REVIEW ON AYURVEDIC PLANTS AS IMMUNOMODULATORS

In todays era use of immunomodulators has tremendously increased to treat various human and animal diseases like viral diseases,cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammantary conditions etc. Immunity is the bodys natural ability to identify and resist various infectious disease and disorders. Immunomodulators are biological or synthetic substances that can stimulate, suppress or modulate any aspect of immunity including adaptive as well as innate immunity. Various factors such as balanced diet,environmental temperature,stress, pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria,proper exercise affect the immunity. Natural drugs are used since ancient times for treatment of various diseases because of minimal side effects. Natural compounds are also used enormously as immunomodulators. There are about 1000 natural compounds having immunomodulatory effect they either affect the immune cells or affect the antibody secretion and influence the immune response. Here in this review we have discussed in detail definition of immunity,concept of immunomodulators,classification of immunomodulators,correlation between immunomodulators and Ayurveda and Ayurvedic plants having immunomodulatory activity. The main purpose of this review is to highlight efficacy of available literature on Ayurvedic plants as immunomodulators.