Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fortified Foods and Medicinal Plants as Immunomodulators

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Microbes in Food and Health

  • 1832 Accesses

Abstract

There is a strong consensus that nutrition plays an important role in modulating the immune system which needs adequate supply of nutrients to function properly. The complexity of the immune system supports this idea because its optimal functioning involves a variety of biological activities including energy metabolism, production of proteins, cell division, and proliferation. Important micronutrients to the immune function include vitamins A, C, E, and B6, folate, iron, zinc, and selenium. Other nutrients mentioned as playing a role in immune function include beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), vitamin B12, and vitamin D. On the other hand, overdoses for activation of the immune system can lead to detrimental effects such as chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases. In some individuals with allergies, a normally harmless material can be mistaken as an antigen. Immune functions are responsible to protect the body against attack by pathogens or cancer cells and thus play a vital role for health and well-being. However, the immune functions are disturbed by malnutrition, aging, physical and mental stress, or undesirable lifestyle. Therefore, ingestion of foods with immune-modulating activities is considered an efficient way to reduce the risk of infections or cancer and to prevent the immune function from declining.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agarwal M (2001) Insect growth inhibition, antifeedant and antifungal activity of compounds isolated/derived from Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger) rhizomes. Pest Manag Sci 57:289–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Keith R, Peter W (2002) Molecular biology of the cell, 4th edn. Garland Science, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Amitava D, Catherine A (2011) Herbal medicines with immunomodulatory effects. doi: 10.1002/9780470910108.ch4

    Google Scholar 

  • Arya V, Gupta V (2011) An overview on marine immunomodulators. Int J Pharm Life Sci 2:751–758

    Google Scholar 

  • Aurasorn S, Pattana S, Kornkanok I (2008) Effects of Terminalia bellerica Roxb. methanolic extract on mouse immune response in vitro. Maejo Int J Sci Tech 2:400–407

    Google Scholar 

  • Aw D, Silva A (2007) Immunosenescence: emerging challenges for an ageing population. Palmer DB Immunol 120:435–446

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beck G, Gail S (1996) Immunity and the invertebrates. Sci Am 275:60–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benny K, Vanitha J (2004) Immunomodulatory and antimicrobial effects of some traditional Chinese medicinal herbs: a review. Curr Med Chem 2004(11):1423–1430

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkeley W (2014) Probiotics pros and cons. www.berekelywellness.com

  • Bonfilius V (2014) Dietary Immunomodulators. Annamalai University, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Borenstein B (1971) Rationale and technology of food fortification with vitamins, minerals and amino-acids, CRC Critical Reviews in Food Technology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkmann V (2005) Neutrophil engulfing Bacillus anthracis. PLoS Pathog 1(3). doi: 10.1371

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns E, Goodwin J (2004) Effects of aging on immune function. J Nutr Health Ageing 8:9–18

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborthy G (2009) Evaluation of immunomodulatory activity of Aesculus indica. Int J Pharm Tech Res 1:132–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Charles J, Paul T, Mark W, Mark S (2001) Immunobiology, 5th edn. Garland Science, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Chetan S, Joshi N, Reddy S, Basheerahmed A, Joshi H (2014) Immunomodulatory medicinal c of India: a review. Int J Pharm Toxicol 4:109–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Copeland K, Heeney J (1996) T helper cell activation and human retroviral pathogenesis. Microbiol Rev 60:722–742

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Vrese M, Schrezenmeir J (2008) Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol 111:1–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Diana G (2011) Traditional foods: functional and perspectives. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  • Dibua U, Okeke C, Ugwu C, Kenechukwu F, Okorie A (2013) In vivo antimalarial and cytotoxicityactivity of ethanolic stem bark of Petersianthus macrocarpus and leaf of Astonia boonei in experimental mice model. Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci 2:354–368

    Google Scholar 

  • EuroFIR (2013) Nexus 2nd Annual meeting and conference, 4th–8th March 2013, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Google Scholar 

  • Garssen J, Herreilers M, van Loveren H, Vos J, Opperhuizen A (2003) Immunomodulation by probiotics: a literature survey. RIVM report 340320001/2003

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson G, Roberfroid M (1995) Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics. J Nutr 125:1401–1412

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gokhani R, Lahiri S, Santani D, Shah M (2007) Evaluation of immunomodulatory activity of Clerodendrum phlomidis and Premna integrifolia root. Int J Pharmacol 3:352–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haggag W, Hassan A, EL-Shayeb N (2007) Biological and anti-microbial activities of a queous extracts from neem tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Meliaceae). J Appl Sci Res 3:1050–1055

    Google Scholar 

  • Harry W (2009) Immunomodulation by food: promising concept for mitigating allergic disease? Anal Bioanal Chem 395:37–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh K, Hsu C, Lin J, Tsai C, Lin R (2003) Oral administration of an edible-mushroom-derived protein inhibits the development of food-allergic reactions in mice. Clin Exp Allergy 33:1595–1602

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jane E, Erika D, Robert A (2010) Immunomodulatory dietary polysaccharides: a systematic review of the literature. Nutr J 9:1–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jong D, Dong K, Lee Y (2005) Biological activities and chemistry of saponins from Panax ginseng C. Meyer Phytochem Rev 4:159–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Josias H (2008) Composition and applications of Aloe vera leaf gel. Molecules 13:1599–1616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaminogawa S, Nanno M (2004) Modulation of immune functions by foods. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 1:241–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lisa M, Werb Z (2001) Inflammatory cells and cancer. J Exp Med 193:23–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liyanage C, Hettiarachchi M (2011) Food fortification. Ceylon Med J 56:124–127

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Major Walter Reed, Medical Corps, U.S. Army Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Accessed 8 Jan 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • Meera S, Mustafa S (2007) Antistress, adoptogenic and immunopotentiating activity roots of Boerhaavia diffusa in mice. Int J Pharmacol 3(2007):416–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Metchnikoff E (1905) Immunity in infective diseases (Full text version: Google Books) (trans Binnie FG). Cambridge University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller J (1993) Self-nonself discrimination and tolerance in T and B lymphocytes. Immunol Res 12:115–130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller J (2002) The discovery of thymus function and of thymus-derived lymphocytes. Immunol Rev 185:7–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naga P, Rajeshwari P (2014) An overview on immunomodulators. Int J Curr Pharm Clin Res 4:108–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagarathna P, Reena K, Sriram R, Johnson W (2013) Review on immunomodulation and immunomodulatory activity of some herbal plants. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res 22:223–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Nawale R, Poojari S (2013) Review on chemical constituents and parts of plants as immunomodulators. Res J Pharm Biol Chem Sci 4:76–89

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Byrne K, Dalgleish A (2001) Chronic immune activation and inflammation as the cause of malignancy. Br J Cancer 85:473–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oladunmoye M (2006) Immunomodulatory effects of ethanolic extract of Tridax procumbens on Swiss alblno rats orogastrically dosed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCIB 950). Int J Trop Med 1:152–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostoya P (1954) Maupertuis et la biologie. Revue d’histoire des sciences et de leurs applications 7:60–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pancer Z, Cooper M (2006) The evolution of adaptive immunity. Annu Rev Immunol 24:497–518

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillipson J (2001) Phytochemistry and medicinal plants. Phytochem 26:237–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plotkin SA (2005) Vaccines: past, present and future. Nat Med 11:S5–S11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pradhan D, Panda P, Tripathy G (2009) Evaluation of the immunomodulatory activity of the methanolic extract of Couroupita guianensis Aubl. flowers in rats. Nat Prod Radiance 8(1):37–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Renuka S, Brindha P, Sivakumar R (2014) A review on the role of phytoconstituents in breast cancer cells. Int J PharmTech Res 6:799–808

    Google Scholar 

  • Retief F, Cilliers L (1998) The epidemic of Athens 430-426 BC. S Afr Med J 88:50–53

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roshan N, Savitri P (2013) Review on chemical constituents and parts of plants as immunomodulators. Res J Pharm Biol Chem Sci 4:76–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross RP, Morgan S, Hill C (2002) Preservation and fermentation: past, present and future. Int J Food Microbiol 79:3–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rupa S, Sonali D, Madhuri A (2012) Analgesic and anti-inflammatory plants: an updated review. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res 12:114–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Saroj P, Verma M, Jha K, Manju Pal M (2012) An overview on immunomodulation. J Adv Sci Res 3:7–12

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shao B, Xu W, Dai H, Tu P, Li Z, Gao X (2004) A study on the immune receptors for polysaccharides from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus, a Chinese medicinal herb. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 6(320):1103–1111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shivaprasad H, Rajesh R, Brian M, Kamal D (2011) Immunomodulation of autoimmune arthritis by herbal CAM. doi:10.1155/2011/986797

    Google Scholar 

  • Shruti S, Vivek K, Kim M (2014) Plants as potential source of natural immunomodulators. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 13:17–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skalta H, Lazari D, Mavromati A, Tiligada E, Constantinidis T (2000) Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential Oil of Scutellaria albida ssp. albida from Greece. Planta Med 66:672–674

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sprou T, Cheng P, Dykstra M, Pierce SK (2000) Int Rev Immunol 19:139–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sumit D, Ripunjoy B, Nishant N (2014) A review on immune modulatory effect of some traditional medicinal herbs. J Pharm Chem Biol Sci 2:33–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Susan F, Sally R (2009) Introductory clinical pharmacology, 27th edn. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 567–568

    Google Scholar 

  • The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1905) Nobelprize.org. Accessed 8 Jan 2009

    Google Scholar 

  • Trichopoulou A, Soukara S, Vasilopoulou E (2007) Traditional foods: a science and society perspective. Trends Food Sci Technol 18:420–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vetvicka V, Vetvickova J (2014) Natural immunomodulators and their stimulation of immune reaction: true or false? Anticancer Res 34:2275–2282

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner HP (1997) Immunomodulatory drugs of fungi and higher plants. Econ Med Plant Res 8:231–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Peng D, Xie J (2009) Ginseng leaf-stem: bioactive constituents and pharmacological functions. Chin Med 4:20–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Ling Y, Chen Y, Li CL, Feng F, You Q, Lu N, Guo Q (2012) Flavonoid baicalein suppresses adhesion, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Cancer Lett 297:42–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2011) Guidelines on food fortification with micronutrients

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamada J, Hamuro J, Hatanaka H, Hamabata K, Kinoshita S (2007) Alleviation of seasonal allergic symptoms with superfine β-1, 3-glucan: a randomized study. J Allergy Clin Immunol 119:1119–1126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto K (1996) Elimination of minimal residual leukemic cells by biological response modifiers. Rinsho Ketsueki 37:666–670

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yehia M, Ola A, Dalia H, Islam M (2011) Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 9:3–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Li L, Jiang C, Xing C, Kim S, Lu J (2012) Anticancer and other bioactivities of Korean Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) and its major pyranocoumarin compounds. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 12:1239–1254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zotta T, Parente E, Ricciardi A (2009) Viability staining and detection of metabolic activity of sourdough lactic acid bacteria under stress conditions. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 25:1119–1124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Division, Microbial Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth (formerly El Tahreer St.), Dokki, Giza, P.O 12622, Egypt

    Shadia M. Abdel-Aziz

  2. Department of Biosciences, DAV (PG) College, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Abhinav Aeron

  3. School of Basic Sciences and Research, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Abhinav Aeron

  4. Division of Biotechnology, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, Jeollabuk, South Korea (Republic of)

    Abhinav Aeron

  5. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India

    Neelam Garg

Authors
  1. Shadia M. Abdel-Aziz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abhinav Aeron
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Neelam Garg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shadia M. Abdel-Aziz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology,, Fac of Life Sciences, Kurukshetra Univ, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India

    Neelam Garg

  2. Gen Eng & Biotech Div, Microbial Chem De, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

    Shadia Mohammad Abdel-Aziz

  3. Department of Biosciences, DAV (PG) College, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Abhinav Aeron

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Abdel-Aziz, S.M., Aeron, A., Garg, N. (2016). Fortified Foods and Medicinal Plants as Immunomodulators. In: Garg, N., Abdel-Aziz, S., Aeron, A. (eds) Microbes in Food and Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25277-3_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation