| abstract |
Non-pathogenic lactic acid bacteria have cell walls which are susceptible to digestion by muramidase-type enzymes, which produce fragments referred to as muramylpeptides. The ingestion of muramylpeptides, either directly, or by digestion of non-pathogenic lactic acid bacteria, promote sleep and improves the quality of sleep. In particular, non-rapid eye movement sleep phase is enhanced. The muramylpeptide digestion-products of non-pathogenic lactic acid bacteria promote monocyte production of superoxide anion and the cytokines of IL-1β and TNFα. |