Emiko Nagai

Curcumin is one of the most common spices worldwide. It has potential benefits, but its poor solubility and bioavailability have restricted its application. To overcome these problems, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of sodium caseinate (SC), α-lactalbumin (α-La), β-lactoglobulin (β-lg), whey protein concentrate (WPC) and whey protein isolate (WPI) as nanocarriers of curcumin. Furthermore, the antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial activities of the formed nanoparticles were examined. The physicochemical characteristics of the formed nanoparticles as well as the entrapment efficiency (%) and the in vitro behavior regarding the release of curcumin (%) were examined. The results showed that the formation of curcumin–milk protein nanoparticles enhanced both the entrapment efficiency and the in vitro behavior release of curcumin (%). Cur/β-lg nanoparticles had the highest antioxidant activity, while SC and WPC nanoparticles had the highest anticancer effect. The antimicrobial activity of the formed nanoparticles was much higher compared to curcumin and the native milk proteins.

Our previous study showed anti-influenza virus activity in adlay tea prepared from adlay seeds, naked barley seeds, soybean, and cassia seeds. In this study, we evaluated the anti-influenza virus activity of each component of this tea and analyzed their active ingredients. Each component was roasted and extracted in hot water; the extracts were tested for antiviral activity and their mechanisms of action were studied. All the tea components showed antiviral activity against the H1N1 and H3N2 influenza subtypes and against influenza B. The viral stages inhibited by the components were virus adsorption and replication in proliferative process, suggesting that the action mechanisms of the components might differ from those of oseltamivir acid. Of the tea components, soybean showed the strongest activity. Therefore, we analyzed its active ingredients by liquid chromatography quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/qTOF-MS) and daidzein and glycitein were detected as active ingredients. Here, anti-influenza virus action of glycitein was the first report.

目的：近年，インフルエンザウイルス(IFV)において薬剤耐性株が出現し始め，問題となっている．新たなIFVの予防法や治療法の開発を行うことを目的に，ハトムギ反応生成物 (Coix-seed Reactive Derivatives: CRD)エキスの抗IFV作用を検討した． 方法：MDCK細胞にH1N1 A/Puerto Rico/8/34(PR8)株を感染させ，CRDエキス含有培地で24時間培養した．24時間後に上清のみを回収し，上清中のウイルス力価をフォーカス法により測定した．PVPP処理によりCRDエキス中のポリフェノールを除去し，除去前のCRDエキスとの抗IFV作用を比較した． 結果：CRDエキスはPR8株の増殖を阻害した．また，Time of addition assayの結果，CRDエキスはIFVの吸着時を最も阻害していることが判明した．さらに，CRDエキスのPVPP処理による検討から，ポリフェノールが有効成分である可能性が示唆された． 結論：CRDエキスはPR8株に対して抗IFV作用を示し，さらにIFVの細胞への吸着阻害のみならず，IFVの増殖時においても阻害作用を示した．また，CRDエキスの抗IFV作用にはポリフェノールが関与していることが示唆された．