Human trial of liposomal lactoferrin supplementation for periodontal disease.

New approaches to periodontal health have been in strong demand in addition to conventional local plaque control. In this study, liposomal bovine lactoferrin (L-bLF) was orally administered to subjects with periodontal disease to investigate whether it could be a useful treatment. L-bLF composed of soy phosphatidylcholine was given as a supplement for four weeks in tablet form (180 mg bLF/d) to twelve subjects with multiple sites of more than 3 mm probing depth (PD). PD, bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volume and the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in GCF were evaluated for 51 sites with more than 4 mm PD in five subjects. Blood samples of all subjects were collected 0, 2 and 4 weeks after supplementation. Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were incubated for 24 h with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 ng/ml) from Porphyromonas gingivalis, and TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6 and MCP-1 in the culture media were measured. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 mRNA expressions of isolated PBMCs were also quantitatively analyzed using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The PD was significantly reduced by L-bLF supplementation, but the BOP and GCF volume were not significantly changed. The MCP-1 level in GCF was significantly reduced, while levels of other cytokines were not changed. Four-week L-bLF supplementation also showed significant decreases of LPS-induced cytokine production from PBMCs. Relative gene expressions of TLR2 and TLR4 did not change. These results suggest that L-bLF supplementation can be effective in the treatment of periodontal disease, although prospective controlled large-scale studies are required.

[LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of a mixed green vegetable and fruit beverage containing broccoli and cabbage in hypercholesterolemic subjects].

The serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering effects of two types of canned beverage containing mixed green vegetables and fruits, with or without broccoli and cabbage (B&C), were examined in a randomized double-blind study design. Seventy-seven adults subjects with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia participated in this study after giving their informed consent. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups. One group(test group) was allocated a test sample, containing B&C as the main materials. Another group(control group) was allocated a placebo sample made from the same materials but without B&C. The subjects were administered 2 cans of the assigned sample (160 g contents/can) per day for 12 weeks. Forty-nine out of 77 subjects, whose LDL-C levels were greater than or equal to 140 mg/dl and less than 180 mg/dl, were analyzed for the effectiveness. Serum LDL-C levels in the test group were significantly(p < 0.05) reduced at 3, 6 and 9 weeks after administration in comparison to the baseline levels (155.7 mg/dl in average). The average LDL-C value at 9 weeks was 142.5 mg/dl and the reduction rate was 8.5%. But serum LDL-C levels in the control group were not significantly reduced. Significant differences(p < 0.05) between the groups were observed in the LDL-C levels at 6 and 9 weeks and also in the total cholesterol levels at 9 week. Thus daily intake of the beverage tested containing B&C are useful for lowering serum LDL-C levels in hypercholesterolemic subjects.