Suntory Limited

Michihiro Sugano

Kengo Akimoto

Sakayu Shimizu

Hideaki Yamada

Sumio Asami

Yoshifumi Shinmen

Yoshinori Kitagawa

Yoshihide Suwa

Ayako Nakabayashi

Jiong-Yan Gu

Michiko Nonaka

Koji Yamada

Nobuaki Hirose

An agent for the prevention or alleviation of allergy symptoms contains as an effective component a dioxabycyclo�3.3.0!octane derivative represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or alkyl group of 1-3 carbon atoms, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 and/or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 together represent a methylene or ethylene group, and n, m and l represent 0 or 1. An agent for the prevention or alleviation of allergy symptoms also contains as an effective component an antioxidant in addition to the dioxabicyclo�3.3.0!octane derivative.

Agent for prevention or alleviation of allergy symptoms

A food, drink, pharmaceutical, cosmetic composition or food additive comprising a dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 and/or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 together form a methylene group or an ethylene group, and n, m and l are 0 or 1; and antioxidant.

Composition containing dioxabicyclo [3.3.0] octane derivative

A composition for inhibiting .DELTA..sup.5 -desaturase comprising an effective ingredient selected from the group consisting of lignan compounds, curcumin and piperonyl butoxide. As the lignan compounds sesamin, sesaminol, episesamin, episesaminol, sesamolin, 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4 -hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane, 2,6-bis-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane, and 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6 -(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]-octane are used. Moreover the effective ingredient may be a sesame oil extract or sesame seed extract.

Inhibitor for delta 5-desaturase

A method of inhibiting the metabolism of cholesterol, comprising administering to a subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 and/or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 together form a methylene group or an ethylene group, and n, m and l are 0 or 1.

Method of inhibiting metabolism of cholesterol

A liver function improver, food, or drink comprising, as an effective ingredient, a dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative, such as sesamin, sesaminol espisesamin, episesaminol, sesamolin, 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicycl o[3.3.0]octane, 2,6-bis-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane or 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyc lo[3.3.0]octane.

Liver function improver

A liver function improver, food, or drink comprising, as an effective ingredient, a dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative, such as sesamin, sesaminol episesamin, episesaminol, sesamolin, 2-(3,4-methylene dioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane, 2,6-bis-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane or 2- (3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyclo [3.3.0]octane.

Growing community of inventors

Fukuoka, Japan

Michihiro Sugano