Microbes that live in the gut do not just digest food. They also have far-reaching effects on the immune system, they said. "For years, flavonoids have been thought to have protective properties that help regulate the immune system to fight infections," said Ashley Steed, from St Louis Children's Hospital in the US. "This prevented influenza-related lung damage in the mice. It is this kind of damage that often causes significant complications such as pneumonia in people," Stappenbeck added.The study was published in the journal Science.

Source: Economic Times August 13, 2017 07:52 UTC