Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a medicinally important glycoprotein, used as an immunostimulant following bone-marrow transplant. On the basis of reports of its potential utility as an anticancer vaccine adjuvant, we undertook to develop a synthetic route toward single-glycoform GM-CSF. We describe herein a convergent total synthesis of GM-CSF aglycone and two homo...

Introduction The recMAGE-A3 protein has been administered intramuscularly (IM) with immunostimulant AS15 as an experimental immunotherapeutic. AS15 contains 3-Odesacyl-4’-monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), QS-21, CpG 7909 and liposome. This MAGE-A3/AS15 immunotherapeutic has not been studied for intradermal (ID) or subcutaneous (SC) use. A clinical trial (NCT01425749) was initiated to test the hypot...

Complementary and alternative medicine involves the use of herbs and medicinal plants as an alternative to mainstream western medical treatment. A large number of Indian medicinal plants have been reported to possess immunostimulant activity and thus can serve as potential source of drug in various immunocompomised states including AIDS, cancer and for treatment of various chronic infections. T...

BACKGROUND The use of complementary and alternative medicine including herbal medicine is increasing in many countries including Ghana. However, there is paucity of research on the perspectives of patrons of herbal medicine regarding the facilitators and barriers of herbal medicine use. This study sought to investigate the facilitators and barriers of herbal medicine among Ghanaian adults who u...

The present attempt is to review and compile updated information on various aspects of Lawsonia inermis (Linn), a plant used all over the world. This plant is commonly known as Henna or Mhendi and abundantly available in tropical and subtropical areas. Ancient history of India describes its diverse uses and also plays appreciable role in Ayurvedic or natural herbal medicines. Henna has been use...

Jujuba (Ziziphus jujuba) has a long history of usage as fruit and remedy. The main biologically active components are vitamin C, phenolics, flavonoids, triterpenic acids, polysaccharides. Many phytochemical studies jujuba fruits indicate that Z. important biological effects, such the anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, immunostimulant, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective gast...

This paper reviews the chemistry, pharmacology and clinical properties of Echinacea species used medicinally. The Echinacea species Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida and Echinacea purpurea have a long history of medicinal use for a variety of conditions, particularly infections, and today echinacea products are among the best-selling herbal preparations in several developed countries. M...

The aim of dendritic cell (DC) vaccination in cancer is to induce tumor-specific effector T cells that may reduce and control tumor mass. Immunostimulants that could drive a desired immune response are necessary to be found in order to generate a long lasting tumor immune response. GK-1 peptide, derived from Taenia crassiceps, induces not only increase in TNFα, IFNγ, and MCP-1 production in coc...

Mice pre-exposed to cisplatin increased their production of nitric oxide (NO) when treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Peritoneal macrophages, isolated from mice 11 days after cisplatin treatment and cultured with LPS plus IFN-gamma, increased NO production, whereas the macrophages isolated 2 days after cisplatin treatment decreased it. In both cases, NO was not produced without immunostimul...

Immunomodulators are substances that alter immune system via dynamic regulation of messenger molecules. It can be divided into immunostimulant and immunosuppressant. It can help to increase immunity of people with a low immune system, and also can help to normalize an overactive immune system. Aim of this study is to investigate the effects of in vitro exposure to low and high doses of several ...