Table 3.
Promising NHPs exhibiting modulatory effects on the immune system
| NHP source | Prevention | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Probiotics | Helps immune system maturation (96) | Helps manage atopic eczema/dermatitis (97) |
| Helps prevent allergies (96), atopic disease and hypersensitivities in infants (98,99) | Promise in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through immune modulation (100,101) | |
| Enhances immunity in the elderly (102,96) | ||
| Green Tea (EGCG, flavonoids …) | Daily intake could prevent tumor growth (65,103,104) | Potent antiangiogenic effect (66–68) |
| Potent anti-inflammatory effect (105,106) | ||
| Vitamins C and E, n-3 fatty acids | Antioxidant: decrease oxidative stress in several chronic diseases (73) | Helps manage arthritis, asthma and IBD (76,75) |
| Anti-inflammatory: n-3 fatty acids (74) | ||
| Echinacea | Enhance antitumor immunity (mouse NK cells) (107) | May help treat upper respiratory tract infection (108) |
| Enhance NK cell immunity in aged mice (107) | Putative antifungal properties (109) and antiviral properties (110) | |
| Ginseng (ginsenosides) | Immunosuppressant properties (111) | May have benefit as an adjunct to cancer therapy (112) |
| Anti-inflammatory properties (113) | ||
| Ginseng (polysaccharides) | Immune stimulating properties (NK, macrophages and antibody production) (114) | Helps clear infections agents like Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans in mice (115) |