Preventive or ameliorating agent for liver disease involving hepatopathy
To provide a preventive or ameliorating agent for liver diseases associated with hepatopathy comprising an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as an active ingredient.
1. A method of ameliorating liver diseases associated with hepatopathy comprising administering an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid or a compound having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid as an active component to a subject to ameliorate liver diseases associated with hepatopathy, wherein the subject administers the omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid in an amount of (1) 0.001-10 g per day, or (2) 0.001-20 g per 60 kg body weight in 1-3 divided doses daily, wherein the subject is a patient having a liver disease associated with hepatopathy, and wherein the liver diseases associated with hepatopathy are acute hepatic insufficiency, liver cirrhosis and/or hepatoma.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said compound having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid is an alcohol ester of an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid, a monoglyceride, a diglyceride and/or a triglyceride, or a phospholipid having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said triglyceride having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid contains 20% or more of the omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid relative to the total fatty acids constituting said triglyceride.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of 6,9-octadecadienoic acid (18:2 ω9), 8,11-eicosadienoic acid (20:2 ω9) and 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid (20:3 ω9).
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said triglyceride having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid is obtained by culturing a microorganism having a reduced or absent Δ12 unsaturating enzyme activity in a medium, said microorganism being obtained by the mutation treatment of a microorganism belonging to genus Mortierella , genus Conidiobolus , genus Phythium , genus Phytophthora , genus Penicillium , genus Cladosporium , genus Mucor , genus Fusarium , genus Aspergillus , genus Rhodotorula , genus Entomophthora , genus Echinosporangium , or genus Saprolegnia and being capable of producing arachidonic acid, and then extracting from said culture.
6. A method of ameliorating liver diseases associated with hepatopathy comprising providing a composition or a food or drink containing an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid or a compound having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid as an active component to a subject to ameliorate liver diseases associated with hepatopathy, wherein the subject is a patient having a liver disease associated with hepatopathy, and wherein the liver diseases associated with hepatopathy are acute hepatic insufficiency, liver cirrhosis and/or hepatoma.
7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said compound having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid is an alcohol ester of an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid, a monoglyceride, a diglyceride and/or a triglyceride, or a phospholipid having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said triglyceride having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid contains 20% or more of the omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid relative to the total fatty acids constituting said triglyceride.
9. The method according to claim 6 wherein said omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of 6,9-octadecadienoic acid (18:2 ω9), 8,11-eicosadienoic acid (20:2 ω9) and 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid (20:3 ω9).
10. The method according to claim 7 wherein said triglyceride having an omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid is obtained by culturing a microorganism having a reduced or absent Δ12 unsaturating enzyme activity in a medium, said microorganism being obtained by the mutation treatment of a microorganism belonging to genus Mortierella , genus Conidiobolus , genus Phythium , genus Phytophthora , genus Penicillium , genus Cladosporium , genus Mucor , genus Fusarium , genus Aspergillus , genus Rhodotorula , genus Entomophthora , genus Echinosporangium , or genus Saprolegnia and being capable of producing arachidonic acid, and then extracting it from said culture.
11. The method according to claim 6 wherein said food or drink are functional foods, nutrient supplements, specified health foods or foods for old people.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered the omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid in an amount of 0.001-2 g per day.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered the omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid in an amount of 0.1-2 g per 60 kg body weight in 1-3 divided doses daily.