Author
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Hunt, Curtiss |
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Submitted to: International Society For Trace Elements Research In Humans
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/2001 Publication Date: 10/1/2001 Citation: Hunt, C.D. 2001. Dietary boron: an overview of the evidence for its role in immune function. Journal of Trace Elements in Experimental Medicine. v.14. p.359-360. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: There is evidence from several laboratories that dietary boron has a role in immune function. Boron (as borax; p.o.; 2.15 mg B/kg BW) was reported to have anti-arthritic and anti-pyretic activities because it reduced paw volume and fever in albino rats with formaldehyde-induced arthritis. Physiological amounts of dietary boron (2 [milli]g B/kg diet) reduced paw swelling and circulating neutrophil concentrations in an adjuvant-induced arthritic rat model. Ample (but probably not pharmacologic) amounts of dietary boron (20 [milli]g B/kg diet) compared to very low amounts (<0.2 [milli]g B/kg diet) significantly delayed the onset of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Addition of boron in vitro over a range between 0 and 20 [micro]g B/mL inhibited proliferation of splenic cells isolated from boron-deprived rats and subsequently stimulated by phytohemagglutinin. Healthy peri-menopausal women excreted 1.1 and 3.0 mg boron/d during the placebo and boron supplementation periods respectively and exhibited an increased percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes during the boron supplementation period. Osteoarthritic patients in a separate study supplemented daily with 6 mg boron exhibited significant improvement in joint swelling and restricted movement compared to placebo controls. Dietary boron may serve as a signal suppressor that down-regulates specific enzymatic activities typically elevated during inflammation at the inflammation site. Suppression, but not elimination, of these enzyme activities by boron is hypothesized to reduce the incidence and severity of inflammatory disease. |
