 The Moducare story - How was it discovered?The Moducare® Story
R.W. Liebenberg - A Man of Vision
How it all began
I grew up in a South African community far removed from orthodox medical care. Folk remedies based on plants and herbs were used to treat whatever ailed the family.
In 1958, I witnessed the dramatic recovery of an old man from a possibly fatal illness after he was treated with an herbal extract. That event finally convinced me that plants contained some secret elixir, which had not been discovered by man. It also prompted me to embark on research which was to continue for the next forty years.
In 1968, after ten years of private research when I treated family and friends, I founded Essential Sterolin Products (ESP) to continue research on a formal basis. Prof. Karl Pegel of the University of Natal in Durban and his assistant Engela de Witt were the first scientists sponsored to work for ESP. Their goal was to isolate the elusive, active compound in the plant that was responsible for the remarkable cure I had witnessed ten years previously.
Prof. Pegel and his team were able to extract a fatty substance which was identified as sitosterol by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Sitosterol had been identified as early as 1922 and was used in large doses to block the absorption of dietary cholesterol. Apart from that, it appeared to have no proven significant biological activity. Nonetheless, Prof. Pegel's group continued their work and discovered that in their efforts to isolate the sterol, they had destroyed the most important compound - the sterolin.
The research team proceeded to develop a product that contained sterols and sterolins in the same ratio as found in the original herbal extract. Their work led to the release in 1974 of Harzol® - a patented remedy for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). ESP started exporting this product to Germany where it has been prescribed to hundreds of thousands of BPH patients over the past 25 years. Harzol® was a product of Hoyer &Co. in Germany.
The income generated by the export of Harzol® enabled ESP to invest more than 5 million dollars in sponsoring research in South Africa, Europe and the USA. Studies focused on the immune modulating properties of sterols and sterolins and eventually resulted in the patented product called Moducare®. This research has been published in international scientific journals and we hold several international patents. ESP continues to sponsor research programs driven by the conviction that the human immune system holds the key to overall health. The success of ongoing clinical trials confirms our faith that the combination of plant sterols and sterolins found in Moducare® is extremely valuable in the management of many diseases.
I trust that you will find the information on this website useful and that you will support our efforts to help more people benefit from an affordable treatment that can keep their natural resistance functioning optimally and can enable them to live normal lives.
R.W. Liebenberg
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 What research has there been into sterol/sterolins and Moducare?Moducare has been the subject of a detailed research programme for over 20 years. Sterols and sterolins have been tested on over 25,507 human patients . No abnormal findings or adverse drug events occurred in any of these trials.
Extensive articles into this research can be found on the Moducare website by following the links below.
http://www.moducare.com/research.asp
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 What are sterols / sterolins?Sterols / sterolins are plant fats that are present in every single plant (fruit and vegetables). Chemically sterols are very similar to the animal fat, cholesterol, but totally different in biological function. |
 How are sterols / sterolins related to the hypoxis plant? The original research was conducted on the hypoxis plant. Sterols / sterolins were found to be the main active compound of this plant. Since then sterols / sterolins have been extracted from other plant materials that have them in higher concentrations. |
 What is the effect of sterols / sterolins on the immune system? Sterols and sterolins have been shown to modulate the functions of T cells by enhancing their cellular division and their secretion of important soluble factors called lymphokines. Sterols/sterolins promote the activity of the cytotoxic cells. The activities of these cells are of the utmost importance in fighting off viral diseases or diseases involving bacteria which live inside cells, for example, tuberculosis. |
 Do sterols / sterolins help the body cope with stress? Stress (physical and mental) has a detrimental effect on the immune system due to the synthesis and release of hormones such as Cortisol. During excessive physical stress, the immune system is inhibited by the secretion of Cortisol and the increased release of pro-inflammatory factors due to tissue damage. Sterols / sterolins have been shown to reverse these processes. Plant sterols / sterolins decrease the blood levels of Cortisol as well as the factors which induce inflammation like, for example, tissue damage, muscular aches and stiffness. |
 Are there any side effects or contra-indications?There are no known side effects or contra-indications. |
 While undergoing chemotherapy, is it advisable for me to take sterols / sterolins to build up my immune system? Yes, sterols and sterolins protect bone marrow. |
 Why supplement a normal healthy diet with sterols / sterolins when they occur naturally in fruit and vegetables? Modern diets are often deficient in fruits, vegetables and seeds. These are the most important sources of sterols and sterolins. Sterols and sterolins are bound to the fibres in plants and as a result are difficult to absorb. Refining processes applied in the food industry are aimed at making products more appealing to the eye and palate. These processes remove sterols and sterolins from food and render it less nutritious. Modern food preparation and storage methods impact negatively on the nutritional value of our daily diet. All these factors contribute to an insufficient supply of sterols and sterolins.
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 Are sterols / sterolins beneficial in the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis?Yes. Sterols and sterolins assist in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis because of their anti-inflammatory properties and due to the fact that they decrease cytokine secretions in the cynovial fluid. |
 How long should should sterols / sterolins be used?Sterols and sterolins should be used on a continuous basis 3 capsules per day on an empty stomach. Do not take sterols and sterolins with animal products as they inhibit absorption of the plant sterols.
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The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the fermain.com site.
