Nature and mechanism of immune boosting by Ayurvedic medicine: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

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.

¹Sample size is 5 participants; significance values of any results not reported in the paper.

²paper reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of NK cell activity.

³study 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.

⁴paper reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, NK cells, and cytokines.

⁵paper reports only significance (P value) without reporting the value of T lymphocytes and NK cells.

⁶paper 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.