Probiotics and Allergy

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Probiotics and Allergy

• Shalini Jain , Hariom Yadav and PR Sinha
• Animal Biochemistry Division
• National Dairy Research Institute
• Karnal,Haryana

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Definition

• Allergy is an adverse immune reaction to a
  molecule called allergen (protein) in our
  environment, which is normally harmless to the
  non-allergic person.

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Types of Allergy

• Classified according to symptoms they produce
  i.e. skin, nose and lungs etc and causes
• Skin allergy
• Food allergy
• Allergen inhalation
• (Allergic rhinitis, Allergic asthma )
• Allergy to medicine

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Risk factors of Allergy

• Family history of allergy - Allergies are
  hereditary which means there is a genetic
  component to most allergies and passed from
  parents to children.
• Exposure to allergens at certain times when the
  body's defenses are lowered or weakened, such as
  after a viral infection or during pregnancy,
  seems to contribute to the development of
  allergies.

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Allergen

• An allergen - a substance causing allergic
  disease in sensitized host. These allergens enter
  into body by various means
• Through the skin cosmetics, stinging insects
  and oak
• Injections drugs
• Oral ingestion Eggs, prawns, peanuts, fish,
  cows milk
• Nose and lungs airborne pollen of weeds,
  grasses, dust mite droppings

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Symptoms of Allergy

• Skin allergy symptoms include itching, reddening,
  and flaking or peeling of the skin.
• Allergic rhinitis is characterized by congestion,
  itching and discharge from the nose and itchy,
  watery eyes.
• Asthma include coughing, chest tightness,
  shortness of breath and wheezing.
• Food allergy include, dizziness, lightheadedness
  or fainting abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or
  vomiting , anaphylaxis and hives.
• A severe allergic reaction to food - called
  anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis include a feeling of
  warmth, flushing, tingling in the mouth or a red,
  itchy rash. Other symptoms may include feelings
  of light-headedness, shortness of breath, severe
  sneezing, anexiety, stomach or uterine cramps,
  and/or vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases,
  patients may experience a drop in blood pressure.
  Anaphylaxis can be fatal.

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Treatment

• Avoidance or Environmental control - Avoiding
  foods that have caused allergic reactions,
  removing the pet from the home, dust should be
  removed from the surface of pillow covers and the
  bed frame by vacuuming them weekly. Smoking
  indoors should never be permitted.
• Pharmacologic management/Allergy medication - In
  food allergy injection of adrenaline,
  antihistamines reduce the effects of an allergic
  reaction by blocking histamine, Decongestants
  reduce the nasal congestion, bronchodilators open
  the airways.
• Allergen immunotherapy - Allergen immunotherapy
  is the process of administering gradually
  increasing doses of allergens to the patient.
• Functional foods - Currently, there is huge
  interest in the use of foods which may exert a
  positive functional effect on our health. Two of
  these functional foods are known as probiotics
  and prebiotics, both of which have a positive
  effect on the good bacteria that reside in our
  digestive systems, also known as our gut
  microflora.
• Yoga Yoga is an alternative therapy for allergy.

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Probiotics

• Probiotics are friendly bacteria which have
  been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on
  human health and available in different forms
  like dairy products- dahi, yogurt, capsules etc.
• A probiotic may be defined as A preparation or
  product containing viable, defined
  micro-organisms in sufficient numbers, which
  alter the microflora of the host intestine and,
  consuming by that, exert beneficial health
  effects on the host (Schrezenmeier De Vrese
  2001). For example bifidus, lactobacillus.

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Probiotics in Treatment of disease

• Probiotics have been found to act as alternative
  medicine for a number of diseases
• Lactose intolerance
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Respiratory disease
• Atherosclerosis
• Osteoporosis
• Allergy

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Probiotics Role in Allergy

• Lactobacillus GG have been reported to treat
  allergy (Majamaa et al 1997) when administered to
  breast feeding mothers of infants with atopic
  eczema/dermatitis due to allergy to milk.
• Lactobacillus GG may be effective in treating
  allergic diseases if administered at birth and to
  pregnant mothers (Kalliomaki et al 2001).
• Consumption of yogurt for a year reduced the
  symptoms of nasal allergies among volunteers who
  consumed yogurt than in control group (Trapp et
  al 1993).

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How probiotics work to prevent allergy

• To treat allergy, probiotic acts in
  different ways
• Degradation/structural modification of enteral
  antigens.
• Normalization of the properties of aberrant
  indigenous microbiota and of gut barrier
  functions.
• Regulation of the secretion of inflammatory
  mediators, and promoting development of the
  immune system.
• Prevents food allergy by promoting endogenous
  barrier mechanisms and alleviating intestinal
  inflammation.
• Stimulating immune response and reduction of
  serum IgE levels.
• Reduction of Th2 cytokine response.

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Intestinal microflora
Probiotics
Epithelium
AP-Cell
Th0
IL-2 IL-12 TNF-a IFN- ?
IL-4 IL-10 Il-6
Th2
Th1
IL-2 IFN-a IFN-ß TNF-ß
Allergy
B
B
IgE
IgA
Virus
Tumors
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Future directions/ perspectives

• Future probiotics will have more thoroughly
  clarified mechanisms to either control specific
  physiological processes in the evolution of
  allergic disease or in their dietary management.
  The modern view on probiotic therapy is based on
  specific effects of clearly defined strains.

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Conclusion

• The term allergy encompasses a wide range of
  symptoms and conditions. Although allergies
  cannot be prevented, they can be treated and
  controlled. By making changes in the environment
  and to their diets patients can greatly limit
  exposure to certain allergens and reduce and
  control their symptoms. If environmental control
  does not work, medication, immunotherapy and
  alternative therapy can help control the disease.
  Probiotics will offer consumers an alternative to
  more invasive, medical means of treating allergy,
  and provide a dietary means of optimizing health
  and well-being.