薬理と治療

Abstract

Objectives　The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of single or long-term ingestion of a hotrienol-containing tablet on psychological stress and salivary biomarkers. Methods　A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study was conducted with 42 healthy adults. The subjects ingested two tablets containing 0.03 mg of hotrienol or a placebo. Chronic Stress levels were measured using SCL30 and effects on the endocrine system were measured using salivary biomarkers. Secretory immunoglobulin A（s-IgA）, cortisol （Cor）, chromogranin A（CgA）and oxytocin（OT）were measured as biomarkers in saliva. Results　Out of the 42 subjects, 41 completed this study. Single ingestion of the hotrienol-containing tablet significantly increased salivary s-IgA and OT concentrations compared to the placebo. Although the SCL30 score was not significantly different compared to placebo, it decreased slightly in the group ingesting the hotrienol-containing tablet. In the subjects having high psychological stress as indicated by SCL30-score baseline（11-20 points）, long-term（2 weeks）ingestion of the hotrienol-containing tablet significantly decreased salivary Cor concentration compared to the placebo. Conclusions　This study confirmed that intake of hotrienol increased salivary s-IgA, which has been reported to increase in a relaxed mood; and salivary OT, which is associated with anti-anxiety effects and feelings of comfort. These results therefore suggest that single ingestion of hotrienol not only temporarily reduces psychological stress and anxiety, but also heightens pleasant feelings such as“relaxation”,“comfort”, and“emotional attachment”. 　　Further, it was confirmed that long-term ingestion of hotrienol reduced salivary Cor, which is an anti-stress hormone, indicating that hotrienol is effective in relieving chronic stress. UMIN ID: UMIN 000044060