Pubmed - Concentrated bovine colostrum protein supplementation reduces the incidence of self-reported symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection in adult males

Centre for Research in Education and Sports Science Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Holbrooks Road, Underdale, South Australia 5032, Australia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Anecdotal reports suggest that bovine colostrum may prevent upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). There is scant evidence to support such claims, although salivary IgA protects against URTI, and it was recently shown that bovinecolostrum increases salivary IgA.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

The present invesigation examined whether concentrated bovine colostrum protein (CBC) affected the incidence or duration of self-reported symptoms of URTI in adult males.

METHODS:

We examined logbooks containing self-reported symptoms of illness from previous studies which examined physiological effects of CBC. In these double-blind, placebo controlled studies, subjects had been randomly allocated to consume 60g. day(-1) of CBC (n = 93) or whey protein (WP) (n = 81) for eight weeks. Symptoms were coded using established criteria to identify those related to URTI. Since the incubation period for an URTI is up to five days, symptoms reported during the first week of supplementation (PRE-EXP) were analysed separately to preclude those arising from infection prior to study commencement.

RESULTS:

During PRE-EXP, there was no difference in the proportion of subjects taking the different supplements who reported symptoms of URTI (CBC, 11%,WP, 5%; 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) -14% to 2%; P = 0.16). During the subsequent seven weeks (i. e. the experimental period), a significantly lesser proportion of subjects taking CBC reported symptoms of URTI compared with those taking WP (CBC, 32%,WP, 48%, P = 0.03; 95 % CI -30 % to -2 %), but symptom duration did not differ (CBC, 6.8 +/- 4.2 days,WP, 6.0 +/- 4.4 days; P = 0.27).

CONCLUSION:

This study provides preliminary evidence that CBC may enhance resistance to the development of symptoms of URTI.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12923655

Prevention and treatment of influenza with hyperimmune bovine colostrum antibody.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Despite the availability of specific vaccines and antiviral drugs, influenza continues to impose a heavy toll on human health worldwide. Passive transfer of specific antibody (Ab) may provide a useful means of preventing or treating disease in unvaccinated individuals or those failing to adequately seroconvert, especially now that resistance to antiviral drugs is on the rise. However, preparation of appropriate Ab in large scale, quickly and on a yearly basis is viewed as a significant logistical hurdle for this approach to control seasonal influenza.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
In this study, bovine colostrum, which contains approximately 500 g of IgG per milking per animal, has been investigated as a source of polyclonal antibody for delivery to the respiratory tract. IgG and F(ab')2 were purified from the hyperimmune colostrum of cows vaccinated with influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8) vaccine and were shown to have high hemagglutination-inhibitory and virus-neutralizing titers. In BALB/c mice, a single administration of either IgG or F(ab')2 could prevent the establishment of infection with a sublethal dose of PR8 virus when given as early as 7 days prior to exposure to virus. Pre-treated mice also survived an otherwise lethal dose of virus, the IgG- but not the F(ab')2-treated mice showing no weight loss. Successful reduction of established infection with this highly virulent virus was also observed with a single treatment 24 hr after virus exposure.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
These data suggest that a novel and commercially-scalable technique for preparing Ab from hyperimmune bovine colostrum could allow production of a valuable substitute for antiviral drugs to control influenza with the advantage of eliminating the need for daily administration.

PMID: 21049034