title: Sterols and sterolins: new drugs for the immune system?
abstract: Since the discovery of glucocorticoids, we have had a single strategy for manipulating the immune system in cases of destructive diseases mediated by uncontrolled immune responses. However, long-term use of immunosuppressive drugs can lead to the threat of opportunistic infections and malignancies. As we learn more about regulatory subsets of T lymphocytes and their cytokine profiles, the thrust has been on developing new ligands that ultimately give us more site-specific control. Our group has developed a patented mixture of plant sterols and sterolins that has anti-inflammatory properties and profound immune modulating effects on subsets of CD4+ T cells. We have tested this mixture in several clinical entities and we believe that it has wide applications in reverting immune abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa. pjdb@sun.ac.za
authors.forename: Patrick J D
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bouic
mesh_terms: D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013261:Sterols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D010840:Phytosterols; D013261:Sterols