Traditional South Indian Herbal Plants for a Strong Immune System

Abstract

The study of traditional medicinal plants is an ancient medicinal practice with regard to assessing a herbal plant’s superiority for treatment of particular conditions. Though many countries have their own traditional medicines, India presently leads the way in terms of the most research focused on herbal plant in the tradition of a Pharmacopoeia. South Indian herbal plants, such as Vitex negundo, Morinda pubescens and Gloriosa superba treat a number of widespread diseases and conditions. These are regarded as home remedies in South India. A number of researchers have studied the use of traditional herbal plants for the healing of diseases in different regions of South India. The existing research in the area focuses on developing plant-derived natural products as potent and safer leads to act as immunomodulators. The development of multi-component herbal medicines allows for modulating the complex immune process to prevent infection rather than to treat it. With all these features in mind, the present chapter focuses on an outline of medicinal plants in South India and their value in strengthening of the immune system. Immunology is one of the most rapidly growing fields of biomedical research, involving different diseases and disorders. Traditional herbal plants tend to promote a strong immune system by taking account of differences in the bioactive properties.