of water and lower alcohol, more preferably water, ethanol, or a mixture of water and ethanol (5 to 50% by weight ethanol) Aqueous solution); particularly preferably water. In addition, warm water and hot water are contained in said water.

  The extract of the bitter melon heat-treated product used for the hair loss improving agent may be the same as the extract obtained by the above-described extraction treatment, or the solid matter may be removed from the extract. Good. Moreover, what was further concentrated by vacuum distillation etc. as needed, and what was dried by drying processes, such as vacuum drying and freeze-drying, may be used.

  The intake or dose of the hair loss-improving agent of the present invention varies depending on the age and sex of the subject, the degree of hair loss symptoms, the expected effect, etc., and cannot be uniformly defined. As an example of the amount, an amount in which the hair loss improving agent (converted to the dry weight of the bitter gourd heat-treated product) is 0.1 to 4 g, preferably 0.3 to 2 g, more preferably 0.7 to 2 g is exemplified.

  The hair loss-improving agent of the present invention can be provided as a food product for improving hair loss by blending with a food product, or it can be prepared in the form of an internal medicine or quasi-drug to improve hair loss of the skin It can also be provided as an external product.

  Preferred examples of the food for improving hair loss include health functional foods (nutrient functional foods and foods for specified health use), so-called health foods, nutritional supplement foods, special-purpose foods (foods for sick people, etc.) and the like. Examples of forms include powders, tablets, capsules, syrups, jelly, and the like. In addition, since the extract of a bitter melon heat-processed product obtained using water as an extraction solvent can be drunk as it is, it is good also considering this extract itself, its concentrated liquid, or a dilution liquid as a drink form foodstuff.

  In the food for improving hair loss, the ratio of the hair loss improving agent to be blended may be appropriately set according to the daily intake of the agent, the form of the food, the expected effect, and the like.

  Further, the shape of the pharmaceutical product or quasi drug for improving hair loss is not particularly limited as long as the effect of the present invention is not hindered. Examples of the form of the pharmaceutical or quasi drug include tablets, powders, granules, capsules, pills, troches, liquids, extracts and the like. The medicinal product or quasi-drug is formulated with a pharmaceutically acceptable base or carrier, and if necessary, a binder, a disintegrant, a lubricant, a wetting agent, a buffering agent, a preservative. In addition, pharmaceutically acceptable additives such as fragrances may optionally be contained.

  The ratio of the hair loss improving agent contained in the above-mentioned pharmaceutical product or quasi-drug for improving hair loss is expected to be the dose of the agent per day, the age and sex of the subject, the form of the pharmaceutical product or quasi-drug, It can be set as appropriate according to the effect or the like.

  The hair loss improving agent of the present invention is useful as an edible hair restorer because it can prevent or treat hair loss by preventing the accumulation of sebum in the pores by ingestion or application. Further, the hair loss improving agent of the present invention is effective for hair loss symptoms caused by any factor, but is particularly suitable for the prevention or treatment of seborrheic alopecia.

  The hair loss-improving agent of the present invention may be used in combination with other hair growth agents that are applied transdermally or taken orally, and this may cause the effect of improving hair loss more remarkably.

  According to the hair loss improving agent of the present invention, it is possible to effectively suppress the accumulation of sebum in the pores, effectively preventing the occurrence of hair loss and the deterioration of symptoms, and maintaining the scalp and hair in a healthy state. Is possible.

  Moreover, since the hair loss improving agent of the present invention is prepared using bitter gourd which has been conventionally used as a raw material for foods, it is highly safe and can be ingested or administered on a daily basis as a food or an internal medicine. .

  Furthermore, the bitter gourd heat-treated product obtained by drying and heating the bitter gourd has no bitterness peculiar to bitter gourd and does not adversely affect the taste. It can be used without being limited to the shape of the composition, and can provide various means for preventing or treating hair loss.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example is given and this invention is demonstrated, this invention is not limited to these Examples.
Example 1
It is known that hair loss symptoms can be improved by preventing the accumulation of sebum in the pores. It is also known that the amount of sebum secreted into the scalp (hair part) has a correlation (proportional) relationship with the amount of sebum secreted into the forehead. Therefore, by confirming the amount of sebum secreted into the scalp (hair part) and measuring the amount of sebum secreted in the forehead, it is evaluated how the bitter gourd heat treatment has an effect on the improvement of hair loss. Went.

<Preparation of heat-treated bitter gourd>
After removing seeds and cotton from the fruit part of bitter gourd, it was chopped to about 5-8 mm. 1000 g of chopped bitter gourd was dried with hot air at 40 to 120 ° C. until the weight reached 120 g. Next, using a direct-fire roasting machine, the iron plate temperature was gradually raised from 70 ° C. to 110 ° C. for 15 minutes and fried to obtain 60 g of a bitter gourd heat-treated product.

  The soy-boiled heat-treated product thus obtained is added to boiling water immediately after boiling, and left to stand for 1 minute, and extracted to 100 g of extract liquid so that the heat-treated soy-boiled product becomes 0.2 g, and then solidified by filtration. The extract from which the residue was removed was used as a test sample.

<Evaluation of the degree of sebum accumulation in the scalp (hair part) and measurement of the amount of sebum secreted in the forehead>
The degree of sebum accumulation in the scalp (hair) was evaluated by subjects who took the test sample under the conditions shown in Table 1 below, and the amount of sebum secreted in the forehead was further measured. Specifically, first, the degree of sebum accumulation in the subject's scalp (hair part) was confirmed by visual observation and photography, and oil blotting paper (trade name “Cosmetics Planet Oil Blotting Paper”, manufactured by Orbit Inc., natural 100% hemp) was used to sufficiently absorb the subject's forehead sebum. Immediately thereafter, about 300 g of grilled meat was ingested. Two hours after the disclosure of grilled meat intake, the degree of sebum accumulation in the subject's scalp (hair) is confirmed visually and by photography, and the oil on the left half of the subject's left forehead is thoroughly blotted using oil blotting paper. It was. Furthermore, 4 hours after the disclosure of grilled meat intake, the degree of sebum accumulation in the scalp (hair part) of the subject is confirmed again by visual inspection, and the oil on the right half of the forehead of the subject is sufficiently removed using blotting paper. Sucked up. For a picture of the scalp, set the 3D digital fine scope VC1000 (made by OMRON Corporation), set the low magnification zoom lens VC-M20Z (made by OMRON Corporation), and then attach the contact adapter for VC-M20Z to the lens tip. Photographed by mounting and magnifying 80x.
In addition, the sebum amount after 2 and 4 hours of ingestion of yakiniku was calculated according to the following formula.

<Result>
The results of confirming the degree of sebum accumulation in the scalp by photography are shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 shows the condition of the scalp before ingestion of the grilled meat of one subject in the test of Test Example 1; FIG. 2 shows the condition of the scalp 2 hours after ingestion of the grilled meat of the subject in the test of Test Example 1; FIG. 4 shows the state of the scalp of the subject 2 hours after the intake of the grilled meat during the control test of the test example 1 during the control test of the test example 1; It is a photograph. As shown in these photographs (FIGS. 1 to 4), it was confirmed that the intake of sebum in the hair root of the scalp can be remarkably suppressed by ingesting the extract of the bitter gourd heat-treated 2 hours after ingestion of the grilled meat. .

  Similarly, as a result of visually evaluating the degree of sebum accumulation in the scalp (hair part), in both Test Examples 1 and 2, by taking the extract of bitter gourd heat-treated, compared to the control It was confirmed that the accumulation of sebum in the scalp (hair part) was suppressed 2 hours and 4 hours after ingestion of grilled meat.

  The results obtained for the amount of sebum secreted in the forehead are shown in Table 2. In Table 2, the sebum secretion reduction rate means the ratio (%) of the sebum amount reduced with respect to the control sebum amount. As a result, it was confirmed that the amount of sebum secreted in the forehead was reduced by ingesting the extract of the bitter gourd heat-treated product. In particular, from the results of Test Example 2, it was confirmed that the amount of sebum secreted could be effectively suppressed by daily ingestion of the extract of the bitter gourd heat-treated product.

  From the above results, the heat-treated bitter gourd or its extract has the effect of suppressing sebum secretion in the scalp and preventing the accumulation of sebum in the pores, which is useful for improving hair loss symptoms. It became clear that there was.

Example 2 (Capsule)
5 g of gelatin heated to 40-60 ° C. was gradually added with stirring to dissolve the mixture. The mixed solution was degassed under reduced pressure, and then appropriate amounts of titanium oxide and pigment were added and further mixed. Thereafter, it is filled into a capsule-type bottle and dried until the water content is 15 to 18% by weight. The body part of the capsule is filled with 200 mg of bitter gourd prepared by the method described in Example 1, The cap part was combined and the capsule containing a bittern heat processing thing was prepared.

Example 3 (Microcapsule)
To 100 g of purified water heated to 40 ° C., 5 g of gelatin was gradually added with stirring, and mixed and dissolved. Thereafter, 200 mg of bitter gourd heat-treated product prepared by the method described in Example 1, titanium oxide, glycerin, and dye were added in appropriate amounts and mixed to obtain capsules. The capsule was then cooled, dehydrated until the water content was 15-18% by weight, and further dried until the water content was 8.2-16% by weight. Then, it filtered and the microcapsule containing a bittern heat processing thing was prepared.

Example 4 (Cookies)
First, 80 g of sugar (granulated sugar) was gradually added to 70 g of unsalted butter while stirring. After adding 1 broken egg to this, 2 g of bittern heat-treated product prepared by the method described in Example 1 was added and further stirred. In a sufficiently mixed stage, 200 g of weak flour that was evenly sieved was added and stirred at a low speed, and then a lump. This was laid down in a low temperature room for about 30 minutes, then uniformly spread to a thickness of about 1 cm, and extracted with a circular mold having a diameter of 5 cm. Next, the cut cookie dough was arranged on a top plate and heated in an oven preheated at 170 ° C. for 12 to 15 minutes to obtain a cookie containing a bittersweet heat-treated product.

Example 5 (soft drink)
A soft drink having the following composition was prepared.

(weight%)
Extract from heat-treated bittern (prepared by the method described in Example 1) 0.5
Fructose dextrose liquid sugar 6.0
Sodium citrate 0.6
L-ascorbic acid 3.0
Appropriate amount of water
Total 100% by weight
Example 6 (Jelly)
According to a conventional method, a jelly having the following composition was prepared.

(weight%)
Extract from heat-treated bittern (prepared by the method described in Example 1) 0.5
Gelatin 1.1
Sugar 22.0
L-tartaric acid 0.1
Sodium citrate 0.1
Citric acid 0.1
Appropriate amount of water
Total 100% by weight

It is the photograph which image | photographed the state of the scalp before ingesting the test subject's grilled meat in the case of the test of Test Example 1. It is the photograph which image | photographed the state of the scalp 2 hours after ingesting the test subject's grilled meat in the case of the test of Test Example 1. It is the photograph which image | photographed the state of the scalp before ingesting a test subject's grilled meat in the case of the control test of Test Example 1. It is the photograph which image | photographed the state of the scalp 2 hours after ingesting the test subject's grilled meat in the case of the control test of Test Example 1.

Claims (4)

A hair loss improving agent comprising a bitter gourd heat-treated product or its extract as an active ingredient. The hair loss improving agent according to claim 1, wherein the bitter gourd heat-treated product is obtained by drying and heating the bitter gourd. The food for hair loss improvement containing the hair loss improving agent of Claim 1 or 2. A pharmaceutical product or quasi-drug for hair loss improvement, comprising the hair loss improving agent according to claim 1 or 2.

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