Peripheral Immune Tolerance - Modern Immunological Mechanisms in Light of Ayurvedic and Unani Concepts of Homeostasis and Disease Regulation

This review article examines peripheral immune tolerance as a fundamental regulatory process that preserves immune homeostasis and prevents pathological self-reactivity. Drawing on contemporary immunology, the paper outlines key cellular and molecular mechanisms, including regulatory T cells, immune checkpoint pathways, clonal anergy, and peripheral deletion, which collectively restrain harmful immune activation. Dysregulation of these mechanisms underlies autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, cancer immune evasion, and transplant rejection. The article further explores conceptual parallels within Ayurvedic and Unani medical systems, highlighting traditional frameworks of immune regulation such as Vyadhikshamatva, Ojas, Dosha balance, Mizaj, and Quwwat-e-Mudabbira-e-Badan. Rather than proposing direct mechanistic equivalence, the study emphasizes philosophical and functional convergence between modern immunological tolerance and classical notions of balance, moderation, and intrinsic regulatory intelligence. By integrating biomedical science with traditional holistic perspectives, this work offers an interdisciplinary conceptual framework for understanding immune restraint and disease regulation. The article aims to support scholarly dialogue in integrative immunology, encourage tolerance-focused therapeutic approaches, and provide a foundation for future research into sustainable management of immune-mediated disorders.