薬理と治療

Abstract

Background/Aims In todayʼs contemporary society, the number of patients suffering from allergies such as hay fever is increasing year by year. In Hokkaido, pollen from Japanese white birch trees is dispersed into the air every year from April through to June, with increased reports of eye and nose discomfort also increasing around this time. Since antihistamines often come with a risk of side effects such as drowsiness, safe food ingredients are a hot topic in the field. Previous studies into a functional food “BenegutTM” derived from perilla leaves containing flavonoids and rosmarinic acid has seen anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties being reported. We carried out this clinical trial to evaluate the effects of BenegutTM intake upon seasonal eye and nose discomfort. Methods A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparative study was carried out with individuals who reported eye and nose discomfort in early Spring but were otherwise healthy. The 40 participants were of mixed gender and between the ages of 20 and 65. Participants took BenegutTM orally for 8 weeks, with discomfort being evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale（VAS）, and stress and mental state also being evaluated via the Perceived Stress Questionnaire-20（PSQ）. Results After regular and continued intake of BenegutTM, a decrease in seasonal nasal discomfort was observed, and an easing of mental nervousness and anxiety along with a more positive outlook was also observed. BenegutTM is a safe functional ingredient, and it can be believed to be useful for the pre-emptive prevention of a worsening in hay fever symptoms in healthy individuals, and thus useful for health maintenance purposes.