Composition for prevention and treatment of allergic and/or inflammatory diseases

Abstract

A prophylactic antiallergenic composition includes at least one arabinogalactan or arabinogalactan protein. The arabinogalactan or arabinogalactan protein is isolated from a grass or corresponds in its structural arrangement to an arabinogalactan that can be isolated from a grass.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of prevention, protection against or treating an autoimmune disease, comprising:
 administering a composition comprising at least one arabinogalactan or arabinogalactan protein into a mammal that is in need of such prevention, protection or treatment, and   wherein said at least one arabinogalactan or arabinogalactan protein is isolated from at least one grass species or corresponds in its structural arrangement to an arabinogalactan isolatable from at least one grass species.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is configured to treat one or more selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes type 1, diseases of the thyroid gland, Hashimoto Thyreoditis and Graves' disease. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one grass species is selected from the group consisting of Meadow Foxtail ( Alopecurus pratensis ), timothy grass and timothy grass pollen ( Phleum pratense  L), Cock's Foot ( Dactylis glomerata ), Yorkshire Fog ( Holcus lanatus ), English Ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ), Smooth Meadow grass ( Poa pratense ), Rye ( Secale cereale ) or grasses from related species and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an arabinogalactan selected from the group consisting of compounds of the structure shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least one further active ingredient selected from the group consisting of naturally occurring, isolated bacteria of the genus  Lactococcus  or fragments of said bacteria. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the bacteria are selected from the group consisting of strains of  Lactococcus lactis.    
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises at least one further active ingredient comprising humic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in form of an aerosol, aqueous solution, suspension, lyophilisate, powder, tablet or suppository for oral, nasal, inhalative, rectal or vaginal application. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical composition in form of an aerosol, aqueous solution, suspension, lyophilisate, powder, tablet or suppository for oral, conjunctival, nasal, inhalative, subcutaneous, intra-articular, intraperitoneal, rectal or vaginal application. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in form for nasal or inhalative administration. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mammal due to a positive family anamnesis has an increased risk to develop an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mammal has an increased risk to develop the autoimmune disease relative to the general population based on diagnostic criteria. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition is administered prior to onset of symptoms of the autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein administering a composition comprising at least one arabinogalactan or arabinogalactan protein into a mammal that is in need of such prevention, protection or treatment, is carried out initially prior to onset of symptoms of the autoimmune disease, and subsequent doses of said composition are administered to said mammal. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is to reduce the occurrence or the likelihood of said autoimmune disease.