Patent ID: 8883230

Claim:
A method for treating a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) disturbance by enhancing the function of RPE, comprising administering to a human in need thereof an effective amount of a black soybean product, wherein the black soybean product is seed coats of black soybean, or an ethanolic extract of seed coats of black soybean prepared by a process containing the following steps: (a) extracting seed coats of black soybean with an aqueous solution containing at least 35% (v/v) ethanol; (b) collecting the soluble fraction thus formed to obtain the ethanolic extract; wherein the black soybean product is effective in increasing the phagocytic ability of RPE, and wherein the RPE disturbance is one of a proliferative vitreoretinopathy, an age related macular degeneration, a retinitis pigmentosa, a macular dystrophy, or a choroidal neovascularization.