Chronic immunostimulants

Immunostimulants are potentially of benefit in immunodeficiency disorders such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), in chronic infectious diseases, and in some selected malignancies, especially those that involve the lymphatic system. 

A number of agents can suppress the immune system. However, there has been considerable interest in developing pharmacologic methods to modify or even stimulate immune function in specific situations. In particular, agents that have a positive immunomodulating effect could be beneficial to patients with compromised immune function (such as AIDS or certain cancers) or chronic infections.19,41 Development of immunostimulants, however, is understandably a complex and potentially dangerous proposition. Excessive or incorrect immune activation could trigger myriad problems that resemble autoimmune diseases. Likewise, it may be difficult to selectively stimulate certain aspects of the immune system to treat a specific... 

Several compounds have been used in treating chronic viral hepatitis. Experimental and clinical studies have focused on four groups of substances (7.) antiviral agents, (2.) immunostimulants, (i.) molecular biological agents, and 4.) adjuvant medicinal remedies. The rate of spontaneous seroconversion is 8-15%lyear... 

Alternative treatments reported for chronic endometritis include intrauterine infusion of a variety of disinfectants, irritants, autologous or heterologous blood plasma, colostrums and filtrates of bacterial toxins as well as systemic treatment with immunostimulants. These treatments are controversial since their clinical efficacy and safety have not been tested in controlled studies. It is possible that they may cause... 

Collet J-P, Shapiro S, Ernst P, Renzi P, Ducruet T, Robinson A, P-ISSCaR Group Effects of an Immunostimulating agent on acute exacerbations and hospitalizations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1997 156 1719-1724. 

A variety of immune alterations have been reported in humans and laboratory animals exposed to other heavy metals, depending on the dose, duration, and route of exposure and genetic susceptibility (Koller, 1980 Ohsawa, 1993 IPCS, 1996). In many studies of subchronic or chronic exposure, non-essential heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury were immunosuppressive in animals and consequently decreased host resistance to infectious agents and tumours. Immunostimulation has also been shown to occur at levels... 

Chronic inflammation Immunosuppression Immunostimulation Autoimmunity Responses... 

The human immune system, despite having its own sophisticated defence mechanisms, is inferior to bacteria and viruses with respect to adaptability. Furthermore, our immune system is increasingly exposed to detrimental effects, that is immunosuppressive environmental consequences, unhealthy living, and chronic illnesses. Excessive chemotherapy threatens our immune system even further. This situation demands compensatory prophylactic therapeutic regimes. One of these - specific immunostimulation - is more difficult to achieve than the immunosuppression currently used in transplantation surgery and the medical treatment of autoimmune diseases. 

Non-specific immunostimulation [1, 2] might be useful and very effective when the immune system of the host is impaired. Therefore, it can be indicated to counteract immunosuppressions or an ineffectively working immune system, which might be the consequence of excessively applied chemotherapy or long term treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. In these cases immunostimulants can be applied adjuvant to a conventional chemotherapy. According to Drews [3], immunostimulants are an attractive alternative to conventional chemotherapy when mixed infections, infectious hospitalism, chronic infectious diseases, persistent infections and their immunopathogenic sequels, or chemotherapy resistent bacterial and viral infections have to be treated. 

Huang-qi is used in TCM prescriptions for ch i (energy) deficiency and general weaJaiess and specifically for shortness of breath and palpitation, collapse, spontaneous perspiration, night sweats, edema due to physical deficiency, chronic nephritis, pulmonary diseases, lingering diarrhea, rectal and uterine prolapse, nonfestering boils, and hard-to-heal sores and wounds. Immunostimulant, antioxidant, antiviral, and antitumor activities are found. 

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