What Lysozyme Is and How It Affects the Immune System

28 ottobre 2025

2 min di lettura

Why do animals lick their wounds? They do so because saliva promotes healing and disinfection thanks to the enzyme lysozyme. Human saliva and animal saliva both have lysozymes.

Punti chiave

Why do animals lick their wounds?
Innate defense
5 facts about lysozyme

Per chi è

Chi esplora Healthy lifestyle attraverso lysozyme, immunity.

Perché è importante

Questo articolo ti aiuta a orientarti rapidamente, per poi passare a una raccolta o serie se vuoi continuare.

Autore dell'articolo

Dr. Irene

pediatrician, otolaryngologist, phoniatrician

Innate defense

Immunity is the body's ability to defend itself not only against the aggression of viruses, bacteria, fungal microflora, parasites but also against its own, out-of-control cells. The most ancient mechanism of escape from invasions is the production of special molecules capable of destroying foreign microorganisms. These molecules include lysozyme. This defense mechanism is used by most living creatures, from mollusks to humans.

Lysozyme is found in saliva, tears, intestinal lumen, and in blood. It is an innate defense factor as it protects the body throughout life. The concentration of lysozyme in breast milk is very high (about 400 mg/l). The amount does not decrease over time, but on the contrary, six months after the birth of the child begins to grow.

Lysozyme destroys the cell wall of bacteria and increases the effectiveness of antibacterial drugs. It also prevents viruses from penetrating into tissues and multiplying, has antifungal activity, and helps destroy biofilms of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. In addition, it participates in the regulation of immune response activity and inhibits the growth of opportunistic intestinal microflora.

5 facts about lysozyme

Lysozyme levels can give an idea of innate immunity. Without lysozyme, the bactericidal properties of the blood are reduced by 49 %.
A decrease in lysozyme production is one of the factors that increases the likelihood of tumor development.
Children have lower concentrations of lysozyme in their saliva than adults, which contributes to more frequent inflammatory processes in the oropharynx and oral cavity.
Lysozyme is used in the pharmaceutical industry. It is used frequently in dentistry for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory diseases of the mouth. It is also part of medicines for the treatment and prevention of upper respiratory tract diseases. For pharmaceutical purposes, lysozyme is extracted from the proteins of chicken eggs.
Lysozyme as a natural preservative is used in the food industry, particularly in the manufacture of cheese.

What does its level depend on?

Like most processes in our body, lysozyme production depends on our general condition. Bad habits, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, excessive physical activity, disruptions during the day, and stress lead to imbalances in the body and depletion of the immune system, which includes a decrease in lysozyme levels.

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