Agent for inhibiting production of hepatitis C virus and its use

A method for producing a composition for inhibiting production of hepatitis C virus (HCV), comprising:

• preparing a proanthocyanidin composition
• having an anti-HCV production activity value (IC50) which is:
• less than 0.61 μg/ml, and
• less than or equal to one tenth of the concentration of the proanthocyanidin composition for inhibiting 50% of cell proliferation (CC50);
• and
• comprising a proanthocyanidin having 5 to 10 monomer units, each of which consists of the flavan-3-ol illustrated in the general formula (1):
• wherein R1 is hydrogen, R2 is hydroxyl, R3 is hydrogen or hydroxyl, R4 is hydrogen or a gallate group, and n is 5-10;
• said units of flavan-3-ol being bonded to each other in any one of three bond patterns as follows:
• (i) the bond between carbon at position 4 and carbon at position 8,
• (ii) the bond between carbon at position 4 and carbon at position 6,
• (iii) the bond between carbon at position 4 and carbon at position 8, and between carbon at position 2 and oxygen at position 7;
• and
• forming the composition for inhibiting production of HCV comprising the proanthocyanidin composition.