This invention provides a novel material having a vasodilator action
thereby suppressing or ameliorating various human diseases and disorders.
A composition comprising, as an active ingredient, peptides obtained by
hydrolyzing proteins such as proteins derived from a seaweed selected
from layer, wakame, edible brown algae, sea tangle, chlorella and
spirulina, proteins derived from a plant selected from soybean and
sesame, proteins derived from a fish selected from bonito, mackerel,
saury and horse mackerel, proteins derived from milk proteins selected
from powdered skim milk and whey, proteins derived from an animal
selected from cattle and swine, and collagen like proteins derived from
bovine collagen, porcine skin collagen and fish scale-derived collagen is
used as a pharmaceutical composition and a health food composition
thereby exhibiting a vasodilator effect by which various phenomena caused
by a reduction in blood stream, such as stiff neck, headache and poor
circulation, can be suppressed or ameliorated.