Fermentation Extract Alleviates Inflammation in Pneumonia.

The filamentous fungus , also known as koji mold, has been used for centuries in the production of fermented foods in East Asia. fermentation can produce enzymes and metabolites with various bioactivities. In this study, we investigated whether fermentation extract (AOFE) has any effect on (Mp) pneumonia. We performed solid-state fermentation of and obtained the ethanol extract. AOFE was analyzed by HPLC, and the major component was identified to be kojic acid. In vitro, AOFE suppressed Mp growth and invasion into A549 lung epithelial cells as determined by the gentamicin protection assay. AOFE treatment also suppressed Mp-stimulated production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 at mRNA and protein levels in murine MH-S alveolar macrophages. In a mouse model of Mp pneumonia, Mp infection induced a marked pulmonary infiltration of neutrophils, which was significantly reduced in mice pre-treated orally with AOFE. AOFE administration also suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the lungs. Collectively, our results show that AOFE has the potential to be developed into a preventive/therapeutic agent for Mp pneumonia.