Bifidobacterium breve Nutritional Composition for Infant Asthma Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current probiotic interventions in infants have not shown significant long-term effects in preventing asthma or reducing asthma-like symptoms beyond the administration period, and some studies suggest potential increased prevalence of asthma symptoms in high-risk children.
Innovation Solution
A nutritional composition containing Bifidobacterium breve, non-digestible oligosaccharides, and hydrolyzed milk protein administered to infants from 0 to 6 months, which includes specific strains of B. breve and a combination of oligosaccharides such as fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides, to prevent asthma-like symptoms and reduce asthma medication use later in life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If probiotics are administered to infants to prevent asthma, then long-term preventive effect is desired, but current studies show no significant effect on asthma prevalence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by administering the probiotic composition (containing Bifidobacterium breve and non-digestible oligosaccharides) to infants during the critical period of 0-6 months before asthma development occurs. This early intervention aims to program the immune system and microbiota composition in a way that prevents asthma later in life, addressing the long-term preventive effect requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by specifically selecting Bifidobacterium breve strain and combining it with non-digestible oligosaccharides in defined proportions. This specific compositional parameter configuration is designed to modulate microbiota composition and immune response in a way that achieves significant preventive effect, distinguishing it from generic probiotic formulations.
2Reliability
If probiotics are administered to high-risk children, then asthma prevention is hoped, but some studies show increased prevalence of asthma symptoms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the blessing in disguise principle by using non-digestible oligosaccharides that reach the colon intact to feed beneficial microbiota. This approach converts the potential harm of early intervention (which some studies show increases asthma symptoms) into a benefit by specifically targeting the colonic microbiota to produce beneficial metabolites that prevent asthma, rather than using conventional probiotics that may have adverse effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an intermediary mechanism where non-digestible oligosaccharides act as prebiotics that mediate between the administered probiotic and the host microbiota. These oligosaccharides reach the colon unchanged and serve as substrate for beneficial bacteria, creating a synergistic effect that enhances asthma prevention while avoiding the harmful effects associated with direct probiotic administration in high-risk children.
3Duration of action of moving object
If probiotic composition is administered early in life, then long-term immune effects are achieved, but the composition must be specifically formulated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by creating a probiotic composition that combines Bifidobacterium breve with non-digestible oligosaccharides in a synergistic formulation. This composite approach allows the probiotic to establish itself in the gut while the oligosaccharides provide sustained prebiotic effects, achieving long-term immune modulation. The composite formulation is designed to be administered as a single nutritional product, simplifying the delivery of multiple functional components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition demonstrates a statistically significant reduction in asthma-like symptoms and asthma medication use in children when examined later in life, indicating a preventive effect on asthma development.
Implementation Method 1
This increase has been hypothesized to result from diminished microbial exposure, leading to an altered composition of the intestinal microbiota. It has been shown that intestinal microbiota composition differs between children with and without atopy.
Implementation Method 2
probiotics, living micro-organisms with immunomodulatory effects, reduce the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the use of Bifidobacterium breve for reduction of asthma and asthma like symptoms later in life and in reducing use of asthma medication.