title: Effect of milk fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L-92 on symptoms of Japanese cedar pollen allergy: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: A placebo-controlled, single-blind study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L-92 (L-92) on the symptoms of Japanese cedar-pollen allergy. This study was carried out during the 2002 and 2003 seasons of Japanese cedar pollination. Twenty-three in-house volunteers were asked to drink 100 ml of heat-treated milk fermented with L-92 containing 5 x 10(10) of the bacteria, twice a day, for 6 consecutive weeks. A similar study was carried out during the 2003 season for 10 weeks, but the daily dose of bacteria was 2 x 10(10). A significant improvement of the ocular symptom-medication score (SMS) was observed in 2002 and of the score of distress of life in 2003. These data show that a daily oral intake of not less than 2 x 10(10) heat-treated L-92 cells improved the symptoms of Japanese cedar pollinosis, thereby contributing to reduce the dose of concomitant medications. However, no blood parameter was significantly affected in these trials.
authors.affiliation: R&D Center, Calpis Co., Ltd., Fuchinobe, Kanagawa 229-0006, Japan.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Futoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanzato
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kagata
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oh-Ida
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D032485:Cryptomeria / Q000276:immunology; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D007073:Immunoglobulin E