Immunomodulation via phyto active compounds a promising therapy for future medical system

Amit Gupta*, Ashfaq A Shah, Vijay Kumar

Graphic Era University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

ABSTRACT

A cardinal role is played by the benign immune system in our body in defending different types of infectious diseases as well as continuous surveillance of its elements actively remove malfunctioning cells that could be dangerous to the body if retained as such. The whole immune system is elegantly coordinated through complex pathways via thousands of proteins, chemicals, and other types of bioactive mediators. However, if any type of exaggeration or inappropriateness occurs in the elements of this system, it leads to several fatal disorders. Such disorders range from hypersensitive or allergic reactions to numerous derangements like loss of normal ability to differentiate non-self from self, resulting in immune actions against body own tissues and cells called auto-immune disorders. Various endogenous and exogenous factors termed immunomodulators interact with the elements of the immune system to bring about an amplification or suppression of an immune response and are thus incorporated in achieving a specific therapeutic goal. Currently, in use immuno stimulants, immuno adjuvants, and immuno suppressants pose a great threat to normal cellular functions. It is thus the utmost need of the hour that current research should be much focused on the development of novel immuno modulating agents especially incorporating the strategies of nanotechnology. This review is aimed at providing some details on the currently used immunomodulators in modulating the immune responses as well as the need for the development of novel phytochemical-based immuno modulating agents. This review is a humble attempt to encourage the researchers to perform their research in this field.

Keywords:

Phyto active compounds; Immunomodulators; Cytokines; Immune system; T- helper cell.