pleururan

Helixia Kids Natural Defense is a natural health product marketed by Norwell Consumer Healthcare (a division of Pharmascience) in Canada. The product's primary active ingredient is **pleururan**, a standardized beta-1,3/1,6-D-glucan extract derived from the oyster mushroom (*Pleurotus ostreatus*). It is specifically formulated for children to support immune system function and help reduce the frequency of recurrent respiratory tract infections. Pleururan acts as an immunomodulator by interacting with Dectin-1 receptors on innate immune cells in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), thereby priming the immune response without causing overstimulation. It is available as an oral suspension and is approved for use in children aged 3 to 12 years.

Brand names

Helixia Kids Natural Defense

Other names

pleururanPleurotus ostreatus extractbeta-1,3/1,6-D-glucanImunoglukan P4H