SANTA ROSA, Calif., Aug. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Groundbreaking
research demonstrates the ability of a specific form of Modified
Citrus Pectin (MCP) to greatly enhance immune function. The study
found that MCP activated B-cells in a dose-dependent manner, and
induced a highly significant dose-dependent activation of
T-cytotoxic cells and Natural Killer (NK) cells. The NK-cell’s
cancer killing activity was demonstrated against live leukemia
cancer cells. The study
is published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative
Medicine. The research focuses on MCP’s immunostimulatory
properties in human blood samples, resulting in modulation of
different arms of the immune system. Immune researchers at the
Dharma Biomedical LLC (Miami, FL) are excited. “The dramatic
ability of MCP to activate different components of both the innate
(NK-cells) and adaptive (T-cytotoxic) arms of the immune system,
demonstrates that MCP can be used in a very strategic manner to
support immune function, which may prove useful for a variety of
immune compromised health situations,” says lead researcher Dr.
Steve Melnick.MCP induced an increase in B-cells, T-cytotoxic
cells, and NK-cells in a dose dependant manner, meaning the higher
the dosage, the greater the effect. Researchers demonstrated that
MCP induced a dramatic ten-fold increase in NK-cell activation, and
furthermore a significant 53.6% increase in the NK-cells’
functional ability to identify and destroy leukemia cancer
cells.
Mechanism of Action (How MCP Works)
Melnick further explains, “The Modified Citrus Pectin used in
this study consists of various polysaccharides that come in contact
with different receptors or proteins on the membranes of immune
cells. The immune cells become activated as a consequence of this
very specific interaction.” Melnick continues, “What I found
impressive was the selectivity, and in those cases the
magnitude
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