Biobran/MGN-3 Increases Innate Resistance and Reduces the Incidence of Influenza-like Illnesses

Summary

Influenza is a seasonally-epidemic viral infection causing 3-5 million severe illnesses and up to approximately 500,000 annual deaths around the world. Influenza-like illnesses (ILI) is a simple constellation of symptoms and signs that was introduced to capture influenza cases in surveillance system. The elderly are more susceptible to cancers and viral infections including influenza infection and complications that was attributed to the phenomenon of immunosenescence or age-associated decline of immune system activity. Biobran/MGN3 is a natural nutritional supplement that was shown to exhibit potent immunomodulator effect such as enhancement of natural killer cell (NKC) activity and up-regulating the production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and -lambda (IFN-λ). The protective effect of Biobran/MGN-3 against viral infection such hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as several cancer types has been previously reported in experimental animal models and humans. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of Biobran/MGN-3 on some innate immune system components and the incidence of ILI in the older adult population. The studied innate immune system included NKC activity and the expressions of intracellular viral nucleic acid sensors such as retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-1), melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) and some of their downstream signals such as ISG15 and MX1.

Conditions

• Influenza-like Illness

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Biobran/MGN-3

Biobran/MGN3 is defined by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a food supplement. Biobran/MGN3 is manufactured by hydrolyzing rice bran with the enzymatic extract of medicinal Shiitake mushrooms. Enzyme hydrolysis of rice bran produces arabinoxylane, a hemi-cellulose compound, which constitutes the active ingredient of biobran/MGN3.

OTHER

Placebo

Placebo, with same appearance and taste as Biobran/MGN-3, was given to control subjects at a dose of 500 mg everyday for 3 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

  collaborator OTHER

• University of California, Irvine

  collaborator OTHER

• Daiwa Pharmaceutical Corporation Co, Ltd, Tokyo 154-0024 Japan

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Zagazig University

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Ahmed F Elsaid, MD/PhD · Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

56 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-11-28

Primary Completion

2019-02-28

Completion

2019-02-28

Countries

• Egypt

Study Locations