COMPOSITION COMPRISING HMOs FOR PREVENTING OR REDUCING NOCICEPTION

Abstract

A method for reducing nociceptive sensitivity in non-infant humans includes in some examples selecting a non-infant human experiencing a condition and associated nociceptive sensitivity (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome or chronic neuropathic pain). In such examples, the method further includes selecting an effective amount of one or more human milk oligosaccharides (“HMOs”) chosen from the group consisting of 6′-sialyllactose (6′-SL), and a mixture of 6′-SL and lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and reducing the nociceptive sensitivity by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen HMOs to the non-infant human during an initial phase. In some examples, the method includes activating GPR35 receptors by administering the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. In some examples, the HMOs are a mixture of 6′-SL and LNT that provides a synergistic effect relative to each of the 6′-SL and LNT alone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 selecting a non-infant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patient experiencing nociceptive sensitivity;   selecting an effective amount of one or more human milk oligosaccharides (“HMOs”) chosen from the group consisting of 6′-sialyllactose (6′-SL), and a mixture of 6′-SL and lacto-N-tetraose (LNT); and   reducing the nociceptive sensitivity by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen HMOs to the non-infant IBS patient during an initial phase.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising activating GPR35 receptors by administering the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein during an initial phase, the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs administered per day is a total of from 2 g to 15 g per day. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected effective amount of the chosen HMOs are administered daily to the non-infant IBS patient and the initial phase is at least four weeks. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein during a maintenance phase, the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs administered per day is a total of from 1 g to 10 g per day. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising reducing the occurrence of headaches in the non-infant IBS patient by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising reducing the occurrence of perception of visceral pain in the non-infant IBS patient by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the selected effective amount of the one or more HMOs consists of the mixture of 6′-SL and LNT;   the mixture of 6′-SL and LNT is administered in a mass ratio of from 1:1 to 1:4; and   the mixture of 6′-SL and LNT provides a synergistic effect relative to each of the 6′-SL and LNT alone.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising administering one or more additional HMOs other than 6′-SL or LNT to the non-infant IBS patient, while substantially maintaining the synergistic effect. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more additional HMOs are selected from 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), 3′-sialyllactose (3′-SL), difucosyllactose (DFL), lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), lacto-N-fucopentaose I (LNFP-I), and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 selecting a non-infant human experiencing chronic neuropathic pain and associated nociceptive sensitivity;   selecting an effective amount of one or more human milk oligosaccharides (“HMOs”) chosen from the group consisting of 6′-sialyllactose (6′-SL), and a mixture of 6′-SL and lacto-N-tetraose (LNT); and   reducing the nociceptive sensitivity by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen HMOs to the non-infant human during an initial phase.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising activating GPR35 receptors by administering the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein during the initial phase, the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs administered per day is a total of from 2 g to 15 g per day. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected effective amount of the chosen HMOs are administered daily to the non-infant human and the initial phase is at least four weeks. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein during a maintenance phase, the effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs administered per day is a total of from 1 g to 10 g per day. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , the method further comprising reducing the occurrence of headaches in the non-infant human by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , the method further comprising reducing the occurrence of perception of the chronic neuropathic pain in the non-infant human by administering the selected effective amount of the chosen one or more HMOs. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the selected effective amount of the one or more HMOs consists of the mixture of 6′-SL and LNT;   the mixture of 6′-SL and LNT is administered in a mass ratio of from 1:1 to 1:4; and   the mixture of 6′-SL and LNT provides a synergistic effect relative to each of the 6′-SL and LNT alone.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising administering one or more additional HMOs other than 6′-SL or LNT to the non-infant human, while substantially maintaining the synergistic effect. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more additional HMOs are selected from 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), 3′-sialyllactose (3′-SL), difucosyllactose (DFL), lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), lacto-N-fucopentaose I (LNFP-I), and combinations thereof.