Antioxidant constituents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an antioxidant composition that is effective in the living body against active oxygen species produced in the body. The present invention provides an antioxidant composition having the effect of suppressing three active oxygen species, i.e. hypochlorite radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and peroxynitrite radicals, with respect to active oxygen species produced in the body, the antioxidant composition comprising a mixture in which at least 20 mg of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or sodium L-ascorbate) as an agent to scavenge peroxynitrite active oxygen, and at least 2 mg of caffeic acid analogue compound(s), at least 10 mg of polyphenyol compound(s) or at least 1.5 mg of carotenoid compound(s) as an agent to scavenge hydroxyl radical active oxygen are combined with 100 mg of histidine-containing dipeptide, or sulfur-containing amino acids or analogues thereof obtained from animal extract as an agent for scavenging hypochlorite active oxygen.

1 . An antioxidant composition comprising in the following proportions:
 at least 20 mg of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate)   at least 2 mg of caffeic acid analogue compound(s),   at least 10 mg of polyphenyol compound(s) or at least 1.5 mg of carotenoid compound(s) and   100 mg of histidine-containing dipeptide, or sulfur-containing amino acids or analogues thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the histidine-containing dipeptide of the agent for scavenging hypochlorite active oxygen is a mixture of anserine and carnosine, and the sulfur-containing amino acid or analogue thereof is one or more species of reduced glutathione, cysteine, acetylcysteine, or methionine, or alliin obtained from extracts of plants of the Allium or Brassica families. 
     
     
         3 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1 , comprising a caffeic acid analogue extracted from plants of the wheat or poaceae families. 
     
     
         4 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1 , comprising a polyphenol compound that is catechin extracted from mulberry leaves or tea leaves, and/or quercetin extracted from the Allium family. 
     
     
         5 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1 , comprising a carotenoid compound that is astaxanthin extracted from fish meat or algae, and/or β-carotene extracted from plants selected from the group consisting of ashitaba ( Angelica keiskei ), pumpkin, carrot, mugwort, perilla, or kale. 
     
     
         6 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1  wherein at least 20 mg of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate) and at least 2 mg of caffeic acid analogue compound(s) are combined with 100 mg of the histidine-containing dipeptide, or at least one sulfur-containing amino acid. 
     
     
         7 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1 , wherein histidine-containing dipeptide is a mixture of anserine and carnosine, and the caffeic acid analogue compound(s) is at least one of ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, cinnamic acid, or caffeic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The antioxidant composition according to  claim 1 , comprising at least 20 mg of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate) and at least 2 mg of ubiquinone in combination with 100 mg of the histidine-containing dipeptide, or in combination with one or more sulfur-containing amino acids. 
     
     
         9 . A food to which the antioxidant composition defined in  claim 1  has been added. 
     
     
         10 . A food to which the antioxidant composition of  claim 6  has been added. 
     
     
         11 . A food to which the antioxidant composition defined in  claim 8  has been added. 
     
     
         12 . The antioxidant composition of  claim 1  that does not contain vitamin E. 
     
     
         13 . The antioxidant composition of  claim 1  that contains at least 10 mg of polyphenyol compound(s) per 100 mg of histidine-containing dipeptide, or sulfur-containing amino acids or analogues thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The antioxidant composition of  claim 1  that contains at least 1.5 mg of a carotenoid compound(s) per 100 mg of histidine-containing dipeptide, or sulfur-containing amino acids or analogues thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The antioxidant composition of  claim 1  that contains at least one sulfur-containing amino acid that is not anserine-carnosine. 
     
     
         16 . A method for reducing or suppressing active oxygen species of a subject comprising administering the antioxidant composition of  claim 1  to a subject in need thereof, wherein said composition educes or suppresses hypochlorite radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and peroxynitrite radicals of said subject. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said composition is orally administered.