The invention provides an isolated, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective
compound that is soluble in aqueous fluid, is derivable from the
conditioned medium of a probiotic culture, such as VSL#3, induces heat
shock protein expression, and has shown the capacity to inhibit
NF-.kappa.B activation. The compound is amenable to formulation in a
pharmaceutical composition and to packaging in a kit form with
instructions for use in methods according to the invention, which include
methods of preventing, treating, or ameliorating a symptom of an
inflammatory disorder, such as an inflammatory epithelial disease, e.g.,
inflammatory bowel disease, characterized by inflammation.