Studies on the Deodorizing Actions of Wild Grasses against Offensive Odor.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	08680061
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	家政学
Research Institution	The University of Shiga Prefecture
Principal Investigator	NADAMOTO Tomonori School of Human Cultures, The University of Shiga Prefecture, Professor, 人間文化学部, 教授 (60149523)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	URABE Kimiko School of Human Cultures, The University of Shiga Prefecture, Assistant, 人間文化学部, 助手 (50099496) KAWAMURA Masasumi College of Nursing, The University of Shiga Prefecture, Professor, 看護短期大学部, 教授 (10074048)
Project Period (FY)	1996 – 1998
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000) Fiscal Year 1997: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000) Fiscal Year 1996: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Keywords	Wild Grass / Suppression of offensive odor / Deodorizing action / Methyl mercaptan / Antibacterial effect / 抗菌作用
Research Abstract	Recently, we have been paying much interest to the utilization of natural substances which are useful and safe for us and also to the environment. Wild grasses are obtainable easily and inexpensively, and may have a possibility of wide application. The objectives of this study were to: (1) detect the efficiency of wild grasses in reducing the offensive odor, (2) determine their antibacterial effect and deodorant activity against methyl mercaptan (MM), (3) isolate the active compounds from their extracts, (4) investigate the practical application to foods. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. We studied effects of added wild grasses on the evolution of offensive odor during storage of porcine small intestine. Of the grasses examined dandelion (Taraxacum spp.) inhibited most effectively anaerobe growth and the evolution of offensive odor. 2. A screening test for deodorant activity against MM was conducted for different familiar wild grasses. Eight grasses, American false daisy (Eclipta prostrata), tall golden-rod (Solidago altissima), hokigiku (Aster subulatus Michx.), yomogi (Altemisia princeps), begger ticks (Bidens frondosa), dandelion, thistle (Cirsium japonicum) and prickly sow-thistle (Sonchus asper), showed significant deodorizing action. All of them are the family of Composiitae. 3. Some of the grass extracts were effective to suppress the growth of Proteus milabilis. The highest activity was found in American false daisy and Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica). 4. The constituents which contribute to the deodorizing activity against MM were isolated from dokudami and dandelion. As these plants have been utilized as medicine and food, the application of the isolated components to foods is likely to have no problem.