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Research on donkey milk · Study 37
Donkey milk on two cell lines
In 2019, Akca et al. compared in the laboratory how normal human bronchial cells and a lung tumour cell line (A549) respond to freeze-dried donkey milk – including tests for damage to the genetic material.
What it's about
Normal cells in direct comparison
A research team at Uludağ University in Bursa (Turkey) tested freeze-dried and pasteurised donkey milk on two cell lines: on normal bronchial cells (BEAS-2B) and on the lung tumour cell line A549.
On the one hand, they measured how many cells were still viable after 24 hours. On the other, the researchers used two standard tests to check whether damage to the cells' genetic material occurred.
The comparison is interesting: the normal cells served as a benchmark for whether donkey milk in the amounts tested places a burden on healthy cells.
What exactly was studied?
Briefly explained
The terms used in this study
A cell line from normal human bronchial tissue that serves as a reference.
The concentration at which cell viability falls by half. The higher it is, the less sensitive the cells.
Small additional nuclei form when fragments of genetic material are lost during cell division.
Damaged DNA migrates out of the nucleus in an electric field as a "comet tail". Longer tail, more damage.
Freeze-dried donkey milk was prepared at various concentrations.
Both cell lines were incubated with the milk for 24 hours.
Three methods determined how many cells remained viable.
The micronucleus test and comet assay recorded damage to the genetic material.
Interactive · The data at a glance
Two cell lines compared
How sensitive were the two cell lines, what did the micronucleus test and comet assay show – and what does this mean for the normal cells? Switch between the views.
Mean values from the tables of the original publication; IC50 values printed there in the format "2.476" and read here as 2,476 µg/ml. The concentration data in the article are not entirely consistent.
Key findings
What the researchers report
Different sensitivity
IC50 ≈ 0.8–1.1 vs. 2.3–2.5 mg/mlThe A549 cells were more sensitive in all three methods. The normal bronchial cells remained unaffected at 100 and 200 µg/ml; only from 400 µg/ml did their viability decrease.
More micronuclei, longer tails
dose-dependentIn the A549 cells, micronuclei rose from 11.5 to up to 39.5 per 1,000 cells and the tail length in the comet assay from 10.9 to 30.5 – each with increasing concentration.
No DNA damage
BEAS-2B · 50–400 µg/mlIn the normal bronchial cells, the researchers found no significant changes compared with the control in either DNA test.
The authors suspect that positively charged milk components preferentially interact with the cell membrane of the A549 cells and call for further cell and animal studies. The results come from cell cultures and do not allow any statement about the prevention or treatment of cancer in humans.
Critical assessment
Basic research – nothing more
What the study shows
What it does not show
Research question for DON DONKEY’S®
What does freeze-drying change?
The study used freeze-dried, pasteurised milk. For us, this is a prompt to compare the protein composition of our fresh milk and our powder specifically.
Original publication
In vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of donkey milk on lung cancer and normal cells lines
Akca C., Vatan O., Yilmaz D., Huriyet H., Cinkilic N., Cavas T.
Czech Journal of Food Sciences · 2019 · 37(1):29–35
DOI: 10.17221/221/2018-CJFS
Full text: Czech Journal of Food Sciences
The publication describes cell experiments. It does not allow any product-related statement for DON DONKEY’S® or any statement about cancer in humans.
The study summarised above was carried out independently of DON DONKEY’S® and does not relate to our products. It serves solely to inform about the state of research.
DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk and donkey milk powder are foods. They are not intended to prevent, treat or cure any disease – including cancer – and do not replace medical advice or treatment.
From our shop
DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk
100 % donkey milk · raw milk, frozen
On this page we report the findings of a published study. Independently of that, you will find our donkey milk here: 100 % donkey milk, frozen as raw milk.
100 ml bottle / 100ml · Unit price: €249,00 / 1 l · incl. VAT, plus shipping
Also in our shop
Donkey Milk Powder
Donkey milk in powder form
For anyone who prefers a longer shelf life: our donkey milk in powder form – easy to store and portion.
20g · Unit price: €1.245,00 / 1 kg · incl. VAT, plus shipping