Author(s):

Navneet Kaur Dhillon and Seema Ahuja

Abstract: The immunomodulatory property of plants is being studied with greater interest in recent years. This is more so because of the growing awareness regarding the need to modulate the immune system to achieve the desirable effects of preventing an infection rather than treating it at an advanced state. Herbal immunomodulator is substance which stimulates or suppresses the components of immune system including both innate and adaptive immune responses. The modulation of immune system by various medicinal plant products has become subject for scientific investigations currently worldwide. A number of Indian medicinal plants and various ‘Rasayana’ have been claimed to possess immunomodulatory activity. Some of these plants are, Allium sativum, Morus alba, Acacia catechu, Tinospora cordifolia, and Mangifera indica. Phytochemicals such as flavonoids, polysaccharides, lactones, alkaloids, diterpenoids and glycosides, present in several plants, have been reported to be responsible for the plants immunomodulating properties. Thus the search for natural products of plant origin as new leads for development of potent and safe immunosuppressant and immunostimulant agents is gaining much major research interest. This review focuses on past and present scenario of herbal medicines in India with some important recommendations, suggestions and future directions in this area of herbal medicines.

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