Abstract: Isolated immunomodulatory (e.g. immunostimulatory) polyhydroxlated pyrrolizidine compounds having the formula are disclosed. In these compounds R is selected from hydrogen, straight or branched, unsubstituted or substituted, saturated or unsaturated acyl, alkyl (e.g. cycloalkyl), alkenyl, alkynyl and aryl groups. The compounds are useful in therapy and prophylaxis, including increasing the Th1:Th2 response ratio, hemorestoration, alleviation of immunosuppression, cytokine stimulation, treatment of proliferative disorders (e.g. cancer), vaccination, stimulation of the innate immune response and boosting of the activity of endogenous NK cells.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the quality of a herbal medicine comprising the steps of: (a) providing a sample of the herbal medicine (b) extracting the sample with a polar solvent to produce a polar extract (c) subjecting the polar extract to ion-exchange chromatography to produce an extract enriched in ionic compounds (d) chromatographically fractionating the enriched extract to yield one or more polar fractions (e) characterizing the polar fractions.