The discovery of a "new" protein, EP67, that can activate the immune system within 2 hours, is being celebrated as a secret way to help the immune system fight influenza viruses in the June issue of the July issue of the Public Library of Science journal. Its primary use has been as an adjuvant in vaccines. It makes one wonder how much benefit comes from the adjuvant and how much from the vaccine. This study showed that mice treated with EP67 did not get as sick and had a lower mortalilty rate. Hmmm...isn't that what the influenza vaccines were touted to do?
The primary effect of EP67 is stimulation of the Th 1, or antibody producing, arm of the immune system, which has little effect on the virus. There are many other natural ways to boost immunity, but very few dollars are available to perform the clinical trials needed to prove their value.
