Special Report: Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis in Vitro
Special Report: Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis in Vitro
Special Report: Chicken Soup Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis in Vitro
Chicken soup has long been regarded as a remedy for symptomatic upper respiratory tract
infections. As it is likely that the clinical similarity of the diverse infectious processes that can
result in colds is due to a shared inflammatory response, an effect of chicken soup in mitigating
inflammation could account for its attested benefits. To evaluate this, a traditional chicken soup
was tested for its ability to inhibit neutrophil migration using the standard Boyden blindwell
chemotaxis chamber assay with zymosan-activated serum and fMet-Leu-Phe as chemoattractants.
Chicken soup significantly inhibited neutrophil migration and did so in a concentration-
dependent manner. The activity was present in a nonparticulate component of the chicken soup.
All of the vegetables present in the soup and the chicken individually had inhibitory activity,
although only the chicken lacked cytotoxic activity. Interestingly, the complete soup also lacked
cytotoxic activity. Commercial soups varied greatly in their inhibitory activity. The present study,
therefore, suggests that chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial
medicinal activity. A mild anti-inflammatory effect could be one mechanism by which the soup
could result in the mitigation of symptomatic upper respiratory tract infections.
(CHEST 2000; 118:1150 1157)
Abbreviations: fMLP fMet-Leu-Phe; HBSS Hanks balanced salt solution; ZAS zymosan-activated serum
C centuries.
hicken soup has been regarded as a remedy for
The Egyptian Jewish physician and
with a variety of viruses including, but not limited to,
the rhinoviruses.8 10 While incompletely under-
philosopher Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides) rec- stood, the viral infection leads to the stimulation of a
ommended chicken soup for respiratory tract symp-
toms in his 12th century treatise, reportedly drawing For editorial comment see page 887
on classical Greek sources.1 4 So widely recommended
is chicken soup in the Jewish tradition, that it is referred cytokine cascade.11,12 It is likely that many, if not
to by a variety of synonyms as Jewish penicillin, boh- most, of the symptoms related to colds are conse-
bymycetin, and bobamycin.5,6 Chicken soup is, how- quent to the inflammatory response thus initiat-
ever, also recommended for similar purposes in a ed.1315 The activation of common physiologic path-
variety of other traditions suggesting multiple indepen- ways likely accounts for the marked similarity of
dent discoveries.7 symptoms that result from colds. In this regard, colds
Colds are generally the result of transient infec- are associated with the generation of neutrophil
tions of the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract chemotactic activities1113,15 and with the recruit-
ment of neutrophils to the epithelial surface of the
*From the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, airways.12,13,16,17 Since neutrophil products are po-
Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
Manuscript received November 17, 1998; revision accepted April tent secretagogues,18 this may be one mechanism by
3, 2000. which colds commonly lead to cough and sputum
Correspondence to: Stephen I. Rennard, MD, FCCP, Larson from a diverse set of infections.
Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Section, 985125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198- Chicken soup may have a number of beneficial
5125; e-mail: srennard@unmc.edu effects for an individual with a cold. These could
Statistics
Figure 1. Inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis by chicken soup. ZAS (dilution, 1:4) and chicken soup
(cs) (prep 1, fraction 18 diluted 1:100) were added to the top and bottom of the chemotaxis chamber
in various combinations as indicated. Neutrophils were added to the top of the chamber, and neutrophil
chemotaxis performed. Vertical axis: migrated neutrophils (cells per high-power field [hpf]). Horizontal
axis: condition. * p 0.05.
Figure 4. Acquisition of chemotactic inhibitory activity during preparation of the soup. Samples were
collected at various stages during the preparation of chicken soup. Each aliquot then was diluted 1:100
into HBSS and was added together with neutrophils in the top portion of the chemotaxis chamber.
Chemotaxis then was measured using ZAS diluted 1:4 as the chemoattractant. The major stages of the
soup preparation are indicated. See Figure 2 for other abbreviations.
many recipes, the vegetables are removed from the bowl of soup eaten by a 70-kg person. The observa-
clear broth prior to serving. After removal, Grand- tions that activities are present in the clarified soup,
mas soup calls for the vegetables to be pureed and are active at a dilution that was comparable to that of
added to the soup. (We understand that this was a one bowl diluted into a body volume, and are water
modification introduced by Grandma during the extractable are consistent, when taken together, with
Great Depression to ensure that everyone ate the a potential in vivo effect.
available vegetables.) The soup, as a result, contains Undoubtedly, the in vivo effects of chicken soup
a thick suspension of particulates. include more than the effects on neutrophils. The
Particulates can interact with neutrophils and warm liquid, particularly when sipped, can stimulate
could, perhaps, interfere with chemotaxis.30 How- nasal clearance and may improve upper respiratory
ever, for several reasons, it seems unlikely that tract symptoms.5 The social setting in which chicken
particulates account for the majority of the activity. soup is often taken is likely to contribute to a strong
First, Grandmas soup, clarified by centrifugation, placebo effect. Despite the observation that neutro-
retained the majority of inhibitory activity. Second, phil chemotactic inhibitors are present in many
Grandmas soup preparation was active prior to the vegetable extracts, pureed carrots (or other vegeta-
addition of the pureed vegetables, the major source bles) are not recommended as a remedy, while
of particulates. Finally, inhibitory activity was ob- chicken soup is. This suggests that whole chicken
served with several other recipes that lack the vege- soup may contain a mixture of active agents that
table particulates. Thus, while the identity of the synergize each other in order to achieve their bene-
biologically active materials is unknown, it seems ficial effects. It is also consistent with the recommen-
likely they are water soluble or extractable. dation that the use of chickens of a certain age1 that
Whether the active moieties present in chicken are, perhaps, happy31 is more effective. Such a
soup achieve sufficient concentration to be active synergism would not be surprising, as it is certainly
following in vivo ingestion is not known. The identity true for taste (this observation is from common
of these moieties is not known, and bioavailability knowledge and general experience).
testing was beyond the scope of the current study. Chicken soup is not without hazard. Anaphylaxis,28
The activity is water extractable, however, suggesting aspiration,3234 and severe electrolyte disturbanc-
that it may be absorbable. The inhibitory effect of es36,37 all have been described as a result of chicken
chicken soup on neutrophil chemotaxis, moreover, soup ingestion. An anti-inflammatory effect could
was observed at dilutions as low as 1:200. This is increase the risk for secondary infection. The bene-
comparable to the dilution of a 350-mL average fits of chicken soup, however, are widely acclaimed