Abstract
During the process of evolution, nature has provided a unique preventive mechanism known as immune system in each and every living beings. In higher animals and man, the immune system takes care of any extraneous intrusion in the body through its several mechanisms including natural or para-specific immunity, acquired or specific immunity, humoral immunity, cellular immunity etc. However, in the era of modernization, man has introduced several chemicals in the environment through agriculture, animal husbandry and public health operations besides industrialization, urbanization and chemicalization of agriculture. These chemicals normally are used for the control of insects, pests, infections and as preservatives, coloring agents and flavouring agents etc. But inadvertently, these chemicals accumulate in the eco-system and contaminate food chain. Through food chain, these chemicals enter in the body of human beings and animals and affect immune system adversely. During last several years, it has been observed that the pollutant in the environment including pesticides, heavy metals and mycotoxins cause immunosuppression/ immunodeficiency, hypersensitivity/allergy and/or autoimmunity. When there is immunosuppression in the body, the individual becomes susceptible to many kinds of infections and cancers. In such individuals, the drugs including antibiotics may also not be very effective due to failure of phagocytic mechanism. In order to enhance the immunity, several nutritional factors, microbial products, herbs and Cowpathy based products can be used to enhance the immunity. Through the use of these products, the immunity level of an individual is increased to an optimum level so that it will refract any kind of infection or disease and as such an individual will remain protected. However, if at all infection sets in an individual in spite of the above supplementation, it will remain very light and will not harm the body seriously. Such immunomodulatory products are for the control of each and every kind of infectious diseases while the available vaccines are cause specific and are protecting only a single or such disease for which it is used. These products will enhance the immunity non-specifically just to protect any kind of infection.