cells and an analog or derivative of the intermediary metabolite in vitro if a decrease in the regulatory immune regulatory or nkt cell proliferation is identified then that specific analog or derivative is a treatment for disease the second assay involves providing in a first test tube regulatory immune regulatory or nkt cells and bsa in a second test tube regulatory immune regulatory or nkt cells and the analog or derivative of an intermediary metabolite in a third test tube regulatory immune regulatory or nkt cells antigen presenting cells and bsa and in a fourth test tube regulatory immune regulatory or nkt cells antigen presenting cells and the analog or derivative of the intermediary metabolite if the least amount of regulatory immune regulatory or nkt cell proliferation is found in the fourth test tube then that specific analog or derivative is a treatment for the disease in a preferred embodiment of the present invention when administration takes place by oral means there is minimal interference with digestion and absorption of a mammalian intermediary metabolite or an analog or derivative thereof including but not limited to mammalian intermediary metabolites such as a lipid a conjugated biomolecule a polar lipid a glycolipid a glycosylceramide lipoprotein apolipoprotein cytokine or hormones a monosaccharide ceramide a glucosylceramide a galactosylceramide a disaccharide ceramide a lactosylceramide a sphingosine a sphingolipid a ceramide a lipoprotein an apolipoprotein a cytokine a hormone a t cell ligand a t cell receptor ligand or a glycoprotein other than an antibody in the mammalian subject specifically the mammalian subject has been without food and or water for a certain amount.