Use of dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]actanes for treatment and prevention of cerebral apoplexy

Abstract: The present invention discloses a preventive or ameliorant of hypertension or medical symptoms caused by it and a food or beverage that prevents or ameliorates hypertension or medical symptoms caused by it that contain for its active ingredient dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative represented by the formula (2). wherein, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are respectively and independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or R 1 and R 2 and/or R 4 and R 5 collectively represent a methylene group or ethylene group, and n, m and l represent 0 or 1.

Description: Essential hypertension frequently occurs between the ages of 35 and 40. In the beginning, blood pressure is labile, and with the exception of the rise in blood pressure, hypertension does not exhibit any other extraordinary subjective or objective symptoms. With the passage of time, high blood pressure becomes continuous, eventually leading to left ventricular hypertrophy, arteriosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis, and causing ischemic diseases of the brain, heart and kidney. As the patient enters adulthood and old age, hypertension eventually causes death due to cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction or uremia. Thus, hypertension is a disease that has a detrimental effect on various vascular diseases, and in particular, vascular disorders of the heart and brain. The extent to which hypertension can be prevented and treated is therefore an important issue for modern medicine. In the prior art, EP-A-681788 (claiming priorities of 12 May 1994 and 27 April 1995) discloses the use of dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compounds such as sesamin, episesamin and so forth in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, foods or drinks for the treatment of allergy symptoms. EP-A-387000 describes the effectiveness of the dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compounds as inhibitors of Δ 5 -desaturase in vivo with consequent indications for treating inflammation, hypertension and thrombosis. EP-A-409654 teaches the efficacy of similar compounds, pharmaceuticals, foods and drinks for improving liver function. EP-A-519673 describes combining such compounds and compositions with antioxidant such as tocopherol to enhance their physiological effect. The present invention develops further by providing the use, in the preparation of a medicament, food or beverage product for the prevention or alleviation of cerebral apoplexy, of dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compound of the following formula in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from H and C 1-3 alkyl groups, although R 1 and R 2 together and/or R 4 and R 5 together may connect and collectively represent methylene or ethylene group; and n, m and l are each 0 or 1. Preferred aspects are set out in the sub-claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, is a compound represented with the following general formula (I): wherein, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are respectively and independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or R 1 and R 2 and/or R 4 and R 5 collectively represent a methylene group or ethylene group, and n, m and l represent 0 or 1. Examples of alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms includes a methyl group, ethyl group, n-propyl group and isopropyl group. More specifically, examples of said dioxabicyclo [3.3.0]octane derivative include compounds such as 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. These compounds may be in the form of glycosides, and enantiomers of the above-mentioned compounds are included in the present invention. In the present invention, the above-mentioned dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative (to be referred to as the derivative) can be used either alone or by combining two or more types. In addition, the derivative is not limited to a highly pure substance in the present invention, but rather an extract can also be used that has for its active ingredient one or a plurality of types of the above-mentioned dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivative (to be referred to as the extract). The extract can be extracted in accordance with routine methods from a naturally-occurring substance that contains the derivative. Examples of naturally-occurring substances that contain the derivative include sesame oil, sesame lees, by-products of the sesame oil production process, sesame seeds, an extract of Gokahi derived from a medicinal plant which is Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W. Smith, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus Seem., Acanthopanax senticosus Harms, Acanthopanax henryi Harms, or Acanthopanax verticillatus Hoo; an extract of Toboku derived from a medicinal plant which is Paulownia fortunei Hemsl or Paulownia tomentosa Stend.; an extract of Hakukajuhi derived from a medicinal plant which is Ginkgo biloba L.; an extract of Hihatsu derived from a medicinal plant which is Piper longum L.; or an extract of Saishin (Asiasari radix) derived from a medicinal plant which is Asarum heterotropoides F. Schm. var. mandshuricum Kitag., or Asarum sieboldii Mig. In addition, the content of the derivative of the present invention in the extract is at least 0.1 wt%, preferably at least 1.0 wt% and more preferably at least 5.0 wt%. Needless to say, a larger amount of the present derivative contained in the extract is better, and in this case, especially is food or beverage, an amount of the extract can be reduced, and affects of compounds other than the active ingredient may be reduced. In particular, the total content of sesamin and episesamin is at least 0.05 wt%, preferably at least 0.5 wt%, and more preferably at least 2.0 wt%. For example, in order to obtain a suitable extract from sesame oil, extraction and concentration can be performed by using various organic solvents that are essentially immiscible with sesame oil and are able to extract and dissolve the derivative of the present invention (examples of which include acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, diethyl ketone, methanol and ethanol). One example of a process for obtaining an extract from sesame oil comprises the steps of uniformly mixing sesame oil with either of the above-mentioned solvents, allowing to stand undisturbed at a low temperature, performing phase separation in accordance with routine methods such as centrifugal separation, and distilling off the solvent from the solvent fraction. More specifically, after dissolving sesame oil in 2 to 10 volumes, and preferably 6 to 8 volumes, of acetone, the solution is allowed to stand undisturbed overnight at -80°C. After the oil components have settled as a result of the above, acetone is removed by distillation from the filtrate obtained by filtration to obtain an extract. In addition, another example of a process for obtaining an extract from sesame oil comprises the steps of mixing sesame oil with hot methanol or hot ethanol, allowing to stand undisturbed at room temperature and removing by evaporation the solvent from the solvent fraction. More specifically, after vigorously mixing sesame oil with 2 to 10 volumes, and preferably 5 to 7 volumes, of hot methanol (50°C or higher) or hot ethanol (50°C or higher), the mixture is allowed to stand undisturbed at room temperature or phase separation is performed in accordance with routine methods such as centrifugal separation followed by removal by distillation of the solvent from the solvent fraction to obtain an extract. Moreover, an extract can also be obtained by using supercritical gas extraction. The sesame oil that is used may either be a refined product or an unrefined product used prior to the discoloration step during the production of sesame oil. In addition, in order to obtain an extract from sesame seeds or sesame lees (defatted sesame seeds containing a residual oil content of 8 to 10%), after crushing the sesame seeds or sesame lees as necessary, extraction can be performed in accordance with conventional methods using any solvent such as any of the same solvents used in the extraction from sesame oil described above. After separating an extraction residue, the extract is obtained by removing the solvent from the extract liquid by evaporation and so forth. The derivative can be isolated from sesame oil extract, sesame lee extract or sesame seed extract prepared in accordance with the processes described above, by treating in accordance with conventional methods such as column chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, recrystallization, distillation or liquid-liquid exchange distribution chromatography or the like. More specifically, after separating the above-mentioned extract with high-performance liquid chromatography using a reverse phase column (5C 18 ) and methanol/water (60:40) for the eluate, and distilling off the solvent, the resulting crystals are recrystallized with ethanol to obtain the derivative such as 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, or 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane. Furthermore, the process and refining process for obtaining the derivative and the extract are not limited to these processes. In addition, the derivative can also be obtained by synthesis in accordance with conventional methods. For example, in addition to sesamin and episesamin which can be synthesized using the method of Beroza et al. [(J. Am. Chem. Soc. 78 , 1242 (1956)], pinoresinol (R 1 =R 4 =H, R 2 =R 5 =CH 3 and n=m=l=0 in the general formula (I)) can be synthesized according to the method of Freundenberg et al. [Chem. Ber., 86 , 1157 (1953)], while syringaresinol (R 1 =R 4 =H, R 2 =R 3 =R 5 =R 6 =CH 3 , n=0 and m=l=1 in the general formula (I)) can be synthesized according to the method of Freundenberg et al. [Chem. Ber., 88 , 16 (1955)]. Moreover, the derivative or extract can be used in combination with antioxidant. Examples of antioxidants include natural antioxidants such as tocopherols, flavone derivatives, phyllodulcins, kojic acid, gallic acid derivatives, catechins, fukinolic acid gossypol, pyrazine derivatives, sesamol, guaiacol, guaic resin, p-coumalic acid, nor-dihydroguaiaretic acid, sterols, terpens, nucleic acid bases and carotenoids, or synthetic antioxidants represented by compounds such as butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), monotertiary-butylhydroxyquinone (TBHQ) and 4-hydroxymethyl-2,6-ditertiary-butylphenol (HMBP). The present derivatives are not themselves to be regarded as antioxidants in this context. Tocopherols are particularly preferable antioxidants, examples of such including α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, ε-tocopherol, ζ-tocopherol, η-tocopherol and tocopherol esters (such as tocopherol acetate). Moreover, examples of carotenoids include β-carotene, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. Although there are no particular restrictions on the ratios of the derivative and antioxidant when used in combination, no less than 0.001 parts by weight and no more than 1000 parts by weight of antioxidant per 1 part by weight of the derivative is preferable. Moreover, a range of 0.01 to 100 parts by weight is more preferable, while a range of 0.029 to 40 parts by weight is still more preferable. The derivative or extract significantly suppresses increases in blood pressure with minimal adverse side effects, it is effective in the prevention or alleviation in particular of ischemic disorders of the brain and specifically cerebral apoplexy. "Alleviation of symptoms" is used in the broad sense, and includes treatment of diseases. In the case of using the derivative as a pharmaceutical, the drug form may be any form provided it can be given orally or parenterally as necessary. Examples of such drug forms include injection solutions, infusion solutions, powders, granules, tablets, capsules, pills, troches, internal liquids, suspensions, emulsions, syrups, external liquids, packs, nasal drops, ear drops, eye drops, inhalants, ointments, lotions and suppositories. These can be used either alone or in combination according to the symptoms. Each of these preparations can be prepared using known adjuvants that can be conventionally used in the field of pharmaceutical formulation technology, such as vehicles, binders, preservatives, stabilizers, disintegration agents, lubricants and correctives, in combination with the primary drug corresponding to the objective of treatment in accordance with conventional methods. For example, in the case of preparing an injection, a solubilizer for use with pharmaceuticals, such as a nonionic surface activator, can be used. More specifically, the derivative is heated and dissolved in 80 volumes of a nonionic surface activator such as POE(60) cured castor oil or POE sorbitan monooleate and then prepared by diluting with physiological saline. In addition, suitable isotonic agents, stabilizers, preservatives and analgesics may also be added as necessary. As examples of external preparations, ointments, creams and so forth can be prepared in accordance with conventional methods using Vaseline, paraffin, oils, lanolin or macrogol and so forth for the base. Although the dose varies according to the objective of administration and the condition of the patient to be administered (sex, age, body weight and so forth), normally in the case of oral administration to adults, the dose is within the range of 1 mg to 10 g, preferably 1 mg to 2 g and more preferably 1 mg to 200 mg per day as the total amount of derivative of the present invention. In the case of parenteral administration, the dose is within the range of 0.1 mg to 1 g, preferably 0.1 mg to 200 mg and more preferably 0.1 mg to 100 mg per day as the total amount of derivative of the present invention, the dose being suitably adjusted in each case. In addition, since the preventive or alleviative effects on medical symptoms caused by hypertension possessed by the derivative of the present invention are enhanced by administration with antioxidant, and tocopherols in particular, although varying according to the objective of administration and the condition of the patient being administered (sex, age, body weight and so forth), the dose of the derivative of the present invention in the case of oral administration to adults is normally within the range of 0.1 mg to 2 g, preferably 0.1 mg to 500 mg and more preferably 0.1 mg to 100 mg per day as the total amount of derivative of the present invention. In addition, the dose in the case of parenteral administration to adults is normally within the range of 0.01 mg to 200 mg, preferably 0.01 mg to 50 mg and more preferably 0.01 mg to 20 mg per day as the total amount of derivative of the present invention. Moreover, the blending ratio of the derivative of the present invention and antioxidant is 0.001 to 1000 parts by weight, preferably 0.01 to 100 parts by weight and more preferably 0.029 to 40 parts by weight of antioxidant to 1 part by weight of the derivative of the present invention, the doses being suitably adjusted in each case. Since the compounds used herein are, or are analogous to, compounds found in conventional foods they generally have excellent stability. In addition this is also clear since there were no abnormal symptoms observed whatsoever when 2.14 g/day/kg of sesamin was administered orally for two consecutive weeks to 7 week old, IRC male mice. When using the derivative or extract in a food or beverage, its form may be any of the forms of the above-mentioned pharmaceutical preparations, or in the form of a solid or liquid food product or sweets, examples of which include agricultural food products such as bread, noodles, rice, confections (including cookies, cake, candy, chocolate and Japanese style confections), tofu (soybean curd) and their processed foods, fermented food products such as Japanese sake, medicinal alcoholic beverages, sweet sake, (alcoholic product for cooking), vinegar, soy sauce and soypaste (miso), edible oil and fat food products such as salad dressing, mayonnaise, margarine, shortening and edible fat and oil, livestock food products such as yogurt, ham, bacon and sausage, marine food products such as boiled fish paste, steamed fish paste, fried fish paste, and beverages such as fruit juice, carbonated beverages, sports drinks, alcoholic beverages and tea. In addition, in the case of using as a health food or functional food, although the form may be the same as that of the pharmaceutical preparations and foods and beverages described above, it may also be in the form of, for example, processed foods such as liquid foods, semi-digested nutritional foods, component nutritional foods and drinks blended with protein (although proteins such as lactoprotein, soybean protein and egg white albumin, which have balanced amino acids and high nutritional value, are widely used for the protein source, their degradation products, egg white oligopeptides, soybean hydrolysates as well as mixtures of individual amino acids are also used), sugar, fat, trace elements, vitamins, emulsifiers and fragrances, as well as capsules, particles. A food or beverage can be processed and manufactured by adding a prescribed amount of the derivative or extract to a raw food product essentially not containing the derivative, using conventional manufacturing methods. Although varying according to the drug form or form properties of the food product, the amount blended is, in general, preferably 0.001 to 50%, although not limited to this amount. In addition, in the case of ingestion in the form of a health food or functional food when used for the prevention and alleviation of the mentioned medical symptoms, the derivative or extract can be added to any food essentially not containing the derivative when preparing hospital meals under the supervision of a nutritionist based on the diet regimen prescribed by the physician, and can be given to patients in the form of a functional food prepared at the hospital. Although examples of a food or beverage essentially not containing the derivative refers to foods or beverages that do not have sesame and so forth for their raw material (or contain only trace amounts, or amounts less than 0.001 wt%, of the relevant compounds(s)), even if the food or beverage does contain sesame and so forth, those foods or beverages in which the total content of the derivative is less than 0.1 mg and preferably 0.8 mg or less per amount of the food or beverage ingested per day, or those foods and beverages in which the total content of 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, or 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane is less than 0.1 mg and preferably 0.8 mg or less per amount of the food or beverage ingested per day, are included in those foods and beverages essentially not containing the derivative. It is preferable that the derivative be ingested orally within the range of 1 mg to 10 g, preferably 1 mg to 2 g and more preferably 1 mg to 200 mg per day as a general rule. Moreover, since the preventive or alleviative effects as well as effects of maintaining health possessed by the derivative are enhanced by combined ingestion of antioxidant, and tocopherols in particular, it is preferable that the derivative or extract be ingested orally within the range of 0.1 mg to 2 g, preferably 0.1 mg to 500 mg and more preferably 0.1 mg to 100 mg per day as the total amount of derivative, and that the blending ratio of the derivative and antioxidant is 0.001 to 1000 parts by weight, preferably 0.01 to 100 parts by weight and more preferably 0.029 to 40 parts by weight of antioxidant to 1 part by weight of the derivative. Furthermore, in the case of adding the derivative or extract to a food or beverage essentially not containing the derivative but containing antioxidant, and particularly tocopherols, the derivative or extract can be added so that the content ratio of the derivative and antioxidant in the final form of the food or beverage is 0.01 to 1000 parts by weight, preferably 0.01 to 100 parts by weight and more preferably 0.029 to 40 parts by weight of antioxidant to 1 part by weight of the derivative. At this time, antioxidant can be further added as necessary. EXAMPLES Example 1 2.4 g of a mixture containing 51.5% sesamin, 47.8% episesamin and 1.1% of other dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compounds as defined herein was added to 100 g of butter fat from which butter milk had been removed in the churning procedure of a butter manufacturing process followed by working to obtain a uniform composition that yielded a butter. Example 2 0.5 g of the derivative of the present invention were mixed with 20.5 g of silicic anhydride followed by the addition of 79 g of cornstarch and further mixing. 100 ml of a 10% hydroxypropylcellulose ethanol solution were added to this mixture followed by heating, extrusion and drying in accordance with routine methods to obtain granules. Example 3 7 g of the derivative of the present invention were mixed with 20 g of silicic anhydride followed by the addition of 10 g of microcrystalline cellulose, 3.0 g of magnesium stearate and 60 g of lactose and further mixing. This mixture was then formed into tablets using a single-run tablet making machine to produce tablets having a diameter of 7 mm and weight of 100 mg. Example 4 2.5 g of the derivative of the present invention were heated at 122°C and dissolved in 200 g of TO-lOM (nonionic surface activator, Nikko Chemicals Ltd.). 4.7975 liters of sterile physiological saline warmed to 60°C were added to this solution and stirred well. The resulting liquid was then aseptically distributed into vials and sealed to produce an injection preparation. Example 5 Water was added to 100 parts by weight of gelatin and 35 parts by weight of edible glycerine and dissolved by heating at 50-60°C to prepare a gelatin film having a viscosity of 20000 cps. Next, 95.1% wheat germ oil, 2.9% vitamin E and 2% of the mixture of the derivatives of the present invention used in Example 1 were mixed to prepare an internal preparation. Capsule forming and drying were performed in accordance with routine methods using these materials to produce soft capsules containing 180 mg of the internal preparation per capsule. Each of said capsules contained 3.6 mg of the mixture of derivatives of the present invention and 2.34 mg of α-tocopherol. TESTS Example 6 Stroke-prone SHR rats (SHRSP) (males, 8 weeks old) were divided into 2 groups of 8 rats each. One group was given a normal diet (control group) and the other group a sesamin-containing diet (sesamin group). Rats of the control group were fed commercially available powdered diet (Funabashi SP, Funabashi Nojo Co., Ltd.). Rats of the sesamin group were fed the same diet containing 0.5% of a mixture of the dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives of the present invention (sesamin: 51.1%, episesamin: 47.8% and other dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives: 1.1%). After housing for 8 weeks, the effects on blood pressure, body weight and brain weight, as well as the formation of encephalomalacia, were investigated. Those results are shown in Table 1. Increases in brain weight were observed in SHRSP rats of the control group, while encephalomalacia, a lesion indicative of stroke, was observed in half of those rats. There were no increases in brain weight in rats of the sesamin group, however, and the formation of lesions associated with stroke was also not observed. Control Group Sesamin Group Body Weight (g) 255±13 252±4 Blood Pressure (mmHg) 267±7 260±7 Brain Weight (g) 2.02±0.09 1.80±0.08 Stroke Incidence (%) 50 (4/8) 0 (0/8)

Claims: The use, in the preparation of a medicament, food or beverage product for the prevention or alleviation of cerebral apoplexy, of dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compound of the following formula in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from H and C 1-3 alkyl groups, although R 1 and R 2 together and/or R 4 and R 5 together may connect and collectively represent methylene or ethylene group; and n, m and l are each 0 or 1. Use according to claim 1 in which the dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane compound is selected from 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, or 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane. Use according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the compound is used in the form of an extract, containing at least 5 wt% of the compound, obtained from a naturally-occurring substance. Use according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the compound is combined with a tocopherol antioxidant. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in the preparation of a medicament for oral administration in an amount corresponding to from lmg to 2g of said compound per day. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in the preparation of a medicament for parenteral administration in an amount corresponding to from 0.1mg to 200mg of said compound per day. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in the preparation of a food or beverage not made with sesame seeds or sesame oil.

Inventors: AKIMOTO KENGO, MATSUMURA YASUO, MORIMOTO SHIRO, MURAKAMI TETSUO, YOSHIZUMI HAJIME, AKIMOTO, KENGO, MATSUMURA, YASUO, MORIMOTO, SHIRO, MURAKAMI, TETSUO, YOSHIZUMI, HAJIME
Applicants: SUNTORY LTD, SUNTORY LIMITED
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A61P9, A23L1, A61K31, A23C15