Immune-stimulating effect

Morazzoni, P. et al., In vitro and in vivo immune stimulating effects of a new standardized Echinacea angustifolia root extract (Polinacea), Fitoterapia, 76, 401, 2005. 

Because it has a variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immune-stimulating effects, chitosan offers a number of uses in food, cosmetic, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries. In this section, the nutraceutical properties of chitosan and its derivatives are discussed. 

Schoneberger, D. 1992. The influence of immune stimulating effects of pressed juice from Echinacea purpurea on the course and severity of colds. Forum Immunol. 8, 2—12. 

Jeon, Y.J. and Kim, S.K. 2001. Potential immune-stimulating effect of antitumoral fraction of chitosan oligosaccharides. J. Chitin Chitosan 6 163-167. 

Despite their popularity, aluminium-based adjuvants suffer from several drawbacks. They tend to stimulate only the humoral arm of the immune response effectively. They cannot be frozen or lyophylized, as either process promotes destruction of their gel-based structure. In addition,... 

Finally, a particularly interesting ongoing challenge will be to understand the potential for do-it-yourself immune stimulation to have unintended consequences. There are now many herbal supplements, functional foods and other over-the-counter products that promise to boost the immune response and most are considered to be safe for use by the general public. Although there is limited published evidence of adverse immune system effects of these materials, some have been associated with autoimmunity [95,96], See chapter 11 for a detailed discussion of the beneficial and potential adverse effects of nutraceuticals and functional foods. 

There are numerous studies on echinacea in the literature, many of which indicate either an in vitro immune stimulation or a significant clinical reduction in the severity and duration of upper respiratory viral symptoms, especially when taken early in the onset of symptoms. Despite several of these meta-analyses concluding that echinacea is an effective immunomodulator of acute infection, there is still controversy as to the extent of its clinical effectiveness. A number of trials now clearly indicate that echinacea is unlikely to be effective in the prevention of colds, even if it may slightly shorten their course. 

The influence of physicochemical properties of liposomes, such as charge density, membrane fluidity, and epitope density, on the immune response elicited by antigens has been extensively studied [37]. In addition to antigens, other immune stimulators that are amphoteric muramyl peptides or lipid-soluble compounds, such as monophosphoryl lipid A or muramyl tripeptidyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, can also be incorporated into liposomes to increase their adjuvant effect in eliciting immune responses [34]. 

There are several botanicals that have purported immunostimulating effects. These include Panax ginseng and Echinacea purpurea (74), which have both been used as an immune stimulant. Any potential adverse effect on the pharmacological activity of immunosuppressants has not been reported in patients or evaluated in clinical studies. Given the lack of data, it would be prudent to advise against concurrent intake of these botanicals, and closely monitor changes in efficacy in patients who self-administer these botanicals. 

Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) is an immune stimulant and a hapten carrier, derived from a circulating glycoprotein of the marine mollusk Megathura crenulata. KLH has significant antiproliferative effects in vitro against several types of cancers (23). It has also been conjugated to a variety of immunogens and used as a vaccine adjuvant (24). 

Stevia Stevia rebaudiana) Uses Natural sweetener, hypoglycemic and hypotensive properties Actions Multiple chemical components sweetness d/t glycoside, stevioside hypotensive effect may be d/t diuretic action or vasodilation action Available forms Liq extract, powder, caps Notes/SE HA, dizziness, bloating Interactions T Hypotensive effects W/ antihypertensives esp CCB, diuretics EMS Monitor BP does not encourage dental caries may -1-glucose St. John s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) Uses Mild-mod depression, anxiety, anti-inflammatory, immune stimulant/anti-HIV/antiviral, gastritis, insomnia, vitiligo Action MAOI in vitro, not in vivo bacteriostatic bactericidal, T capillary blood flow, uterotonic activity in animals Efficacy Variable benefit w/ mild-mod depression in several trials, but not always seen in clinical practice Available forms Teas, tabs, caps, tine, oil ext for topical use Dose 2-4 g of herb or 0.2-1 mg of total hypericin (standardized extract) daily Notes/SE Photosensitivity (use sunscreen) rash, dizziness, dry mouth, GI distress Interactions Enhance MAOI activity, EtOH, narcotics, sympathomimetics EMS T Risk of photosensitivity Rxns t effects of opioids and sympathomimetics... 

Benefits Echinacea is held to be one of the most effective detoxifying herbs in Western medicine for a range of ailments, and is now used in ayurvedic medicine. The polyynes and cichoric acid components are reported to have antibacterial and virostatic effects. Echinacea also demonstrates an anti-inflammatory effect due to the alkamides component. As an immune stimulant, it significantly raises immunoglobulin M levels. Antiviral activities against both the Herpes simplex virus Type I and the influenza-A virus have been observed. 

Similar to the effect on restraint stress, RmHA (10 mg/kg x 2 ip) inhibited the ACTH and P-END response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, which increases neuronal HA turnover [30-31]. This inhibitory effect was completely or partly reversed by THIOP. Likewise, the responses of the POMC-derived peptides and corticosterone to immune stimulation with the E.coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin, which augmented neuronal HA turnover, were reduced by RmHA pretreatment [39]. The effect of RmHA was equal to that of HA synthesis inhibition by a-FMH [39]. In lactating female rats suckling-induced ACTH secretion was reduced by pretreatment with RmHA (Fig. 6) as well as by a-FMH [32],... 

Using the ELISA (with avidin-biotin bridges) and ELISPOT methods a stimulating effect of selected probiotic bacteria (Bifidobacterium longum, B animalis, Lactobacillus easel, L. salivarius) on the immune system of the rat and mouse has been demonstrated (higher level of specific as well as total IgGa and IgA content) (Nagy et al., 2002). 

Arthritis and arthralgia are well-known adverse effects of intravesical BCG instillation as part of therapy of bladder cancer (SED-13, 925). The etiology and the different clinical pictures of BCG immunotherapy have been discussed (51). Considering that mycobacteria are potent stimulators of the immune system and especially of T cells, it is not surprising to observe T cell-mediated aseptic arthritis after BCG therapy. The authors suggested that the site of immune stimulation is critical, since intradermal injection produces a clinical presentation similar to reactive arthritis, and intravesical therapy causes a clinical picture identical to Reiter s syndrome. 

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