Vaccine with herbal adjuvant—A better cocktail to combat the infection

Abstract

Cross-talk between microbe and the host makes important contribution to the subsequent course of infection. Edward Jenner and Louis Pasteur—Fathers of vaccinology have wisely thought of combating an infectious bug with the same bug in a non-infectious form. Then on, vaccines have taken a great toll as a prophylactic agent to improve the quality of human life. Vaccines are successful in controlling a substantial portion of the morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Though vaccines against few diseases like small pox, polio and cholera are highly successful, the stories of failed vaccines are far more. An ideal vaccine candidate should be able to elicit the correct response, either Th1 or Th2 to combat the infection along with a strong immune memory. Use of adjuvant in the vaccine preparation is a long standing practice. Despite major advances in our understanding of vaccine adjuvants, both old and new vaccines seem likely to depend on aluminium salts