Bifidobacterium in the treatment of inflammatory disease

Abstract

A strain of Bifidobacterium isolated from resected and washed human gastrointestinal tract is significantly immunomodulatory following oral consumption in humans. The strain is useful in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of undesirable inflammatory activity, especially gastrointestinal inflammatory activity such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. The inflammatory activity may also be due to cancer.

1 - 54 . (canceled)  
     
     
         55 . An antimicrobial agent obtained from a strain of  Bifidobacterium  isolated from a resected and washed human gastrointestinal tract, which is significantly immunomodulatory following oral consumption.  
     
     
         56 . The antimicrobial agent of  claim 55 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is significantly immunomodulatory in a human following oral consumption by the human.  
     
     
         57 . The antimicrobial agent of  claim 56 , wherein the immunomodulatory effect is an increase in an anti-inflammatory cytokine; a decrease in a pro-inflammatory cytokine; an increase in an anti-inflammatory cytokine and a decrease in a pro-inflammatory cytokine; or production of a high anti-inflammatory cytokine to pro-inflammatory cytokine ratio in the human following oral consumption.  
     
     
         58 . The antimicrobial agent of claim wherein the anti-inflammatory cytokine is IL-10 and the pro-inflammatory cytokine is IL-12 or TNF-α.