Immunomodulatory Activities of a Concentrated Fruit and Vegetable Juice Tested in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial in Healthy Volunteers

Abstract

22 healthy volunteers were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study in order to investigate immunomodulatory effects of a concentrated juice, containing the ingredients of a total of 80 different fruits, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, oils, and others (Cellagon aurum?, “CA”). 11 subjects received the concentrated juice while 11 were allocated to the placebo group. Stimulated whole-blood cultures were used to assess any treatment-related changes in the response of leukocytes towards experimental immune cell activation. For each of the individuals, 5 cultures were performed either immediately before, during, or 3 days after termination of the 7 weeks treatment. Leukocyte activities were determined by measuring cytokine levels in the supernatants at the end of the 48 h of stimulation (induced by the addition of LPS + SE-B + anti-CD28 antibodies). Despite the relatively small number of volunteers, multiplexed cytokine assays revealed a typical T-cell signature of cytokines that were increased significantly in the course of CA treatment compared to placebo (GM-CSF, IFNγ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, TNFβ, all p < 0.05). These preliminary results suggest that CA is able to support leukocyte activation, in particular that of T-lymphocytes.

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M. Schmolz, R. März, M. Schaudt, C. Schaudt and C. Lauster, "Immunomodulatory Activities of a Concentrated Fruit and Vegetable Juice Tested in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial in Healthy Volunteers," Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol. 5 No. 4, 2014, pp. 341-350. doi: 10.4236/fns.2014.54041.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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