INTERLEUKIN-6 PRODUCTION SUPPRESSING AGENT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject agent containing a specific saponin as an active ingredient, capable of suppressing the production of interleukin-6 caused by a stimulation with various physiological materials, and anticipated as a therapeutic agent for chronic rheumatoid arthritis, etc. ;SOLUTION: This interleukin-6 production suppressing agent contains a saponin of formula I [R¹ is H or a sugar residue; R² is H or hydroxyl; R³ is formula II or III (R⁵, R⁶ are independently H, hydroxyl, etc.; R⁷ is H or hydroxyl; R⁸ is H or a sugar residue; R⁹ is H or hydroxyl); R⁴ is methyl, hydroxymethyl, etc.; in the case of R¹ is H and R⁴ is carboxyl, two molecules are allowed to bind together through and R¹ and R⁴ to form a dimeric ester] as an active ingredient. Gomphrenoside of formula IV (GlcA is glucuronic acid; Rha is rhamnose; Ara is arabinose sugar residue) obtained from the methanol extract of seeds of globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa, L.), is a new compound.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1997,JPO