Aloe Vera Extract, Method of Producing Aloe Vera Extract, and Hyperglycemia Improving Agent

Abstract

The present invention provides: an Aloe vera extract that can be safely ingested, can be used as a material of food for preventing lifestyle diseases, contains an extremely low level of an anthraquinone (anthraquinone-based compound), and can be added to foods; and a method of producing the Aloe vera extract. A supercritical fluid extraction method can produce an Aloe vera extract containing a mixture that consists of a cyclolanostane compound and a lophenol compound in an amount of 1.0% by mass or more and having the following properties (1) and/or (2): (1) the mass mixing ratio of the cyclolanostane compound and lophenol compound is as follows: cyclolanostane compound: lophenol compound=6.3:2.7 to 5.1:4.9; and/or (2) the content of an anthraquinone-based compound is 0.001% by mass or less.

1 . An  Aloe vera  extract comprising a mixture that consists of a cyclolanostane compound and a lophenol compound in an amount of 1.0% by mass or more, wherein the extract has the following properties (1) and/or (2):
 (1) the mass mixing ratio of the cyclolanostane compound and lophenol compound is as follows:   cyclolanostane compound: lophenol compound =6.3:2.7 to 5.1:4.9; and/or   (2) the content of an anthraquinone-based compound is 0.001% by mass or less.   
   
   
       2 . The  Aloe vera  extract according to  claim 1 , wherein the cyclolanostane compound is 9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol and/or 24-methylene-9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol. 
   
   
       3 . The  Aloe vera  extract according to  claim 1 , wherein the lophenol compound is one or plural compounds selected from 4-methylcholest-7-en-3-ol, 4-methylergost-7-en-3-ol, and 4-methylstigmast-7-en-3-ol. 
   
   
       4 . Food or drink comprising an  Aloe vera  extract according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 . 
   
   
       5 . The food or drink according to  claim 4 , wherein the  Aloe vera  extract content is 0.01% by mass or more. 
   
   
       6 . A method of producing an  Aloe vera  extract comprising: preparing powdery  Aloe vera  mesophyll by removing water from a mesophyll part excluding leaf skin of  Aloe vera  by freeze-drying or hot-air drying; and extracting an  Aloe vera  extract from the resultant powdery  Aloe vera  mesophyll by a supercritical fluid extraction method based on the following conditions (a) to (e):
 (a) the extraction solvent is carbon dioxide;   (b) the extraction temperature is 50 to 69° C.;   (c) the pressure is 15 to 60 MPa;   (d) no entrainer is used; and   (e) the extraction time is 50 to 70 minutes.   
   
   
       7 . A hyperglycemia improving agent comprising, as an active ingredient, an  Aloe vera  extract containing a mixture that consists of a cyclolanostane compound and a lophenol compound in an amount of 1.0% by mass or more, wherein the  Aloe vera  extract has the following properties (1) and/or (2):
 (1) the mass mixing ratio of the cyclolanostane compound and lophenol compound is as follows:   cyclolanostane compound: lophenol compound=6.3:2.7 to 5.1:4.9; and/or   (2) the content of an anthraquinone-based compound is 0.001% by mass or less.   
   
   
       8 . The hyperglycemia improving agent according to  claim 7 , wherein the cyclolanostane compound is 9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol and/or 24-methylene-9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol. 
   
   
       9 . The hyperglycemia improving agent according to  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the lophenol compound is one or plural compounds selected from 4-methylcholest-7-en-3-ol, 4-methylergost-7-en-3-ol, and 4-methylstigmast-7-en-3-ol. 
   
   
       10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method of administering an  Aloe vera  extract comprising a mixture that consists of a cyclolanostane compound and a lophenol compound in an amount of 1.0% by mass or more for improving hyperglycemia to a subject whose hyperglycemia is to be improved, wherein the  Aloe vera  extract has the following properties (1) and/or (2):
 (1) the mass mixing ratio of the cyclolanostane compound and lophenol compound is as follows:  1  cyclolanostane compound: lophenol compound=6.3:2.7 to 5.1:4.9; and/or   (2) the content of an anthraquinone-based compound is 0.001% by mass or less.   
   
   
       14 . The  Aloe vera  extract according to  claim 2 , wherein the lophenol compound is one or plural compounds selected from 4-methylcholest-7-en-3-ol, 4-methylergost-7-en-3-ol, and 4-methylstigmast-7-en-3-ol.