Chapter 6
Natural Compounds Extracted
from Medicinal Plants and Their
Immunomodulatory Activities
Vinod Kumar Gurjar and Dilipkumar Pal
Abstract The fight against cancer cells in the human body involves a defense
system that is comprised of the innate and adaptive immunities which are controlled
by a series of immune responses mediated by different immune cells (ICs) and their
secretory substances including cytokines and chemokines. Natural substances,
synthetic compounds, and antibody elements are used as immunostimulating and
immunosuppressive agents. But here are certain restrictions to the overall use of
these compounds, such as the increased risk of infection and generalized effect
throughout the immune system. The use of plants and plant products as
immunomodulators is still in a developing stage. At non-cytotoxic concentrations,
the phytoconstituents exhibited three types of immunomodulation including type 1
of PHA, ConA, and quercetin (increased lymphocyte activation and IFN-c secretion); type 2 of isopimpinellin (enhanced lymphocyte activation) and type 3 of
rutin, bergapten and xanthotoxin (elevated IFN-c secretion). The augmentation of
lymphocyte proliferation was closely correlated to an increase in the number of
lymphocyte cells including T-helper lymphocytes (CD4
+
), CD8
+ T cells and activated PBMC, whereas elevation of IFN-c secretion was due to the activated
CD8
+ T cells. The present chapter revealed the immunomodulating activity, which
could be explained the traditional use of medicinal plant extract worldwide.
Keywords Immunomodulatory activities Á T-helper lymphocytes Á IFN-c Á
CD8
+ T cells Á CD4
+ T cells
V. K. Gurjar
School of Pharmacy, Parul University, P.O. Limda, Ta.Waghodia,
391760 District Vadodara, Gujarat, India
D. Pal (&)
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya
(A Central University), Bilaspur 495009, Chhattisgarh, India
e-mail: drdilip2003@yahoo.co.in
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Pal and A. K. Nayak (eds.), Bioactive Natural Products
for Pharmaceutical Applications, Advanced Structured Materials 140,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54027-2_6
197
Natural Compounds Extracted
from Medicinal Plants and Their
Immunomodulatory Activities
Vinod Kumar Gurjar and Dilipkumar Pal
Abstract The fight against cancer cells in the human body involves a defense
system that is comprised of the innate and adaptive immunities which are controlled
by a series of immune responses mediated by different immune cells (ICs) and their
secretory substances including cytokines and chemokines. Natural substances,
synthetic compounds, and antibody elements are used as immunostimulating and
immunosuppressive agents. But here are certain restrictions to the overall use of
these compounds, such as the increased risk of infection and generalized effect
throughout the immune system. The use of plants and plant products as
immunomodulators is still in a developing stage. At non-cytotoxic concentrations,
the phytoconstituents exhibited three types of immunomodulation including type 1
of PHA, ConA, and quercetin (increased lymphocyte activation and IFN-c secretion); type 2 of isopimpinellin (enhanced lymphocyte activation) and type 3 of
rutin, bergapten and xanthotoxin (elevated IFN-c secretion). The augmentation of
lymphocyte proliferation was closely correlated to an increase in the number of
lymphocyte cells including T-helper lymphocytes (CD4
+
), CD8
+ T cells and activated PBMC, whereas elevation of IFN-c secretion was due to the activated
CD8
+ T cells. The present chapter revealed the immunomodulating activity, which
could be explained the traditional use of medicinal plant extract worldwide.
Keywords Immunomodulatory activities Á T-helper lymphocytes Á IFN-c Á
CD8
+ T cells Á CD4
+ T cells
V. K. Gurjar
School of Pharmacy, Parul University, P.O. Limda, Ta.Waghodia,
391760 District Vadodara, Gujarat, India
D. Pal (&)
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya
(A Central University), Bilaspur 495009, Chhattisgarh, India
e-mail: drdilip2003@yahoo.co.in
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Pal and A. K. Nayak (eds.), Bioactive Natural Products
for Pharmaceutical Applications, Advanced Structured Materials 140,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54027-2_6
197