Synopses & Reviews
This is an outstanding survey describing medical drugs of plant origin, such as Echinacea edications, lentinan and mistletoe lectin, which have proven to be effective as immunostimulants. At a time when ever greater importance is being placed on preventive and alternative medicine, the study provides the reader with information on the physiological mechanisms of action and range of application of phytopreparations capable of inducing immunostimulatory effects when administered prophylactically or therapeutically. Immunomodulatory Agents from Plants addresses scientists in the pharmaceutical industry; physicians - general practitioners, internists and oncologists - who work with traditional immunostimulants; and also pharmacists wishing to improve customer service by gaining a firmer understanding of the science underlying and the clinical facts associated with drugs presently on the market.
Synopsis
Search for potent immunostimulating agents from plants and other natural sources.- Chemistry, analysis and immunological investigations of Echinacea phytopharmaceuticals.- Immunologically active polysaccharides from Echinacea purpurea plant and cell cultures.- Clinical investigations of Echinacea phytopharmaceuticals.- Benefit and risks of the squeezed sap of the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) for long-term oral immunostimulant therapy.- Low-molecular weight compounds with complement activity.- Complement-activating polysaccharides from medicinal herbs.- Lentinan and other antitumoral polysaccharides.- Mistletoe lectins as immunostimulants (chemistry, pharmacology and clinic).- Saponins as immunoadjuvants and immunostimulants.- Garlic as an immunostimulant.- Immunostimulants in Ayurveda medicine.- Immunostimulants in traditional Chinese medicine.