Adrenomedullin production enhancer

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to discover a substance that effectively increases the production of adrenomedullin, as well as to provide an adrenomedullin production-enhancing agent utilizing this substance. The adrenomedullin production-enhancing agent is characterized by inclusion of a ginsenoside, a sanshool, and/or a shogaol as active ingredients.

1 . A method of treating hepatitis in a subject in need thereof comprising, administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent comprising:
 a compound represented by formula (1):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , which may be identical or different, each represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, —O-Glc, —O-Glc-Glc, —O-Glc-Ara, or —O-Glc—Rha, wherein Glc represents a glucose residue, Ara represents an arabinose residue, and Rha represents a rhamnose residue; and
 a compound represented by formula (2): 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 4  represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, m is 1 or 2, and a wavy bond line indicates either a Z- or E-configuration; and/or
 a compound represented by formula (3): 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n is 4, 6, or 8. 
       
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (1) is at least one ginsenoside selected from the group consisting of ginsenoside Rb 1 , ginsenoside Rb 2 , ginsenoside Rc, ginsenoside Rd, ginseonside Re, ginsenoside Rg 1 , ginsenoside Rg 2 , and ginsenoside Rh 1 . 
     
     
         3 . The method agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (2) is at least one sanshool selected from the group consisting of α-sanshool, β-sanshool, γ-sanshool, hydroxy-α-sanshool, hydroxy-β-sanshool, and hydroxy-γ-sanshool. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (3) is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, and 10-shogaol. 
     
     
         5 . A method of treating hepatitis in a subject in need thereof comprising, administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent comprising:
 a crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (1):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , which may be identical or different, each represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, —O-Glc, —O-Glc-Glc, —O-Glc-Ara, or —O-Glc-Rha, wherein Glc represents a glucose residue, Ara represents an arabinose residue, and Rha represents a rhamnose residue; and 
         a crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (2): 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 4  represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, m is 1 or 2, and a wavy bond line indicates either a Z- or E-configuration; and/or
 a crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (3): 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is 4, 6, or 8. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (1) is ginseng. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (2) is Japanese pepper. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the crude drug containing the compound represented by formula (3) is dried ginger rhizome. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating hepatitis in a subject in need thereof comprising, administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent comprising: a Kampo medicine prescription comprising:
 a crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (1);   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , which may be identical or different, each represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, —O-Glc, —O-Glc-Glc, —O-Glc-Ara, or —O-Glc-Rha, wherein Glc represents a glucose residue, Ara represents an arabinose residue, and Rha represents a rhamnose residue; and
 a crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (2): 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 4  represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, m is 1 or 2, and a wavy bond line indicates either a Z- or E-configuration; and/or
 a crude drug comprising the compound represented by formula (3): 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is 4, 6, or 8. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the Kampo medicine prescription is Daikenchutou. 
     
     
         11 - 20 . (canceled)