In autumn and winter months, when common cold often spreads, people tend to buy over-the-counter products first, which they can get at a pharmacy, in specialized stores or online. Unlike medicines, dietary supplements don't require testing of active compounds, that is why there is no assurance they are safe and effective. The purpose of the master’s thesis was to assess the composition and safety of products on our market, that support the immune system or contain at least one ingredient, that modulates its action. We selected 45 ingredients in total and described 12 of them in detail, which were mostly found in the products alone or in combination. We selected 6 herbal medicines and 107 dietary supplements. Based on the doses of ingredients, used in clinical studies, we searched for doses of ingredients, that modulate immune system, in the reviewed products. We also collected information on safe dosages and side effects the ingredients may cause, as well as potential drug interactions. All 6 medicines are effective and safe for strengthening the immune system and 67,3 % of dietary supplements were found to be justified for immune system support. A small number of supplements could also be used in autoimmune diseases and hypersensitivity reactions (9,3 %) and immunodeficiency (2,8 %), according to results of studies, but more well-designed researches are needed to confirm this. The only ingredient in medicines, for this indication, is purple coneflower, which is, in addition to beta-glucans, also the most common ingredient, found in dietary supplements. Of the selected ingredients, it is the only medicinal plant, that has its own herbal monograph of European Medicines Agency for the relief of cold symptoms, its effects have also been confirmed in clinical studies. For elderberry, garlic and geranium, effects are just based on their traditional use. In order to strengthen the immune system, we estimate that, on the basis of the reviewed literature, herbal medicines and supplements containing these plants in appropriate doses, as well as supplements with beta-glucans, propolis and probiotics, are beneficial for this purpose. 20 dietary supplements (19,4 %) exceeded the daily doses of certain ingredients, mostly vitamins and minerals, according to the doses permitted by the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of the Republic of Slovenia. In addition, 14 dietary supplements (13,6 %) contained ingredients, for which we didn't find safety studies or herbal drug wasn't in the same form, as in the reviewed products. The most common in supplements were also vitamin C (41,1 %), zinc (40,2 %), vitamin D (29,9 %), selenium (15,9 %) and vitamin B6 (12,1 %). We found that 19 ingredients, which we classified as those that contribute to the immunomodulation, can cause potential drug interactions.
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