BOTANICAL IMMUNOMODULATORS-POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC AGENTS

Abstract

Popular demand and scientific interest in complementary or alternative medicine particularly medicinal plants as botanical immunomodulators has increased considerably in recent years. An attempt has been made to review some medicinal plants used for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Certain medicinal plants are believed to promote positive health and maintain organic resistance against infection by re-establishing body equilibrium and conditioning the body tissues. It is tempting to speculate that the restorative and rejuvenating power of these herbal remedies might be due to their action on the immune system and some of the medicinal plants are believed to enhance the natural resistance of the body to infections. A plethora of physiologically active substances (saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, polysaccharides, etc.) have been shown to stimulate the immune system.