The Therapeutic and Protective Potential of Lupeol in Immune Modulation and Disease Prevention

Abstract

Lupeol is a phytosterol and triterpene mainly derived from edible vegetables and fruits, and possesses therapeutic and preventive properties against various diseases. It has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on T-cell activation and cytokine production, playing an important role in immune regulation. Lupeol regulates the immune response by suppressing excessive T-cell activation, cytokine production, and inflammatory responses through modulation of pathways such as p-38 and NF-kB, thereby enhancing the immune response in progressive diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Additionally, lupeol enhances Th1 immune responses by shifting the balance from the Th2 domain, increasing T cells and Th1 cytokines, promoting delayed-type hypersensitivity, and upregulating genes involved in reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide production during infection. Additionally, it exhibits immunosuppressive effects by reducing inflammatory cytokines like IFN-γ and IL-2, which may help regulate immune responses during infections. This makes lupeol a therapeutic compound useful in managing immune responses in inflammatory diseases.