Sterols and sterolins: new drugs for the immune system?

• Published in: Drug Discovery Today Vol. 7; no. 14; pp. 775 - 778
• Main Author: Bouic, Patrick J.D
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2002; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: anti-inflammatory; Biological and medical sciences; CD4+ TH1 lymphocytes; cytokines; Drug Design; General pharmacology; HIV infection; Humans; immune modulation; immune stress; Immune System Diseases - drug therapy; Lipoproteins - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytosterols; Phytosterols - therapeutic use; Phytotherapy; sterolins; Sterols - therapeutic use; Structure-Activity Relationship; Plant Science; Pharmaceutical Science; Phytosterols; CD4+ TH1 lymphocytes; Biochemistry; Drug Discovery; Virology; sterolins; Toxicology; Immunology; anti-inflammatory; cytokines; Molecular Medicine; immune modulation; immune stress; HIV infection; Allergy; Nose disease; Rhinitis; Lung; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Mycobacterial infection; Sinusitis; ENT disease; Clinical trial; Phytotherapy; Immune system; Human; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Immune response; Respiratory disease; Pharmacognosy; Retroviridae; AIDS; Feline immunodeficiency virus; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Stress; Infection; Virus; Immunomodulator; Chronic; Treatment; Tuberculosis; Viral disease; Rheumatoid arthritis; Plant origin; Bacteriosis; Paranasal sinus disease; Sterol
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/S1359-6446(02)02343-7

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.