摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an antioxidant useful for use in a medicinal composition for the prophylaxis and/or therapy against diseases related to active oxygen by using hydroxymatairesinol and/or allohydroxymatairesinol as the active ingredients. SOLUTION: This antioxidant comprises hydroxymatairesinol of a structure of formula I and/or allohydroxymatairesinol of a structure of formula II. These compounds are contained in an antioxidant fraction extracted from sesames, and the antioxidant fraction is one eluted during the period between about 6 and about 8 min when an aqueous washing of sesames is freeze-dried, the product of freeze drying is dissolved in methanol, and the solution is subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography (eluate: H2O:MeOH=1:1, flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, room temperature, and detection by an ultraviolet absorption at 280 nm) using an ODS-HG-5 (4.6ϕ×250 mm). Thus, a heretofore discarded aqueous washing of sesames can fully be utilized. |