Abstract: A method of suppressing immune responses, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a composition comprising a substance capable of reducing the content of reductive glutathione in macrophages.

Abstract: An immunomodulator is provided which is capable of oral intake for improvement, treatment and prevention of human immunological diseases and which is used to treat, improve and prevent human immunological diseases, especially, autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases such as hepatic cirrhosis, hepatitis, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and cutaneous atopy, allergic diseases and cancers by a new method that can control the redox state of macrophages or monocytes, and can be incorporated into a drug, a food, a nutrient, and an infusion. The contents of oxidative glutathione and reductive glutathione in macrophages are monitored, and the ratio of oxidative glutathione and reductive glutathione is examined, whereby macrophages are classified into oxidative macrophages and reductive macrophages having different functions. The degree of progression of various autoimmune diseases is analyzed from this standpoint.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug product for the prevention, improvement in conditions relating to, and/or treatment of diabetes, comprising ? (1?3) glucan derived from vegetable material and having a molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 20,000. The drug product of the present invention can be widely employed as a diabetes drug for both IDDM and NIDDM, exhibits almost no side effects and does not have an obese effect even when orally administered, can be widely employed as a medical drug for patients in various states of morbidity, and can be employed by patients, generally healthy persons, and other animals in the form of food and drink products such as therapeutic foods and health foods. The present invention provides a method of preventing, improving conditions relating to, and/or treating diabetes comprising administering the above-specified ? (1?3) glucan.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug product for the prevention, improvement in conditions relating to, and/or treatment of intestinal disease, comprising ?(1-3) glucan derived from vegetable material and having a molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 20,000. The present invention can be widely employed as a drug product for various intestinal diseases, particularly inflammatory bowel disease. The drug product of the present invention has almost no side effects, is highly effective when orally administered, and can be conveniently employed by numerous patients. Furthermore, the drug product of the present invention can be employed in the form of a health food product. The present invention also provides a method of preventing, improving conditions relating to, and/or treating intestinal disease.

Abstract: A method of suppressing immune responses, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a composition comprising a substance capable of reducing the content of reductive glutathione in macrophages.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transplant rejection suppressor, as well as foods, drinks, nutriments and pharmaceuticals containing the same. Further, the present application relates to a method for suppressing transplant rejection. Still further, the present invention relates to the treatment and/or prevention of diseases accompanied by rejection in transplantation of human organs and stem cell transplantation of tissues. Finally, the present invention relates to methods of detecting an oxidized and/or reduced glutathione content in macrophage cells, as well as methods of classifying macrophages into oxidative macrophages and reductive macrophages.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug product for the prevention, improvement in conditions relating to, and/or treatment of intestinal disease, comprising &bgr; (1→3) glucan derived from vegetable material and having a molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 20,000. The present invention can be widely employed as a drug product for various intestinal diseases, particularly inflammatory bowel disease. The drug product of the present invention has almost no side effects, is highly effective when orally administered, and can be conveniently employed by numerous patients. Furthermore, the drug product of the present invention can be employed in the form of a health food product. The present invention also provides a method of preventing, improving conditions relating to, and/or treating intestinal disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug product for the prevention, improvement in conditions relating to, and/or treatment of diabetes, comprising &bgr;(1→3) glucan derived from vegetable material and having a molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 20,000. The drug product of the present invention can be widely employed as a diabetes drug for both IDDM and NIDDM, exhibits almost no side effects and does not have an obese effect even when orally administered, can be widely employed as a medical drug for patients in various states of morbidity, and can be employed by patients, generally healthy persons, and other animals in the form of food and drink products such as therapeutic foods and health foods. The present invention provides a method of preventing, improving conditions relating to, and/or treating diabetes comprising administering the above-specified &bgr;(1→3) glucan.

Abstract: The present invention relates to preventives/remedies for inflammatory diseases containing ornithine and/or branched amino acid(s) and a method of treating or preventing an inflammatory disease by administering to a subject in need thereof a composition containing the same.

Abstract: An immunomodulator is provided which is capable of oral intake for improvement, treatment and prevention of human immunological diseases and which is used to treat, improve and prevent human immunological diseases, especially, autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases such as hepatic cirrhosis, hepatitis, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and cutaneous atopy, allergic diseases and cancers by a new method that can control the redox state of macrophages or monocytes, and can be incorporated into a drug, a food, a nutrient, and an infusion. The contents of oxidative glutathione and reductive glutathione in macrophages are monitored, and the ratio of oxidative glutathione and reductive glutathione is examined, whereby macrophages are classified into oxidative macrophages and reductive macrophages having different functions. The degree of progression of various autoimmune diseases is analyzed from this standpoint.

Abstract: A method of suppressing immune responses, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a composition comprising a substance capable of reducing the content of reductive glutathione in macrophages.

Abstract: A method of suppressing immune responses, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a composition comprising a substance capable of reducing the content of reductive glutathione in macrophages.