Equal-containing fermentation product of soybean embryonic axis, and method for production thereof

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material that is useful for foods, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic products, etc. The equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material of the invention is obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.

1 . An equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material obtained by fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein. 
   
   
       2 . A fermented soybean hypocotyl material according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one microorganism is a lactic acid bacterium of the genus  Lactococcus.    
   
   
       3 . A fermented soybean hypocotyl material according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one microorganism belongs to  Lactococcus garvieae.    
   
   
       4 . A fermented soybean hypocotyl material according to  claim 1 , which contains 0.1 to 20 wt % of equol per total weight of dry fermented soybean hypocotyl material. 
   
   
       5 . A fermented soybean hypocotyl material according to  claim 1 , which further contains daidzin compounds, genistin compounds, genistei compounds, glyciti compounds and glycitei compounds. 
   
   
       6 . A fermented soybean hypocotyl material according to  claim 1 , which further contains ornithine. 
   
   
       7 . A food containing a fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       8 . A food according to  claim 7 , which is a dietary supplement. 
   
   
       9 . A food according to  claim 7 , which contains 0.1 to 90 g of the fermented soybean hypocotyl material per 100 g of the food. 
   
   
       10 . A pharmaceutical preparation containing a fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       11 . A pharmaceutical preparation according to  claim 10 , which is used for preventing or treating menopausal disorders, osteoporosis, prostatic hypertrophy, or metabolic syndrome. 
   
   
       12 . A pharmaceutical preparation according to  claim 10 , which is used for lowering the blood cholesterol level. 
   
   
       13 . Use of a fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1  for producing preparations for preventing or treating menopausal disorders, osteoporosis, prostatic hypertrophy, or metabolic syndrome. 
   
   
       14 . Use of a fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1  for producing preparations for lowering the blood cholesterol level. 
   
   
       15 . A method for treating menopausal disorders comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1  to a patient suffering from menopausal disorders. 
   
   
       16 . A method for lowering the blood cholesterol level comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1  to a patient who is in need of lowering the blood cholesterol level. 
   
   
       17 . A cosmetic product containing the fermented soybean hypocotyl material of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       18 . A cosmetic product according to  claim 17 , which contains 0.1 to 10 g of the fermented soybean hypocotyl material per 100 g of cosmetic product. 
   
   
       19 . A method for producing an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl material comprising the step of fermenting soybean hypocotyls using at least one microorganism having an equol-producing ability by utilizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of diadzein glycosides, daidzein, and dihydrodaidzein.