Abstract
The biological and physiological characteristics of non-dialyzable extracts of various cereals were investigated. The non-dialyzable extract of Japanese millet had an inhibitory effect on the hyaluronidase activity. The extract of wheat also showed strong scavenging activity of superoxides and antioxidative activity. The evtracts of rye and wheat slightly stimulated the proliferation of cultured animal cell lines such as human-human hybridoma HF10B4 and human macrophage-like cell U-M at a low dosage, while the extracts of the other cereals suppressed the growth of these cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. The extracts of wheat and rye enhanced IgM production in the HF10B4 cell line, while the extract of barley slightly promoted the production IL-1β in U-M cells. These results suggust that some functional substances exist in these cereals which would be biophylatically useful for homeostatis of the human body.
