Efficacy and safety of CAEC (Canavalia gladiata arctium lappa extract complex) on immune function enhancement: An 8 week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. (December 2020) - Lyu, Yee Ran
Graphical abstract: Highlights: CAEC enhanced immune function by stimulating NK cell activity and IL-10 expression. CAEC significantly increased NK cell activity at E:T = 25:1 and 50:1 after 8 weeks. CAEC significantly increased the level of IL-10 after 8 weeks. CAEC will be able to serve as a functional food for stimulating immunity. Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CAEC (Canavalia gladiata arctium lappa extract complex) in adults with white blood cells between 3 and 8 × 10 3 cells/µL by assessing natural killer (NK) cell activity and immune-related biomarkers. Overall, 100 participants (CAEC group = 50, placebo group = 50) were randomised, and administered CAEC or placebo once daily for 8 weeks, with an evaluation visit performed every 4 weeks. NK cell activity, the primary outcome, significantly increased in CAEC when compared with the placebo at effector-to-target (E:T) ratios of 25:1 and 50:1 after 8 weeks. Compared with the placebo group, IL-10 demonstrated significant differences at week 8 in the CAEC group. Our findings demonstrate that CAEC is safe and enhances immune function by stimulating NK cell activity through IL-10 expression. Hence, we anticipate that CAEC can be developed as a functional food for stimulating immunity.