Artemisinins and immune system.

Artemisinins in combination with other antimalarial drugs remain the mainstay of current antimalarial armamentarium. It is interesting to note that many traditional drugs with antiprotozoal background can wield immunomodulation on the recipient's immune system in a positive or negative direction. Artemisinins also attribute immunomodulatory distensions. For instance, they demonstrate predominant immunosuppressive traits toward different immune components by particularly regulating the cellular proliferation and cytokine release, which indicates that they possess some additional mechanisms and features demanding deliberate attentions. This article reviews the data-based immunomodulatory effects of artemisinins on different immune cells including neutrophils, macrophages, splenocytes, T and B cells in conjunction with their therapeutic prospective with regard to inflammation, autoimmunity and delayed-type hypersensitivity.