CUCUMBER EXTRACT CONTAINING SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE IN HIGH CONCENTRATION AND PRODUCTION THEREOF

摘要

PURPOSE:To readily obtain the titled substance useful as a raw material for cosmetics at a low cost, by heat-treating an extract of a cucumber fruit, removing the formed precipitates and adding sodium citrate. CONSTITUTION:A cucumber fruit is sufficiently crushed and pressed to remove tissual residues and provide a green suspendible extract, which is then heat- treated at 40-55 deg.C for 10-100min (preferably at 45-50 deg.C for 10-30min) to accelerate formation of insoluble pectin and aggregation of chloroplast and afford a clear light yellow extract by a method for filtration, etc. Sodium citrate is then added to the extract so as to provide 0.2-2.0% final concentration to provide a stable cucumber extract having a high concentration of superoxide dismutase (=200units/ml) without any change with time. The superoxide dismutase is capable of inhibiting toxicity of active oxygen in living bodies and contriving improvement in skin tissues.