Food materials useful in preventing and ameliorating metabolic bone diseases and preventives/remedies for metabolic bone diseases comprising these materials

Abstract

This invention relates to drinks and foods having osteogenetic function, each of which comprises as an active ingredient an effective amount of a culture of a propionic acid bacterium and/or a lactic acid bacterium, said culture containing 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone; and preventives and/or remedies for metabolic bone diseases, each of which comprises as an active ingredient a naphthoquinone compound selected from the group consisting of 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 8-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-(α-hydroxy-δ-methylpentenyl)-5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and salts thereof. These cultures and naphthoquinones promote bone metabolism and increase bone mass and bone strength.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method of treating a metabolic bone disease, comprising administering, to a subject in need thereof, an effective amount of at least one of a culture of a propionic acid bacterium and a culture of lactic acid bacterium.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein a culture of a propionic acid bacterium is administered.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein a culture of lactic acid bacterium is administered.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein a culture of a propionic bacterium and a culture of lactic acid bacterium is administered.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the culture comprises a culture supernatant, cells or both.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the propionic acid bacterium is  Propionibacterium freudenreichii.    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the lactic acid bacterium is  Lactococcus lactis  subsp.  lactis.    
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the administering comprises providing a food or drink comprising the at least one culture of a propionic acid bacterium and a culture of a lactic acid bacterium; and at least one or more food additives.