Frailty and sarcopenia have recently gained considerable attention in terms of preventive care in Japan, which has an ever-increasing aging population. Sarcopenia is defined as atrophy of skeletal muscles caused by the age-related decrease in growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor and sex hormones. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reports that frailty can lead to impairment of both mental and physical functioning. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and dementia may underlie frailty. It is important to prevent progression of frailty and extend the healthy lifespan. In herbal medicine practice, including Japanese Kampo medicine, “Mibyo,” a presymptomatic state, has long been recognized and may be applicable to frailty. Kampo medicines may include several medicinal plants and are thought to have the potential to improve symptoms of frailty, such as loss of appetite and body weight, fatigue, and sarcopenia, as well as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Ninjin'yoeito (Ren Shen Yang Ying Tang) is the most powerful Kampo medicine and has been widely applied to palliative care of cancer patients. This review includes recent anti-aging studies and describes the effects and mechanisms of Ninjin'yoeito (Ren Shen Yang Ying Tang) when used for frailty or to extend a healthy life expectancy.

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The volatile compounds in three types of koji (yellow, white, and black) and steamed rice were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The objective of this study was to characterize each koji type based on its profile of volatile compounds. From the steamed rice and rice koji samples examined, a total of 29 volatile compounds were identified. Butanal, hexanal, dimethyl trisulfide and cyclohexyl isothiocyanate were detected only in steamed rice. The volatile profile of yellow koji (sake koji) was distinct from those of white and black kojis (shochu koji). On the basis of relative peak areas, alcohols and aldehydes were identified as being more abundant in yellow koji. White and black kojis had similar volatile profiles, and had a greater abundance of furans than yellow koji. We assume that the different suites of volatile compounds identified in shochu and sake kojis impart the respective characteristic flavours to shochu and sake.

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Rice koji is considered a readily accessible functional food that may have health-promoting effects. We investigated whether white, yellow, and red koji have the anti-obesity effect in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), which is a model for obesity. Mice were fed HFD containing 10% (w/w) of rice koji powder or steamed rice for 4 weeks. Weight gain, epididymal white adipose tissue, and total adipose tissue weight were significantly lower in all rice koji groups than in the HFD-rice group after 4 weeks. Feed efficiency was significantly reduced in the yellow koji group. Blood glucose levels were significantly lower in the white and red koji groups with HOMA-R and leptin levels being reduced in the white koji group. White and red koji increased glucose uptake and GLUT4 protein expression in L6 myotube cells. These results showed that all rice koji have the anti-obesity or anti-diabetes effects although the mechanisms may differ depending on the type of rice koji consumed.