Title: Plant Immunomodulators and vaccine efficacy

Biography:

Shahikant Vaidhya is a senior research fellow in Department of Microbiology, P.D.Hinduja hospital . “In vitro microbiological assessment of antibacterial activity of drug Rifapentine” funded by Lupin laboratories, Mumbai.

Abstract

Immunomodulators are biological or synthetic components that can stimulate suppress or modulate different aspect of both acquired and innate immune response. Immunomodulation of immune response could provide an alternative to conventional chemotherapy for a variety of diseases, like inflammatory diseases, auto-immune disorders and organ/bone marrow transplantation. Modulation of immune functions using Medicinal Plants and their products as a possible therapeutic measure has become accepted scientific approach. Herbal Immunomodulators is substance derived from Medicinal Plants products and has become subject for scientific investigations. Use of plants is an important component of the healthcare system in India in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. A number of Indian Medicinal Plants and ‘Rasayana’ have been claimed to possess immunomodulation activity. Plant Immunomodulators are advantageous as opposing to synthetic, because of their high efficacy, low cost and low toxicity. They have proven to potentiate immune response even when administered orally, making attractive them for development of mucosal vaccines. These Immunomodulators are biological response modifiers; exert their antitumor effects by improving host defense mechanisms against tumor .They have also shown to enhance immune response towards the vaccine by stimulating dendritic cells maturation and reducing the amount of the regulatory T cells. Certain plant-lectins Immunomodulators can interact with mucosal epithelium and can be translocated across the gut, which has been exploited in vaccine formulations to induce mucosal and systemic immunity. The aim of this deliberation is to highlight the scientific investigations done on plant Immunomodulators implied for boosting the vaccine efficacy.