title: Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of kefir in a mouse asthma model.
abstract: Kefir is a microbial symbiont mixture that produces jelly-like grains. As a widely used neutraceutical, however, the therapeutic applicability of kefir is not certain. In order to investigate the pharmacological effects of kefir, we used a mouse asthma model, in which airway inflammation and airway remodeling was produced by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged to ovalbumin, were treated with kefir (50mg/kg administered by intra-gastric mode) 1h before the ovalbumin challenge. Kefir significantly suppressed ovalbumin-induced airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) to inhaled methacholine. Intra-gastric administration of kefir significantly inhibited the increase in the total inflammatory cell count induced by ovalbumin, and the eosinophil count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Type 2 helper T cell (Th2) cytokines, such as interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, and total immunoglobulin E (Ig E) levels, were also reduced to normal levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histological studies demonstrate that kefir substantially inhibited ovalbumin-induced eosinophilia in lung tissue and mucus hyper-secretion by goblet cells in the airway. Kefir displayed anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects in a mouse asthma model and may possess new therapeutic potential for the treatment of allergic bronchial asthma.
authors.affiliation: Natural Medicine Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, P.O. Box 115, Yusung, Daejeon 305-600, Korea.
authors.forename: Mee-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung-Seop
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Ok-Kyung
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Mee-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi-Kyoung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In-Young
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sei-Ryang
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyeong-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin