Seikagaku Corporation

Ito En, Ltd.

Yoichiro Kuroda

Kazuyo Muramoto

Kazuo Kobayashi

Haruki Yamada

Takanobu Takihara

Takami Kakuda

Jinichi Inokuchi

Ayumu Nozawa

Iwao Sakane

Seigou Usuki

Masahiro Kawahara

Akihiro Mizutani

Kunihiko Umezawa

This invention is characterized by a brain function improving preparation containing theanine not less than 50 &mgr;M. It was confirmed that theanine could increase intracellular Ca,concentration by acting on NMDA receptors even at a low dose of about 50 &mgr;M. Thus, the brain function improving preparation of this invention was shown to be capable of causing plastic change in neurons or neural circuit. Since theanine has been approved as a food additive and being consumed daily, its safety has no problem. Moreover, theanine passes the blood-brain barrier relatively easily and, thus, it is effective as an oral preparation.

Method for improving the brain function, inhibiting glutamate excitotoxicity and rescuing from neuronal death

Disclosed is an agent for curing neuronal diseases caused by disorders of peripheral nervous system or central nervous system, which comprises a 2-acylaminopropanol compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a phenyl group or cyclohexyl group each of which may be substituted by 1 to 3 same or different substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy and nitro, or represents an alkyl group, and n represents an integer of 0 to 16, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an effective ingredient.

Method for treating neuronal diseases via administration of

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Musashino, Japan

Yoichiro Kuroda