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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutritional Immunology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1443031
Chemical composition, physical properties and immunomodulating study of mare's milk of the Adaev horse breed from Kazakhstan
Provisionally accepted
Gaukhar Kossaliyeva 1 Kaster Rysbekuly 2 Karlygash Zhaparkulova 3 Kozykan Sabira 4
Juxiu Li 1* Assiya Serikbayeva 4
Zhanserik Shynykul 2* Zura Yessimsiitova 2- 1 Yangling Agricultural Biotechnology Breeding Center, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- 2 Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- 3 School of Pharmacy, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- 4 Kazakh National Agrarian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Mare’s milk is recognized for its nutritional and immunomodulatory properties, making it a promising functional food. Furthermore, mare's milk is characterized by anti-carcinogenic and antiviral attributes, which have incited considerable scientific inquiry. This study investigates the chemical composition, immune-modulating effects, and physiological impact of Adaev horse milk supplementation in a Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected Wistar rat model. Eighteen male rats were divided into three groups: a control group (GC-1) receiving standard chow, a low-dose supplementation group (LDM-2) receiving 0.1 g of lyophilized mare’s milk, and a high-dose group (HDM-3) receiving 1.5 g of lyophilized mare’s milk. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that Adaev horse milk is rich in whey proteins and has lower casein content, enhancing protein digestibility and bioavailability. HILIC-MS identified key sialylated oligosaccharides (lactose, 3′-sialyllactose (3’SL), 6′-sialyllactose (6’SL), 3′-α-sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine (3’SLN), sialyllacto-N-tetraose a (LSTa), sialyllacto-N-tetraose b (LSTb), and sialyllacto-N-tetraose c (LSTc)), suggesting potential prebiotic and immunomodulatory effects. Blood serum analysis demonstrated increased total protein levels in supplemented groups, with significant alterations in albumin/globulin ratios, creatinine, and enzyme activity. Histological examination of lung tissues indicated that high-dose supplementation reduced inflammatory damage, improved tissue integrity, and enhanced immune recovery. These findings suggest that Adaev horse milk supplementation modulates immune responses, improves metabolic and hematological parameters, and mitigates pneumonia-induced tissue damage, highlighting its potential as a functional dietary supplement with immunotherapeutic benefits.
Keywords: Mare's milk, Chemical composition, Physical properties, Immunomodulating properties, Histology
Received: 03 Jun 2024; Accepted: 07 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kossaliyeva, Rysbekuly, Zhaparkulova, Sabira, Li, Serikbayeva, Shynykul and Yessimsiitova. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Juxiu Li, Yangling Agricultural Biotechnology Breeding Center, Northwest A and F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
Zhanserik Shynykul, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
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