Ayurveda operates on the principle of maintaining equilibrium in the body’s internal environment to promote overall health. Guided by the tenet of ‘Swasthasya Swasthya Rakshanam, Aturasya Vikaar Prashmanam Cha’, Ayurveda strategically employs a blend of dietary practices, lifestyle interventions, and Ayurvedic formulations to uphold the well-being of the healthy while addressing maladies in the afflicted, thereby functioning as both a preventive and therapeutic modality. The premise of disease prevention relies upon the cultivation of robust immunity. This is perhaps why Ayurveda is often referred to as an immune-modulatory science. IMMBO is a herbo-mineral Ayurvedic formulation with preventive potential against Allergic Rhinitis, an immune system-related disorder.

IMMBO, prepared using eighteen herbs and Mandoor Bhasma, is based on Ras Shastra – one of the specialties of Ayurveda. The formulation has successfully undergone two clinical trials and provided convincing evidence supporting its efficacy in the treatment of Allergic Rhinitis. So, IMMBO was extensively studied to understand the mechanism behind its efficacy.

Experiments were conducted on healthy male Wistar albino rats, who were immune-suppressed using Cyclophosphamide (CPH) and antigen primed using Sheep Red Blood Cells (SRBC). Levamisole, an anti-parasitic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory drug that boosts humoral and cell mediated immunity, was used as reference drug in the study.

The parameters studied included the following:

a. Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity Response – Delayed hypersensitivity is a major mechanism of defense against various intracellular pathogens, including mycobacteria, fungi, and certain parasites.

b. Neutrophil Adhesion Assay – A test that measures how well neutrophils stick to a surface which plays an essential role in the formation of an inflammatory exudate. Neutrophils help prevent infections by blocking, disabling, digesting, or warding off invading particles and microorganisms.

c. Effect on Immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgM and IgG) – Immunoglobulins are proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects

d. Effect on Cytokine Expression – Cyclophosphamide is an immune suppressant which either lowers or increases cytokine Major inflammatory cytokines namely NF-κB, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10 and iNOS (in spleen tissue) were assessed in specified matrices.

e. Effect on Cell Regulation – Cell cycle regulation is crucial for proper cellular homeostasis. Disruption of normal regulation of the cell cycle can lead to diseases such as cancer. Western blot experiments were performed to evaluate the expression levels of MAP kinases including Akt, ERK and PI3K.

f. Effect on degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells – IgE-activated cells release histamine, measured with ELISA assays. These cells were used to test IMMBO’s ability to block histamine release in allergies.

The outcomes of the studies are tabulated in Table 1.