Camel Milk Lactoferrin and Its Potential Medicinal Benefits: A Review

Abstract

Camel milk is a rich source of a number of bio-active molecules with potential nutraceutical benefits. It has been found that camel milk has the highest source lactoferrin compaired to the milk of other domestic ruminants and that of humans. Lactoferrin is one of the most important bio-active and safe proteins because of its bio-activity against cancers and microbes including: bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Camel lactoferrin has also been reported to be widely distributed in mucosal secretions such as tears, saliva, and bile, and is in highest abundance in milk and colostrum. The lactoferrin found in camel milk and colostrum varies in concentrations from 0.020 mg mL−1 to 7.280 mg mL-1, higher than in cows, goats, sheep, buffaloes and humans and has been frequently reported to to be more resistant to heat and to have a higher antimicrobial activity and other biological values than that of other mammalian species. Its high bioavailability in milk, colostrum and fair costeffectiveness, make it a promising candidate for industrial production for a wider nutrceutical application in the treatment of infectious, metabolic, and neuro-degenerative diseases, including various cancers in humans. This review examines the medicinal benefits of this important biomolecule.