Quail Egg Powder for Atopic Dermatitis

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By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH(AHG)

Huntington College of Health Sciences

I previously wrote an article¹  about a quail egg powder material called AllerGuard Express, which was shown to help relief allergy symptoms in dust mite-induced allergic asthma² and allergic rhinitis.^3-5 In fact, in one randomized, double-blind, 2-arm crossover, placebo-controlled, clinical trial,⁶ allergy sufferers could breathe significantly better through their nose (18 percent improvement; p≤0.05 vs. placebo) starting as soon as 15 minutes after allergen exposure and consumption of quail egg powder tablets. Of particular interest is its mechanism of action.

Mechanism of Action
Allergic rhinitis symptoms mainly result from an Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated temporary immune response against environmental triggers. In individuals with a sensitized immune system, allergen-specific IgE antibodies are produced in response to environmental allergens.^7-8 Worldwide, sensitization (IgE antibodies) to allergies in the environment is present in up to 40 percent of the population.⁹

Certain outdoor and indoor antigens such as pollen, mold, animal dander, and house dust mites contain protease enzymes. When they are inhaled and come into direct contact with the nasal cavity endothelium, these protease enzymes can injure tissues and induce a transient IgE-mediated allergic inflammatory response.¹⁰ In-vitro testing has shown that protein fractions contained in the quail egg, including ovomucoids and ovoinhibitors, act as serine protease inhibitors.^11-12 By inhibiting proteases, quail egg powder bioactives help reduce the symptoms of an allergic reaction. New research suggests that this symptom reduction now extends to atopic dermatitis.

New Research on Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disease accompanied by severe itch. The typical features of AD depend on age.  In the pathogenesis of AD, protease-activated receptor, PAR-2 is involved. Its activation contributes to the inflammation, itching and damage of epidermal barrier. The ovomucoids and ovoinhibitors in quail egg powder contains are PAR-2 antagonists. To evaluate the effects of quail egg powder on the reduction of eaematous lesions, sensation of itching and improvement of life quality in patients with AD, an eight-week clinical study¹³ was conducted on 281 patients with AD (age range: 4 to 69 years). Dosage of the quail egg powder was adjusted according to the age of patients and the severity of lesions. The results were that the SCORAD (the severity score used for atopic dermatitis) decreased in practically all stages of the disease for each age group. Furthermore, itch abated in 80.1 percent of patients and the quality of sleep has improved in 47.8 percent of subjects in four weeks. In conclusion, this new study showed that quail egg powder (AllerGuard Express), is a good therapeutic option in the treatment of atopic AT.

References:

1. Bruno G. Allergy Relief from Quail Egg Powder. Vitamin Retailer. March 2016:83-85.
2. Bruttman G. Study 1 (réf. 82-83-1): DUST MITE-INDUCED ALLERGIC ASTHMA IN CHILDREN. & Bruttman G. “Ovix” Quail Egg Homogenate: A Clinical Evaluation. La Medicina Biologica. April-June 1995;2:25-29.
3. Bruttman G. Study 2 (réf. 83-2): EXCLUSIVE POLLEN-INDUCED RHINITIS. & Bruttman G. “Ovix” Quail Egg Homogenate: A Clinical Evaluation. La Medicina Biologica. April-June 1995;2:25-29.
4. Bruttman G. Study 3 (réf. 83-3): POLLEN-INDUCED RHINITIS. & Bruttman G. “Ovix” Quail Egg Homogenate: A Clinical Evaluation. La Medicina Biologica. April-June 1995;2:25-29.
5. Bruttman G. Study 4 (réf. 88-1): POLLEN-INDUCED ALLERGIC RHINITIS. & Bruttman G. “Ovix” Quail Egg Homogenate: A Clinical Evaluation. La Medicina Biologica. April-June 1995;2:25-29.
6. Benichou AC, Armanet M, Bussiere A, Chevreau N, Cardot J-M, Tetard J. A Proprietary Blend of Quail Egg for the Attenuation of Nasal Provocation with a Standardized Allergenic Challenge: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Food Sci Nutr. 2014 Nov;2(6):655-63.
7. Bousquet J, Khaltaev N, Cruz AA, Denburg J, Fokkens WJ, Togias A, et al. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) 2008 update (in collaboration with the World Health Organization, GA(2)LEN and AllerGen). Allergy. 2008;63 Suppl 86:8‑
8. Reed CE, Kita H. The role of protease activation of inflammation in allergic respiratory diseases. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 Nov;114(5):997-1008.
9. Pawankar R, Canonica GW, Holgate ST, Lockey RF. WAO White Book on Allergy. Milwaukee, WI: World Allergy Organization; 2011.
10. Widmer F, Hayes PJ, Whittaker RG, Kumar RK. Substrate preference profiles of proteases released by allergenic pollens. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000 Apr;30(4):571-6.
11. Feeney RE, Means GE, Bigler JC. Inhibition of human trypsin, plasmin, and thrombin by naturally occurring inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes. J Biol Chem. 1969;244(8):1957.
12. Takahashi K, Kitao S, Tashiro M, Asao T, Kanamori M. Inhibitory specificity against various trypsins and stability of ovomucoid from Japanese quail egg white. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). dec 1994;40(6):593‑
13. Oszukowska M, Matych M, Krgiel M, Zuchowska A, Kaszuba A. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of preparation Strallergium in patients with atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Prakt. 2014;5(34):39-48.

Professor Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, the Provost for Huntington College of Health Sciences, is a nutritionist, herbalist, writer and educator. For more than 37 years he has educated and trained natural product retailers and health care professionals, has researched and formulated natural products for dozens of dietary supplement companies, and has written articles on nutrition, herbal medicine, nutraceuticals and integrative health issues for trade, consumer magazines and peer-reviewed publications. He can be reached at gbruno@hchs.edu.