Treatment of gluten intolerance and related conditions
Provided herein are compositions, foods comprising nepenthesin or a derivative thereof and methods of using nepenthesin or a derivative thereof for modulating gluten intolerance and related conditions, such as celiac disease.
1. A method for modulating gluten intolerance in a patient in need thereof, comprising orally administering to said patient a composition comprising an effective amount of nepenthesin I, nepenthesin II, and/or a salt thereof, wherein said effective amount of said nepenthesin I, nepenthesin II, and/or salt thereof is sufficient to degrade gluten, thereby modulating said gluten intolerance.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition is administered to said patient prior to ingestion of a food comprising gluten or suspected of comprising gluten.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition is administered to said patient with ingestion of food comprising gluten or suspected of comprising gluten.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition is administered to said patient after ingestion of a food comprising gluten or suspected of comprising gluten.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises nepenthesin II.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nepenthesin I, nepenthesin II, and/or salt thereof is extracted from a plant of the genus, Nepenthes.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises nepenthesin I and nepenthesin II.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gluten intolerance is celiac disease, wheat allergy, gluten sensitivity, or dermatitis herpetiformis.