ADVANCES IN POLYHERBAL FORMULATIONS FOR IMMUNE ENHANCEMENT: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Abstract
A well-functioning immune system is essential for maintaining health, preventing infections, reducing inflammation, and ensuring rapid recovery from diseases. However, factors such as stress, poor nutrition, pollution, and lifestyle disorders can compromise immune function, increasing susceptibility to illness. In recent years, there has been growing interest in plant based immunomodulators as safer and holistic alternatives to synthetic agents. Polyherbal formulations, which combine two or more medicinal plants in specific proportions, are designed to enhance therapeutic efficacy through synergistic interactions among bioactive phytoconstituents. Unlike single-herb preparations, polyherbal combinations provide a broad spectrum of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, vitamins, and essential oils that collectively strengthen immune responses. These formulations modulate both innate and adaptive immunity by regulating cytokine production, enhancing macrophage and lymphocyte activity, improving antibody responses, reducing oxidative stress, and suppressing chronic inflammation. This review discusses the growing acceptance of herbal immune boosters, which are natural remedies derived from plants.Through a synergistic method, oxidative stress is decreased, cytokine production is regulated immune cell activation is improved and macrophage and lymphocyte function is improved. Moreover, polyherbal formulations frequently balance dosage to minimize side effects while increasing bioavailability and medicinal efficiency.
Downloads
References
2. Ashaolu TJ. Immune boosting functional foods and their mechanisms: A critical evaluation of probiotics and prebiotics. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2020,1; 130:110625.
3. Gasmi A, Shanaida M, Oleshchuk O, Semenova Y, Mujawdiya PK, Ivankiv Y, Pokryshko O, Noor S, Piscopo S, Adamiv S, Bjørklund G. Natural ingredients to improve immunity. Pharmaceuticals. 2023, 16(4):528.
4.GUPTA DA. The immune booster supplements. Pharma Herald Bulletin. 2020:3.
5.Tamboli FA, More HN, Khairmode SS, Patil DR, Tambare PD, Shinde AJ, Jadhav NR. Importance of medicinal plants and herbs as an immunity booster for pandemic COVID-19. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences. 2021, 27;8(1):01-9.
6.Janeway Jr CA, Travers P, Walport M, Shlomchik MJ. Principles of innate and adaptive immunity. InImmunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease. 5th edition 2001. Garland Science.
7.Turvey SE, Broide DH. Innate immunity. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2010,1;125(2): S24-32.
8.Warrington R, Watson W, Kim HL, Antonetti FR. An introduction to immunology and immunopathology. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology. 2011,10;7(Suppl 1): S1.
9.Nicholson LB. The immune system. Essays in biochemistry. 2016,31;60(3):275-301.
10.Bonilla FA, Oettgen HC. Adaptive immunity. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2010, 1;125(2): S33-40.
11.Chaplin DD. 1. Overview of the human immune response. Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. 2006,1;117(2): S430-5.
12.Gasmi A, Shanaida M, Oleshchuk O, Semenova Y, Mujawdiya PK, Ivankiv Y, Pokryshko O, Noor S, Piscopo S, Adamiv S, Bjørklund G. Natural ingredients to improve immunity. Pharmaceuticals. 2023,16(4):528.
13.Cardello HM, Da Silva MA, Damasio MH. Measurement of the relative sweetness of stevia extract, aspartame and cyclamate/saccharin blend as compared to sucrose at different concentrations. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 1999 Jun;54(2):119-29.
14.Brandle J. FAQ-Stevia. Nature's Natural Low-Calorie Sweetener. Canada: Agriculture and Agri-Food. 2004.
15.Bridel M, Lavielle R. Sur le principe sucre des feuilles de kaa-he-e (Stevia rebaundiana B). Academie des Sciences Paris Comptes Rendus. 1931; 192:1123-5.
16.Smita NT, Takarkhede A. A Review on Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana): A Medicinal Plant. Asian J Pharm Technol Innov [Internet]. 2016;20(04):58-62.
17."Stevia Sweeteners Now Approved in Israel". greenprophet.com. 2012.Retrieved on 18july2016
18.Shock CC. Experimental cultivation of Rebaudi’s stevia in California. Univ. California, Davis Agron. Progr. Rep. 1982 Apr;122.
19.M. Perspectives of FDA’S new Stevia Policy, after four years, the agency lifts its ban-but only partially. Whole Foods Magazine. 1996 Feb:1-5.
20.Chouhan E, Srivastava S, Chawla P. Proximate and Phytochemical Analysis of Stevia leaves powder. International Ayurvedic Medical Journal. 2016;4(8):2476-81.
21.Gasmalla MA, Yang R, Amadou I, Hua X. Nutritional composition of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaf: effect of drying method.
22.Samuel P, Ayoob KT, Magnuson BA, Wölwer-Rieck U, Jeppesen PB, Rogers PJ, Rowland I, Mathews R. Stevia leaf to stevia sweetener: exploring its science, benefits, and future potential. The Journal of nutrition. 2018 Jul 1;148(7):1186S-205S.
23.Stevia used as sweetner from http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/sweetener-stevia-clears-fssai-hurdle115112300973_1.html Retrived From 18 July2016
24.Jayaraman S, Manoharan MS, Illanchezian S. In-vitro antimicrobial and antitumor activities of Stevia rebaudiana (Asteraceae) leaf extracts. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2008 Dec 11;7(4):1143-9.
25.Yingkun N, Zhenyu W, Jing L, Xiuyun L, Huimin Y. Stevioside protects LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice. Inflammation. 2013 Feb;36(1):242-50.
26.Park JE, Cha YS. Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni extract supplementation improves lipid and carnitine profiles in C57BL/6J mice fed a high‐fat diet. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2010 May;90(7):1099-105.
27.Stevia: Health Benefits, Facts, Safety from Hannah Nichols (: Fri 18 March 2016) Retrived from 18 July 2016
28.Brandle J. FAQ-Stevia. Nature's Natural Low-Calorie Sweetener. Canada: Agriculture and Agri-Food. 2004.
29. Crepet WL. Progress in understanding angiosperm history, success, and relationships: Darwin's abominably “perplexing phenomenon”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2000, 21;97(24):12939-41.
30. Stevenson DW, Zimmermann MH, Stevens P, Dilcher DL, Cronquist A, Berry PE. Angiosperm. London: Encycle Britainnica; 2023. 19. Chakraborty P. Herbal genomics as tools for dissecting new metabolic pathways of unexplored medicinal plants and drug discovery. Biochimie open. 2018 ;1; 6:9-16.
31. Acharya SK. Ethnomedicinal Plants used in Vedic Medicine. Int J Multidis Res Sci, Eng Technol (IJMRSET). 2024;7(3):4719-25.
32. Sen S, Chakraborty R. Revival, modernization and integration of Indian traditional herbal medicine in clinical practice: Importance, challenges and future. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine. 2017 ;7(2):234-44.
33. de Paulo Farias D, Neri-Numa IA, de Araújo FF, Pastore GM. A critical review of some fruit trees from the Myrtaceae family as promising sources for food applications with functional claims. Food Chem 2020; 306.
34. da Veiga Correia, V.T., da Silva, P.R., Ribeiro, C.M.S., Ramos, A.L.C.C., Mazzinghy, A.C.D.C., Silva, V.D.M., Júnior, A.H.O., Nunes, B.V., Vieira, A.L.S., Ribeiro, L.V. and de Paula, A.C.C.F.F., 2022.
35. Dastur JF. Useful plants of India and Pakistan 2012.
36. Ayyanar M, Subash-Babu P. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels: A review of its phytochemical constituents and traditional uses. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine. 2012 Mar 1;2(3):240-6
37. Katiyar D, Singh V, Ali M. Recent advances in pharmacological potential of Syzygium cumini: A review. Advances in Applied Science Research. 2016;7(3):1-2.
38. Kumar A, Padmanabhan N, Krishnan MR. Central nervous system activity of Syzygium cumini seed. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 2007 Oct 15;6(6):698-700.
39. Ramakrishna S, Khan S. a Comprehensive Review on Therapeutic Potential of Syzygium cumini. Journal of Pharma Insights and Research. 2024 16;2(2):159-68.
40. Agarwala P, Gaurb PK, Tyagia N, Purib D, Kumarc N, Kumard SS. An overview of phytochemical, therapeutic, pharmacological and traditional importance of Syzygium cumini. Asian J Pharmacogn. 2019;3(1):5-17.
41. Singh H, Sharma V, Sharma B, Kumar M, Rana N. Jamun (Syzygiumcumini L.) Seeds: A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Nutritional Profile and traditional uses.
42. Bajpai A, Singh AK, Ravishankar H. Reproductive phenology, flower biology and pollination in jamun (Syzygium cuminii L.).
43. Kumar S, Sharma S, Kumar V, Sharma A, Kaur R, Saini R. Jamun (Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels): The conventional underutilized multifunctional plant-an exotic gleam into its food and functional significance. Industrial Crops and Products. 2023 ,1; 191:115873.
44. Morton JF. Fruits of warm climates.
45. Singh S, Singh AK, Saroj PL, Mishra S. Research status for technological development of jamun (Syzygium cumini) in India: a review. The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 2019 Dec 1;89(12):1991-8.
46. Singh S, Singh SP, Singh V, Shikha K. Studies on floral biology, fruit set and fruit drop of different genotypes of jamun (Syzygium cumini Skeels). The Pharma Innovation Journal. 2019;8(1):558-61.
47. Ghosh P, PRadhaN RC, Mishra S, Patel AS, Kar A. Physicochemical and nutritional characterization of jamun (Syzygium cuminii). Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal. 2017 ;5(1):25-35.
48. Gajera HP, Gevariya SN, Patel SV, Golakiya BA. Nutritional profile and molecular fingerprints of indigenous black jamun (Syzygium cumini L.) landraces. Journal of food science and technology. 2018 ;55(2):730-9.
49. Jain SK. Dictionary of Indian folk medicine and ethnobotany. 1991.
50. Mastan SK, Saraseeruha A, Gourishankar V, Chaitanya G, Raghunandan N, Reddy GA, Kumar KE. Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic extract of Syzygium cumini seeds. Pharmacology online. 2008; 3:895-903.
51. Jagetia GC, Shetty PC, Vidyasagar MS. Inhibition of radiation-induced DNA damage by jamun, Syzygium cumini, in the cultured splenocytes of mice exposed to different doses of γ-radiation. Integrative cancer therapies. 2012 ;11(2):141-53.
52. Oliveira GF, Furtado NA, Silva Filho AA, Martins CH, Bastos JK, Cunha WR, Silva ML. Antimicrobial activity of Syzygium cumini (Myrtaceae) leaves extract. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology. 2007 ;38(2):381-4.
53. Jagetia GC. Jamun Syzygium cumini Skeels in the treatment of diabetes. Clin J Diabetes Care Control 2022; 5:180042
54. Moresco RN, Sperotto RL, Bernardi AS, Cardoso RF, Gomes P. Effect of the aqueous extract of Syzygium cumini on carbon tetrachloride‐induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Phytotherapy Research. 2007 ;21(8):793-5.
55.Banerjee A, Jain S, Singh A, Dhakad A, Singh AE, Pandey A, Mani G. A review: medicinal properties and health benefits of bael (Aegle marmelos). Journal of Scientific Research and Reports. 2024 Jun 2;30(6):773-86.
56.Choudhary S, Chaudhary G, Kaurav H. Aegle marmelos (bael patra): an ayurvedic plant with ethnomedicinal value. Int J Res Ayurveda Pharm. 2021 Jul;12(3):147-56.
57.Monika S, Thirumal M, Kumar PR. Phytochemical and biological review of Aegle marmelos Linn. Future science OA. 2023 Mar 1;9(3): FSO849.
58. Baliga MS, Bhat HP, Joseph N, Fazal F. Phytochemistry and medicinal uses of the bael fruit (Aegle marmelos Correa): A concise review. Food Research International. 2011,1;44(7):1768-75.
59. Venthodika A, Chhikara N, Mann S, Garg MK, Sofi SA, Panghal A. Bioactive compounds of Aegle marmelos L., medicinal values and its food applications: A critical review. Phytotherapy Research. 2021,35(4):1887-907.
60.Dasaroju S, Gottumukkala KM. Current trends in the research of Emblica officinalis (Amla): A pharmacological perspective. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2014 Jan;24(2):150-9.
61.Talreja S, Kumari S, Srivastava P, Pandey S. A complete pharmacognostic review on amla. World. J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci. 2021; 8:622-37.
62.Dasaroju S, Gottumukkala KM. Current trends in the research of Emblica officinalis (Amla): A pharmacological perspective. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2014 Jan;24(2):150-9.
63.Hassan SM, Mughal A, Farman M. Emblica officinalis (Amla): A prospective review on distinctive properties and therapeutic applications of Amla. Biomed. Nurs. 2020; 6:22-30.
64.Ismael NB. Journal of Medicinal and Industrial Plants. Journal of Medicinal and industrial plants. 2023;1(1):41-51.
65.Herro E, Jacob SE. Mentha piperita (peppermint). Dermatitis. 2010 Dec 1;21(6):327-9.
66.Orav A, Raal A, Arak E. Comparative chemical composition of the essential oil of Mentha piperita L. from various geographical sources. Proc. Estonian Acad. Sci. Chem. 2004 Dec 1;53(4):174-81.
67.Loolaie M, Moasefi N, Rasouli H, Adibi H. Peppermint and its functionality: A review. Arch Clin Microbiol. 2017 Jul;8(4):54.
68.Beigi M, Torki-Harchegani M, Ghasemi Pirbalouti A. Quantity and chemical composition of essential oil of peppermint (Mentha× piperita L.) leaves under different drying methods. International Journal of Food Properties. 2018 Jan 1;21(1):267-76.
69.NR, Al-Rajab AJ, Sharma M, Mylabathula MM, Gowkanapalli RR, Albratty M. Chemical constituents, in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity of Mentha× Piperita L.(peppermint) essential oils. Journal of King Saud University-Science. 2019 Oct 1;31(4):528-33.

.