Table 3.
Results from the included studies: Impact of Ayurvedic medication on components of the immune system
|
No
|
Ref.
|
Intervention
|
T Helper cells
|
T cytotoxic cells
|
T cells: Other results
|
NK cell count/ activity
|
B lymphocyte count
|
Immunoglobulins
|
Complement
|
Cytokines
|
WBC count/ activity
|
Other variables
|
Indirect evidence
|
| 1 | Enesel et al, 2005 | Isorel® (Mistletoe, firtree) | + | - | + | + | - | + | + | NA | + | + | NA |
| 2 | Ishikawa et al, 2006 | Aged garlic extract | - | - | NA | + | NA | NA | NA | NA | - | NA | NA |
| 3 | Brush et al, 20061 | Glycyrrhizia glabra tincture | +/- | +/- | NA | +/- | +/- | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 4 | Schink et al, 2007 | Iscador® (Standardized mistletoe extract) | NA | NA | NA | + | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | - | NA |
| 5 | Purandare et al, 2007 | Tinospora cordifolia | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | + | NA | NA |
| 6 | Uebaba et al, 20082 | Shirodhara oil-dripping (sesame oil) | NA | NA | NA | +/- | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 7 | Bhat et al, 20103 | Fortified tea with multiple Ayurvedic ingredients | NA | NA | NA | +/- | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 8 | Işik et al, 2010 | Specific immunotherapy + Nigella sativa | +/- | +/- | +/- | +/- | +/- | NA | NA | NA | + | NA | NA |
| 9 | Kianbakht et al, 2011 | Saffron tablet | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | - | - | NA | - | NA | NA |
| 10 | Mondal et al, 20114 | Tulsi capsules | +/- | +/- | NA | +/- | +/- | NA | NA | +/- | NA | NA | NA |
| 11 | Nantz et al, 20125 | Aged garlic extract | NA | NA | +/- | +/- | NA | NA | NA | +/- | NA | NA | + |
| 12 | Suprabha et al, 2017 | Rasayana Avaleha with milk | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | - | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 13 | Gupta et al, 2017 | Cyavanaprasa (Dabur) with milk | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | + |
| 14 | Rais et al, 2021 | Intervention 1: Vyaghryadi Kashaya + Pippali + Samshamani vati | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | - |
| Intervention 2: Shunthi churna + Rasona kalka | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | - | ||
| 15 | Bhaskaran et al, 20196 | Swarna Bhasma, honey, ghrita | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | +/- | NA | NA | +/- | NA | NA |
| 16 | Kumar et al, 2014 | Intervention 1: Mamajjaka capsules | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | + |
| Intervention 2: Shilajatu capsules | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | + | ||
| 17 | Ravindran et al, 2014 | Varunadi Ghrita + Standard care | NA | NA | + | + | + | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 18 | Somarathna et al, 2010 | Ranahamsa Rasayana | + | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | - | NA | NA |
| 19 | Gupta et al, 2010 | Shilajatu Rasayana | + | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| SUMMARY | + | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| +/- | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| - | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
+: Evidence suggests significant immune enhancement; +/-: Ambiguous, confusing, or incomplete results; -: Evidence does not suggest significant immune enhancement.
Sample size is 5 participants; significance values of any results not reported in the paper.
paper reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of NK cell activity.
study I (parallel group study design) reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of NK cell activity, and study II (crossover design) has less than optimal washout period, and there is a difference in numbers between text and table.
paper reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, NK cells, and cytokines.
paper reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of T lymphocytes and NK cells.
paper reports only significance (P value) and mean difference without reporting the value of immunoglobulins and total or differential white blood cell counts.
NA: Not available; NK: Natural killer; WBC: White blood cell.