Eggshell Membrane Mechanism Against Inflammation

CARTHAGE, MONew mechanism of action research on NEM®(Natural Eggshell Membrane) has been published online ahead of print in the Journal of Medicinal Food. The research was conducted by scientists from NIS Labs and ESM Technologies, which said it expects the research report to be published in print in early 2012.

 When human immune cells were exposed to a water extract of NEM® and subsequently compounds that are known to cause an inflammatory response, NEM® was shown to significantly reduce a number of proinflammatory cytokines, said Kevin J. Ruff, Ph.D., director of scientific & regulatory affairs for ESM Technologies.

The in vitro study examined the effects of NEM on several immune and inflammatory markers, including interleukin-2  (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon- (IFN-), and TNF- cytokine production. They used four-day peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures exposed to serial dilutions of either an aqueous extract of natural eggshell membrane (NEM-AQ) or NEM subjected to in vitro digestion (NEM-IVD). Researchers also assessed the effects on cytokine production in the presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM), whereby exposure to NEM-AQ resulted in reduced levels of proliferation and statistically significant effects on IL-6, IL-10, IFN-, and TNF- cytokine production.

Results showed NEM-AQ reduced levels of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-, and TNF- in cultures exposed to PHA. This intervention also reduced production of IL-10 in cultures containing PWM and, at the highest dose tested, increased IL-6 and decreased TNF- cytokine levels. On the other side, NEM-IVD, at the two lowest concentrations of product, significantly reduced TNF- production by PBMC cultures exposed to PWM, compared with the in vitro digest control or native NEM.

Researchers said results suggested NEM-AQ can influence signaling events in response to the T cell-specific mitogen PHA and to the mitogen PWM that require cellular cross-talk; these effects may be partially mediated through a reduction in level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-. They concluded, "The suppression of TNF- production in the presence of NEM-IVD is promising for the use of NEM as a consumable anti-inflammatory product."

ESM explained the testing was performed to examine whether the biological properties of NEM were preserved or enhanced after digestion, and the results demonstrated specific antiinflammatory properties were enhanced after the in vitro digest. While the crude product suppressed the production  of the inflammatory cytokine TNFalpha in cultures of human immune cells, NEM administered after an in vitro digest produced similar effect at 100-times lower doses, suggesting stronger antiinflammatory effects after digestion. This preliminary work demonstrates that NEMs ability to reduce joint pain and stiffness may well be a result of its ability to reduce TNF systemically or locally in the joints," Ruff noted.