Agent for Preventing or Suppressing Hepatopathy and Functional Food for Preventing or Suppressing Hepatopathy

Abstract

The present invention provides an agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction which may be taken daily and continuously, has excellent safety, and is capable of effectively preventing and/or suppressing hepatic dysfunction, such as hepatocellular necrosis, and functional food, such as foods for specified health uses, for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction containing this agent. The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction of the present invention contains whey as the active component, and the functional food for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction contains the agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction.

1 . An agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction comprising whey as an active component.  
   
   
       2 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 1 , wherein said whey is at least one of acid whey and cheese whey.  
   
   
       3 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 2 , wherein said acid whey comprises fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with bacteria including lactic acid bacteria.  
   
   
       4 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 3 , wherein said lactic acid bacteria are of the genus  Lactobacillus  sp.  
   
   
       5 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 4 , wherein said lactic acid bacteria of the genus  Lactobacillus  are of the species  Lactobacillus helveticus.    
   
   
       6 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 5 , wherein said  Lactobacillus helveticus  is of a strain  Lactobacillus helveticus  CM4 (deposited at National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, International Patent Organism Depositary under Accession Number FERM BP-6060).  
   
   
       7 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 2 , wherein said acid whey is casein whey containing an aqueous fraction obtained by adding to milk.  
   
   
       8 . Functional food for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction comprising an agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 .  
   
   
       9 . The functional food according to  claim 8 , further comprising milk components other than whey.  
   
   
       10 . The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction according to  claim 5  or  6 , wherein said hepatic dysfunction is drug-induced hepatitis.