Immunoregulatory effects of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F and its extracts in clinical practice

Abstract

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) and its extracts have long been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and kidney disease due to their anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and other pharmacological effects. However, the clinical immunoregulatory effects of TwHF and its extracts remain unclear, so we reviewed their effects for use in clinical practice. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the recent literature on the immunoregulatory effects of TwHF and its extracts in clinical studies. TwHF and its extracts affect the proliferation and activation of T and B cells; ratio of T cell subsets; inflammatory response of monocytes, macrophages, and immunoglobulins; and secretion of many cytokines. Together, these effects dictate immune function in a variety of diseases. TwHF and its extracts can be used alone or in combination with existing therapies against many immune disorders through immunomodulation.

Keywords

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F / immunoregulation / clinical studies

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Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature