Euglena powder and vegetable powder improved obesity by regulating intestinal flora and inflammation
-Research results have been published in the online scientific journal "Nutrients"-

Takeda Consumer Healthcare Co., Ltd.
Euglena Co., Ltd.

　Takeda Consumer Healthcare Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President Mari Nogami, hereinafter "Takeda Consumer Healthcare") and Euglena Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President Mitsuru Izumo, hereinafter "Euglena Co., Ltd." ”) Is a powder of the microalga Euglena (Japanese name: Euglena) (hereinafter referred to as Euglena powder) in a joint research with Associate Professor Takeshi Tsuzuki in the field of food chemistry, Department of Food Function and Health Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, National University Corporation. ) And vegetable powder were ingested at the same time, and we are pleased to inform you that we have confirmed the research results suggesting an anti-obesity effect in obese model mice.
　In addition, Takeda Consumer Healthcare and Euglena Co., Ltd. have entered into a comprehensive alliance agreement to jointly consider the possibility of developing new products containing Euglena.

■ Background and purpose
　In recent years, an increasing number of people have become obese due to the accumulation of body fat due to changes in eating habits and lack of exercise. Obesity is regarded as a risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke, and countermeasures are required. In addition, it is thought that chronic inflammation occurs in adipose tissue during obesity, which adversely affects the whole body. On the other hand, short-chain fatty acids intestinal flora produced, via the receptors on the host side of the cell has been shown to suppress the obesity, the previous joint research ^*1 in mice of the normal diet fed , It has been reported that Euglena powder and vegetable powder exhibits an inhibitory effect on visceral fat accumulation and an anti-inflammatory effect ^*3​ ​^{through regulation of the intestinal flora *2.}​
　In this study, obese model mice fed a high-fat diet were fed with paramilon powder, Euglena powder, and Euglena powder and vegetable (barley young leaves, tomorrow's leaves, kale) rich in water-soluble dietary fiber, and fed a normal diet. We evaluated whether the effects observed in the domestic mice could be confirmed in the obese model mice.

■研究内容と結果
　マウスを、①通常食を与えたマウス群（以下通常食群）、②高脂肪食を与えたマウス群（以下高脂肪食群）、③高脂肪食とパラミロン粉末を与えたマウス群（以下高脂肪食＋パラミロン粉末群）、④高脂肪食とユーグレナ粉末を与えたマウス群（以下高脂肪食＋ユーグレナ粉末群）、⑤高脂肪食とユーグレナ粉末と野菜粉末の混合物を与えたマウス群（以下高脂肪食＋ユーグレナ粉末＋野菜粉末群）の5つに分け、2ヵ月間経口摂取させました。

　As a result, the peri-adipose tissue weight and total white adipose tissue weight were significantly reduced in the high-fat diet + paramylon powder group, high-fat diet + Euglena powder group, and high-fat diet + Euglena 1 and Table 1). Furthermore, compared to the high-fat diet + paramylon powder group Euglena powder + vegetable powder group, and the simultaneous intake of vegetable powder enhances the effect of paramylon powder intake. It was confirmed (Fig. 1 and Table 1).

　In addition, a significant decrease in the area of adipose tissue around the testis was confirmed in the high-fat diet + Euglena

　Then, in the obese model mice, the high-fat diet + paramylon powder group, the high-fat diet + Euglena powder group and the high-fat diet + Euglena powder + vegetable powder group were compared with the high-fat diet group, and inflammatory cytokines ^{* in the serum.} We confirmed a significant decrease in IL-6, which is ^4. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the high-fat diet + Euglena powder group and the high-fat diet + Euglena powder + vegetable powder group significantly enhanced the IL-6-reducing effect as compared with the high-fat diet + paramilon intake group. In the fat diet + Euglena powder + vegetable powder intake group, a significant decrease in IL-1b was confirmed compared to the high-fat diet group (Fig. 3). As a result, the anti-inflammatory effect (significant decrease in inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1b) obtained in the normal diet-fed mice in the previous joint study can be confirmed in the obese model mice by this study. It will be.

　さらに、前回の共同研究で、通常食飼育マウスのユーグレナ粉末の摂取およびユーグレナ粉末と野菜粉末の同時摂取により、腸内細菌叢が改善することを報告しましたが、高脂肪食を与えた今回の試験においても、高脂肪食＋ユーグレナ粉末＋野菜粉末群の混合物を摂取したマウスにおいて、腸内細菌叢が産生する短鎖脂肪酸（プロピオン酸）の有意な増加（図4）と、有害菌の減少を確認しました。

　From these results, Euglena powder and vegetable powder contributed to the anti-obesity effect through the improvement of the intestinal flora and the suppression of inflammation seen from the decrease of inflammatory cytokines. The results of this research were published in the online scientific journal "Nutrients" on January 21st.
(Nutrients magazine https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/1/204)

　Takeda Consumer Health Care and Euglena, Inc., continues to aim to contribute to the maintenance and promotion of good health, Euglena powder and Euglena We will continue the functionality of the study by the combination of powder and vegetables.

* 1 Previous joint research: Joint release of Takeda Consumer Healthcare Co., Ltd. and Euglena https://ssl4.eir-parts.net/doc/2931/tdnet/1635229/00.pdf
* 2 Gut microbiota: A collection of a wide variety of gut bacteria that coexist in the intestines of humans and animals while maintaining a certain balance.
* 3 Anti-inflammatory effect: Inflammation-suppressing effect
* 4 Inflammatory cytokines in serum: Cytokines that cause various inflammatory symptoms in the body. Cytokines are proteins that are responsible for the transmission of immunity in the body.

<About microalgae Euglena (Japanese name: Euglena)>
　Euglena (Japanese name: Midorimushi) is a type of algae similar to wakame seaweed, kelp, and chlorella. It has the characteristics of both animals and plants, and has 59 types of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, etc. Contains well-balanced nutrients. Paramylon, which is a component unique to Euglena and is a type of β-glucan, has been studied for its functionality in recent years and is expected to be used in the healthcare field such as foods and cosmetics.

■ About Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company
　The Company started operations on April 1, 2017 as a business company responsible for the consumer healthcare business of the Takeda Pharmaceutical Group. In order to fulfill people's desire to extend "healthy life expectancy", in the areas of "self-care" and "self-medication", we will further contribute to people's healthier lives through brands such as Arinamin, Benza, and Takeda Chinese laxatives. I will continue.

■ About Euglena Co., Ltd.
　In 2005, we succeeded in establishing the world's first edible outdoor mass culture technology for the Euglena In addition to developing and selling functional foods and cosmetics that utilize the Euglena and Chlorella produced on Ishigaki Island, we are also conducting research toward the production of biofuels. Listed on TSE Mothers in December 2012. TSE First Section market change in December 2014. The management philosophy is "to make people and the earth healthy". https://euglena.jp

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