Molecules isolated from probiotic-packed yogurt could prove to be ideal drug candidates that address a range of inflammatory conditions that include the immune response seen in COVID-19 patients.
Writing in the journal
Microbiome, researchers successfully isolated molecules secreted by a yeast contained in kefir yoghurt that has proved efficacious against the causative agent of cholera.
Further research highlighted the molecules’ anti-inflammatory effect in tackling the so-called cytokine storm – the extreme immune response responsible for the deaths of so many COVID-19 patients.
Commenting on the molecule’s apparent ability to restore balance to the immune system, Professor Raz Jelinek, the Vice President and Dean for Research & Development at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) said,