A traditional blood remedy as a modulator of the respiratory burst of the human neutrophil: an in vitro study

Abstract

It has been shown that ‘essence of chicken’ (EC) has a stimulatory effect on human circulating neutrophils, as measured by superoxide and interleukin-1β release. The superoxide release appeared to be mediated by both a low molecular and high molecular weight fraction. Activation of the macrophage-like cell line U937 could also be shown. It may be that the previously reported increase in metabolic rate due to EC is a result of general stimulation of the immune system. Since EC contains a large quantity of the dipeptide carnosine, it was also tested and shown to promote superoxide release in the neutrophils. Although already known, in general, to be a free-radical scavenger, it was shown here also to be inhibitory of the autooxidation of pyrogallol. EC too had a free radical scavenging activity in the same system. In the course of neutrophil stimulation by EC then there may be an initial scavenging of superoxide anion by carnosine. It is concluded that there are at least two factors in EC chemotactic to neutrophils-one of low molecular weight, possibly carnosine, and a protein insoluble in 70% ethanol.