The Baylor School of Medicine received three patents covering the cloning of lactoferrin and lactoferrin peptides for therapeutic and nutritional applications. An array of lactoferrin-related patents points to the ingredient's potential in a number of areas, from infant diarrhea and support for newborn growth to food and pharmaceutical applications.
Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein rich in bioactive functionality. For that reason, it has received much attention in the research field. Initially, interest focused on lactoferrin's capacity of acting in iron transport and as an antimicrobial agent, due to its iron-chelating ability.
In terms of biological activities/benefits, lactoferrin is a highly significant glycoprotein. Lately the component's multiple potential health benefits are expanding into the following areas.
General benefits have been addressed in at least one hundred publications over the last three years. Anti-cancer support has been established for mice and humans. A recent study on the role of glycoproteins in cancer prevention focused on lactoferrin's biological activities.
Antimicrobial studies have been extensive, and continuing through research on the protective effects and antibacterial effects of lactoferrin. Synergistic effects from the combination of lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase and beta- lactoglobulin have been shown to eliminate certain microorganisms in mice and thus prevent death.
Anti-oxidant work has looked at lactoferrin's inclusion in infant formulas.
Immune Modulation: Peptide derivatives of lactoferrin (produced by the action of pepsin on lactoferrin) have been shown to promote enhanced antimicrobial action. One of many studies examined an immuno-stimulating, lactoferrin-derived peptide's ability to modulate release of inflammatory mediators from immune system cells.
Cytokine-Coordinated Responses Lactoferrin is a substance belonging to a family of chemicals called cytokines. Cytokines are responsible for coordinating the human cellular immune response that protects us from most infections, cancers and tumors. A deficit of cytokines can lead to a suppressed immune system and an excess of cytokines can create an over-active immune response. Lactoferrin works by regulating the cellular immune response on several different levels. In healthy individuals lactoferrin is a front-line defensive system that protects our body openings, such as eyes, mouth, nose and other orifices from infectious invasion. A second aspect of lactoferrin is its unique ability to bind to iron, an essential mineral used by a wide array of pathogens and tumors for reproduction and growth. Presented with an infectious challenge or tumor, a healthy body will respond by producing Lactoferrin in copious quantities in the vicinity of the infection or tumor. Lactoferrin will then bind with iron and render it unavailable to the bacteria or the tumor, provoking a malnutrition situation and effectively starving the bacteria or the tumor. Lactoferrin does not remove iron from the body itself, and over time degrades to release the iron back into the body. A third and important level of activity is that special sections of lactoferrin molecules are themselves directly toxic to bacteria, yeast and molds. It also appears that lactoferrin inhibits replication of some viruses, including HIV and some of the herpes family of viruses. So this is quite a remarkable substance. There is a good deal of research regarding the function of lactoferrin, as well as research into the levels of lactoferrin in sick individuals. Lactoferrin first came to prominence as a result of an excellent paper written by an AIDS researcher discussing the role of lactoferrin in AIDS. It was this initial study that really provoked the production of lactoferrin as a nutritional supplement
Up-Regulating Immune Function In Cancer Patients. Lactoferrin is a very reasonable and important component of immuno-therapy. Individuals with cancer are almost uniformly immuno-suppressed and unfortunately, conventional cancer therapy doesn’t tend to pay much attention to improving immune function. In fact, most traditional cancer therapies are immuno-suppressing in their own right. The importance of lactoferrin and other substances that up-regulate immune function in this very dangerous disease is not commonly addressed. Comprehensive therapy protocols combine conventional therapy with immuno- supporting nutritional supplements. By organizing a comprehensive program around each individuals specific needs, tailored to their illness and the kind of conventional therapy they are receiving, the results we have gotten have been very, very impressive. Other areas where lactoferrin supplementation may be relevant are in cases of HIV and chronic viral infections, including chronic fatigue.