title: Oral lactoferrin treatment of experimental oral candidiasis in mice.
abstract: We assessed the potential of lactoferrin (LF), a multifunctional milk protein, for treatment of oral candidiasis with immunosuppressed mice, which have local symptoms characteristic of oral thrush. Oral administration of bovine LF in drinking water starting 1 day before the infection significantly reduced the number of Candida albicans in the oral cavity and the score of lesions on the tongue on day 7 after the inoculation. The symptomatic effect of LF was confirmed by macroscopic and microscopic observations of the tongue's surface. Similar effects were also observed upon administration of LF pepsin hydrolysate, but not lactoferricin B, an antimicrobial peptide of LF. The anticandidal activity of LF was evident on administration either in drinking water or by intragastric intubation with a stomach tube. These results suggest that the effect of LF in this oral candidiasis model is not due to direct antifungal action. In conclusion, LF could have potential as a food component supporting antifungal drug treatment.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Science Laboratory, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Zama, Kanagawa, Japan. n-takakr@morinagamilk.co.jp
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takakura
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teraguchi
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Hideyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014059:Tongue / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D011492:Protein Hydrolysates; D007781:Lactoferrin