Immunostimulating action

SR066 Wagner, H., A. Proksch, I. Riess- SR076 Maurer, et al. Immunostimulant action of polysaccharides (heteroglycans) from higher plants. Preliminary communication. Arzneimittelforschung... 

Echinacea is believed to have antiseptic, antiviral, and peripheral vasodilator properties. Traditionally, it has been used for furunculosis, septicemia, nasopharyngeal catarrh, pyorrhea, tonsillitis, and specifically for boils, carbuncles, and abscesses. Scientists are currently researching its immunostimulant action. 

Wagner, H., Proksch, A., Riess-Maurer, I., Vollmar, A., Odenthal, S., Stuppner, H., Jurcic, K., Le Turdu, M., and Heur, Y.H. 1984. Immunostimulant action of polysaccharides (heteroglycans) from higher plants. Preliminary communication. Arzneim.-Forsch. 34, 659-661. 

Echinacea species (coneflower, black Sampson hedgehog, Indian head, snakeroot, red sunflower, scurvy root) have become increasingly popular, particularly for the prophylaxis and treatment and prevention of cold and flu symptoms. However, the claimed efficacy of Echinacea in the common cold has not been confirmed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (20) or a systematic review (21). Echinacea is claimed to have antiseptic and antiviral properties and is under investigation for its immunostimulant action. The active ingredients are glycosides (echinacoside), polysaccharides, alkamides, and flavonoids. 

In 1971, levamisole, an anthelmintic compound widely used in catde and swine, was shown to improve the effects of an experimental Brucella abortus vaccine in mice. Since that time, the veterinarians and physicians have explored the effects of levamisole in such diverse areas as arthritis, lupus erythematosis, cancer therapy, respiratory diseases, Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, mastitis, and vaccine potentiation. Although the exact mechanism of action has as yet not been deterrnined there is substantial evidence that, under defined circumstances, levamisole can augment the animal s natural immune response (9). New immunostimulants include Staph Ijysate acemannon, NLAB-31. 

Live-long has proven immunostimulant and anti-inflammatory properties because of the presence of two major polysaccharides. These polysaccharides may help inhibit tumors and increase the action of phagocytes, which effectively kill bacteria and viruses. Live-long is been used as a popular folk remedy for diarrhea. 

Prokopenko et al described that some naphthoquinones normalized or increased the immune response in rats after intensive physical load. The naphthoquinones induced the development of immunostimulating properties in heavy red blood cells by direct action on cell membranes or indirectly through proteolytic enzymes secreted by hepatocytes [212]. Other activities described for several naphthoquinones related to lapachol are antipsoriatic [213], larvicidal and insecticidal, [214-215] molluscicidal [216], and mutagenicity in salmonella [217]. The potential use of lapachol in cosmetics has been published too [218]. 

The balance between the levels of Thl and Th2 cytokine levels secreted may be crucial to attaining therapeutic efficacy of the immunostimulant because Thl and Th2 have opposing actions (184). For example, a glycolipid agonist that stimulates NKT cells to produce Thl-type cytokines (such as interferon-y and the interleukins IL-2 and IF-12) would be beneficial for... 

This section provides a discussion of the pharmacology of the various agents that directly affect the immune system. It emphasizes their mechanism of action with a brief description of their therapeutic uses. More detailed information on their pharmacology can be found in Goodman and Gilman s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (Brunton et al, 2006). Immunopharmacologics can be divided into two major areas, the immunostimulants and the immunosuppressives. 

Levamisole has also an immunostimulant activity [63] and its antihelminth activity in part may be mediated through its action on the immune system. 

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