Agents for improving lipid metabolism and reducing high blood pressure

Abstract

A milk-derived basic protein fraction and a basic peptide fraction are provided for use as an effective component for agents for improving lipid metabolism and reducing high blood pressure which can be administered orally, are effective with a relatively small dosage, have good taste and are stable during storage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising a milk-derived basic protein fraction as an effective component and a suitable carrier for oral administration.  
     
     
         2 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 1  wherein said milk-derived basic protein fraction contains about 15% or more by weight basic amino acids in its amino acid composition.  
     
     
         3 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 2  wherein said milk-derived basic protein fraction comprises proteins having a molecular weight ranging from about 3,000 to about 80,000.  
     
     
         4 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 2  wherein said milk-derived basic protein fraction contains more than about 95% by weight protein.  
     
     
         5 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 2  wherein said milk-derived basic protein fraction contains less than about 5% by weight fat and ash.  
     
     
         6 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 1  wherein the milk-derived basic protein fraction is a fraction obtained by ringing milk or a milk-derived material into contact with cation exchange resins to adsorb basic proteins and eluting a fraction adsorbed on the resins with an eluent having a salt concentration of about 0.1 M to about 1.0 M.  
     
     
         7 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising a basic peptide fraction which is obtained by digesting a milk-derived basic protein fraction with a protease as an effective component and a suitable carrier for oral administration.  
     
     
         8 . A composition for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 7  wherein said protease is at least one of proteases selected from the group consisting of pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pancreatin.  
     
     
         9 . A drink for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising the composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A food product for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising the composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A tablet for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising the composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . A drink for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising the composition of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         13 . A food product for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising the composition of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         14 . A tablet for improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising the composition of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         15 . A method of improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising administering an effective amount of a milk-derived basic protein fraction to a candidate for the treatment or a patient in need thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A method of improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 15 , comprising orally administering about 20 mg or more of the milk-derived basic protein fraction per day.  
     
     
         17 . A method of improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure comprising administering an effective amount of a basic peptide fraction which is obtained by digesting a milk-derived basic protein fraction with a protease to a candidate for the treatment or a patient in need thereof.  
     
     
         18 . A method of improving lipid metabolism and/or reducing high blood pressure according to  claim 17 , comprising orally administering about 20 mg or more of the basic peptide fraction per day.