Kefir is a type of fermented milk produced by a unique and complex mixture of bacteria and yeasts viable in a symbiotic relationship. Anti-allergic effect of goat milk kefir fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum Dad-13 isolated from “Dadih” (curd made from buffalo milk from West Sumatera, Indonesia) was evaluated using rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3 cells by identifying β-hexosaminidase release, intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i), microtubule formation and intracellular signal transduction. The results showed that goat milk kefir significantly inhibits degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells at 20 mg/mL without cytotoxicity by inhibiting the microtubule formation and the elevation in [Ca²⁺]_i stimulated by antigens. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that goat milk kefir significantly downregulated phosphorylation of Syk, Akt and PI3K in the signaling pathways activated by antigen-mediated stimulation. These results suggested that goat milk kefir fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum Dad-13 has the potential to serve as a functional food with anti-allergic properties.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L) is a precious spice that has been extensively used by many countries over the centuries to add flavor and for medicinal purposes. Because of its abundance of phytochemical compounds, clove has been shown to have positive benefits on human health. Hence, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of clove water extract (CWE) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and mouse peritoneal macrophages. The results showed that CWE significantly inhibited the production of IL-6 and TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner, as well as the production of nitric oxide (NO), without any cytotoxic effects at less than 20 mg/mL, through down-regulating IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS gene expression. Moreover, CWE impeded the MAPKs and inhibited the translocation of NF-κB from the cytosol to the nucleus. These results suggest that CWE possesses anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the MAPKs and NF-κB pathways.