Results of a study at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago suggest soyfoods may be of benefit to asthma patients. Working first with human immune cells exposed to soy isoflavones, the Northwestern team found the cells produced much less leukotrine, known to cause inflammation. Airway inflammation is a basic characteristic underlying asthma. The isoflavones were then tested for similar effects in humans. After four weeks of consuming isoflavone supplements, cells taken from the subjects showed one-third less of the inflammatory substance than before taking the isoflavones. The researchers concluded the findings warrant additional research on isoflavones as a possible means of helping to ameliorate asthma and related diseases.