Background: Malnutrition may be due to undernutrition and/or overnutrition and is responsible for morbidity and mortality. Fulfilling nutrition requirements of all human age groups is necessary for maintenance of health and quality of life. Nutritional supplements, or daily diet, must include a sufficient amount of macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, and fat), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and nonessential dietary components such as fiber. Main body: There is a bidirectional relationship that exists between nutrition, infection, and immunity; children are dying due to malnutrition that weakens their immunity and makes them more susceptible to pathogen attack. Culinary and herbal resources containing macro-and micronutrients are required to achieve nutritional deficiencies. Conclusion: In this review, we have documented different culinary herbs that have been used as prime herbal nutritional source and these herbs might be helpful in malnutrition and boosting immunity. The review contains the description of nutritional levels and their distribution to different age group people. This review gives insight to herbal products that boost immunity to fight against infections by restoring micronutrients.

Background:The present study demonstrated HPLC method development for quantitative measurement of phytoconstituents present in food-grade polyherbal suspension (PHS) and evaluated its nutritional efficacy in the rat. Procedure: The PHS was prepared by mixing the dried extracts of Nelumbo nucifera (NN) seeds, seeds of Euryale ferox (EF) and fruits of Trapa natans (TN) with other excipients. The PHS was analyzed using the HPLC method for the development and validation of the phytoconstituents present in PHS as compared to standard biomarkers. The nutritional efficacy of PHS was evaluated on malnourished rats by observing body weight, food intake, biochemical and haematological data. Results: Results exhibited that the developed HPLC method was simple, rapid, sensitive and cheap for the determination of phytoconstituents in the PHS. The nutritional composition of NN, EF and TN revealed that protein content was highest in TN (21.30%), NN (14.30%) and EF (13.16%) respectively. PHS restored the haematological data of malnourished rats with values of 7.37 10 3 /μL, RBC; 11.75 g/dL, Hb; and 1147 10 3 /μL, platelets at 400 mg/kg dose compared to the control group. The result of biochemical data exhibited that cholesterol and triglyceride levels were 36.08 and 60.28 mg/dL, respectively after treatment with PHS (400 mg/kg). PHS also enhanced the bodyweight of animals in comparison to the control group. Conclusion: Thus, PHS may be an alternative nutritional formulation against protein deficiency-induced malnutrition.

Aim: The aim of present investigation was to determine the efficacy of a polyherbal formulation. [Composed of Nelumbo nucifera (NN), Euryale ferox (EF) and Trapa natans (TN)]. Materials and Methods: The seeds of NN and EF and fruits of TN were extracted using hydroethanol (1:1) solvent. The dried extract of each plant was used for phytochemical investigation and DPPH radical scavenging activity to determine antioxidant activity. Polyherbal suspension (PHS) was prepared using dried extracts with other excipients. Acute toxicity study was performed for the PHS before in vivo experiment on animals. Albino Wistar rats were selected for the evaluation of immunomodulatory activity of PHS. Immunosuppression was induced by administration of cyclophosphamide subcutaneously on day 0 in all treated groups and treatment with test drug was continued for 14 days. Results: Results exhibited that extracts showed presence of various secondary metabolites including flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, amino acids, carbohydrates and starch. The prepared PHS was found safe in acute oral toxicity study with no harm to animal's up to 2000 mg/kg dose. The percentage inhibition of DPPH radial by NN, EF and TN were 86.67%, 85.78% and 89.88%, respectively at the concentration of 200 μg/mL. PHS showed significant immunomodulatory activity by increasing neutrophil adhesion to 47.94% in 400 mg/kg dose with mean neutrophil percentage of 40.05%. Results of hematological parameters revealed that PHS restored all the levels of blood components in 400 mg/kg dose. Conclusion: Thus, PHS may be used as an effective and safe formulation in the treatment of immune deficiency.

Background: Malnutrition is the common universal health problem but it is more chronic for the developing countries. Due to increasing nursing home recognition it has become a major research priority, internationally. Lower immunity due to malnutrition has a high prevalence and other clinical consequences. Disease-related malnutrition is potentially severe for patients along with high economic impact on the healthcare system. Objectives: The aim of this review is to described various experimental models employed for evaluation of malnutrition and immunomodulatory activities. Methods: This review is intended for both clinicians and researchers describing number of screening methods that better suits to the type of lead compounds and suitability to screen molecules for better treatment outcomes. Results: This review focuses on the various screening methods for evaluation of malnutrition and suggests implications for research and practice. Conclusion: The malnutrition induced diseases cause a raise in health care costs than can be minimized with an introduction of drugs and nutritional supplements by selecting proper screening models and performing exhaustive research.