IMMUNITY

The immune system discriminates self from non-self allowing it to destroy infectious invaders or tumors while leaving normal cells intact. Two components, innate and adaptive provide an early active response and an antigen-specific response, respectively. Innate immunity is comprised of complement, granulocytes, monocytes/macrophages, natural killer cells, mast cells, and basophils, whereas B and T lymphocytes are the main cell types of adaptive immunity.

The immune system is of tremendous importance in human disease. Examples of immunological diseases include autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis, malignancies, and asthma and other allergic conditions. Therapies exist and more are being developed to treat these immunological diseases.

TYPES

Drug classes which modulate the immune response act as immunosuppressants or immunostimulants by interactin Adaptive immunity works slower than innate, and is more specific. There are two types: passive and active. Passive immunity occurs when antibodies are passed from one person to another, as through transfusion for example. The active immunity involves two types of white blood cells – T-cells and B-cells. with specific receptors and cellular components of the innate and adaptive response.

HOW DO DRUGS AFFECT IMMUNE SYSTEM

Alcohol: Decreased liver and pancreas functioning can lead to immune systemproblems. … Marijuana: This intoxicating drug affects several kinds of cells in the body, which can ultimately harm the immune system. Smoking marijuana reduces the body’s ability to resist infections from viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa

IMMUNOSUPPRESANTS

Immunosuppressant drugs are used to treat autoimmune diseases. With an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks the body’s own tissue. Because immunosuppressant drugs weaken the immune system, they suppress this reaction. This helps reduce the impact of the autoimmune disease on the body.

Types of Immunosuppressive Medications

• Azathioprine (Imuran) …
• Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept) …
• Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf) …
• Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) …
• Cytotoxic Drugs.

New study suggests antibiotics can weaken the immune system. … While investigating the side effects of antibiotics and how bacteria can develop resistance to them, researchers from MIT and Harvard have found that the drugs can actually work against the body, weakening the immune system’s ability to fight off the bugs.

• Its own or self proteins at an early stage.
• An antigen is any substance that can spark an immune response.
• In many cases, an antigen is a bacterium, fungus, virus, toxin, or foreign body. But it can also be one of our own cells that is faulty or dead. Initially, a range of cell types works together to recognize the antigen as an invader.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
• Try to minimize stress.

Antibodies are part of a large family of chemicals called immunoglobulins, which play many roles in the immune response:

• Immunoglobulin G (IgG)— marks microbes so other cells can recognize and deal with them.
• IgM— is expert at killing bacteria.
• IgA— congregates in fluids, such as tears and saliva, where it protects gateways into the body.
• IgE— protects against parasites and is also to blame for allergies.
• IgD— stays bound to B lymphocytes, helping them to start the immune response.

Antibodies lock onto the antigen, but they do not kill it, only mark it for death. The killing is the job of other cells, such as phagocytes. Immune system disorders

Because the immune system is so complex, there are many potential ways in which it can go wrong. Types of immune disorder fall into three categories:

Immunodeficiencies

These arise when one or more parts of the immune system do not function. Immunodeficiencies can be caused in a number of ways, including age, obesity, and alcoholism. In developing countries, malnutrition is a common cause. AIDS is an example of an acquired immunodeficiency.

In some cases, immunodeficiencies can be inherited, for instance, in chronic granulomatous disease where phagocytes do not function properly.

Autoimmunity

In autoimmune conditions, the immune system mistakenly targets healthy cells, rather than foreign pathogens or faulty cells. In this scenario, they cannot distinguish self from non-self.

Autoimmune diseases include celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and Graves’ disease.

Hypersensitivity

With hypersensitivity, the immune system overreacts in a way that damages healthy tissue. An example is anaphylactic shock where the body responds to an allergen so strongly that it can be life-threatening.

In a nutshell

The immune system is incredibly complicated and utterly vital for our survival. Several different systems and cell types work in perfect synchrony (most of the time) throughout the body to fight off pathogens and clear up dead cells.

Types of Immunologic agents

Please refer to the drug classes listed below for further information.

• immune globulins
• immunostimulants
  • bacterial vaccines
  • colony stimulating factors
  • interferons
  • interleukins
  • other immunostimulants
  • therapeutic vaccines
  • vaccine combinations
  • viral vaccines
• immunosuppressive agents
  • calcineurin inhibitors
  • interleukin inhibitors
  • other immunosuppressants
  • selective immunosuppressants
  • TNF alfa inhibitors
  • Your immune system can be weakened by certain medicines, for example. … Your immune system can also be weakened by smoking, alcohol, and poor nutrition. AIDS. HIV, which causes AIDS, is an acquired viral infection that destroys important white blood cells and weakens the immune system. Studies have proven that these eight dietary supplements are among the most effective at enhancing your immunity to infectious diseases.
  • Vitamin D3
  • Vitamins B12 and B6
  • Vitamin C and Zinc
  • Black Elderberry.
  • Astragalus Root.
  • COLD LOWER your immune system?
  • Viruses, such as rhinoviruses and influenza, cause colds and the flu, not the weather. However, exposure to cold weather can increase a person’s risk of contracting a virus. … Cold weather may also reduce the immune response and make it harder for the body to fight off germs
  • Healthy ways to strengthen your immune system
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
  • Get adequate sleep.
  • Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.