Note:  A preliminary version of this story was posted 3 weeks ago and has been updated now upon release of the entire study in order to reflect the latest information.

HIV/AIDS Clinical Trial using Oleander is 100% Successful

by Tony Isaacs

In the article "Success Against Cancer and HIV in South Africa " I reported how the Sutherlandia OPC supplement from South Africa designed by South African HIV and cancer crusader and researcher Marc Swanepoel had been virtually 100% successful in stabilizing and reversing HIV symptoms and over 90% successful against a broad range of cancers.

(Pictured to the left is successful trial participant Thulani Mncwango)

As a result of this success with several hundred people over the past almost four years, earlier this year Mr. Swanepoel devised and helped conduct a small scale clinical trial to measure the effectiveness of his supplement ingredients - the common oleander plant, Nerium Oleander, and the "South Africa Cancer Bush" Sutherlandia Frutescens - against HIV at a well known Johannesburg AIDS clinic.

The clinical trial has just concluded with results as impressive as the previous reports: All of the HIV patients improved significantly whereas all of the placebo group continued to decline.

In the trail, a double blind, placebo controlled study, the 20 participants were patients attending the AIDS clinic and they were not on any special diets.  The herbal supplement mix was given to half of the patients in a commercially available soy/milk product which had added vitamins added. The patients receiving the placebo got only the soy/milk and vitamins without the herbal mix. None of the patients knew what they were getting.  Throughout the trial,  patients in both groups had blood tests performed by registered pathology labs to measure blood levels of CD4.

From Mr. Swanepoel's Summary:

Results and Findings

Three of the individuals in the placebo group withdrew as a result of continuous deterioration of their condition. In all three cases this happened within the first 30 days of starting on the placebo. They were given the choice of taking anti-retrovirals or the real herbal mixture without participating in the rest of the study. Two chose to take anti-retrovirals while the third one decided to take the real mixture. From the Tables and Graphs it can be seen that the group that had received the Herbal Mixture had an average CD4 count increase of 135 while the placebo group had an average CD4 count decrease of 87.

The following categorical statement can thus be made: An herbal mixture of Sutherlandia Frutescens and Oleander Nerium is effective in increasing the CD4 counts of HIV-positive individuals with initial CD4 counts of less than 400 in a meaningful way over a 60-day period.

It is also significant that the liver enzymes, which are indicators of possible liver damage when they keep on going higher, were lowered or stable in all the participants who received the herbal mixture. Apart from a little bit of initial diarrhea, there were also no adverse events in the group which received the herbal mixture. On the other hand, three participants in the placebo group withdrew from the study due to deterioration of their condition. Two of them opted to go onto anti-retrovirals while the third chose to go onto the herbal mixture.

The individual with the lowest increase in CD4 count in the group which received the herbal mixture had a remarkable recovery. When he started on the study, he was lucky enough to draw the herbal mixture. At the time he was on crutches and could hardly walk. He was suffering from tuberculosis and he had sores on his feet and all over his body. Within two to three weeks he started improving and by the end of the 60 day period, he was up and about with no clinical signs of AIDS. His tuberculosis has improved dramatically and his improvement was followed after the 60-day period. His CD4 count has improved continuously and he is very optimistic that he has had a complete recovery.

(Note: The name of this participant is Thulani Mncwango, shown in the above photo after 60 days of steady improvements while on the OPC supplement.)

Summary

The data indicates clearly that the herbal mixture that was used in the study resulted in a dramatic improvement of the participating AIDS patients who received it. While the placebo group continued to deteriorate, the CD4 counts of the group receiving the mixture increased and their liver enzymes stabilized. The Null Hypothesis was thus proved incorrect and the Research Hypothesis was shown to be true. The study showed that an herbal mixture consisting of Sutherlandia Frutescens and Nerium Oleander is effective in increasing the CD4 counts of HIV-positive individuals who have a CD4 count below 400 and who are showing clinical symptoms of AIDS. It also showed that this improvement came about without causing any liver damage and that liver enzymes of participating individuals improved or stabilized during the study period.

The complete trial report with charts may be downloaded and viewed at the following link:

http://www.tbyil.com/HIV_OPC_Trial.pdf

Notes:

A great many studies and trials have been conducted on oleander extract during the past couple of decades, including an FDA phase I trial currently underway at MD Anderson for a new oleander pill formulation of Phoenix Biotech. Many of the most important previous studies have been led by and/or participated in by noted MD Anderson researcher Doctor Robert A Newman. A list of many of Dr. Newman's studies on oleander and cardiac glycosides may be found at:

http://www.tbyil.com/Newman_Studies.htm

The website for Sutherlandia OPC is http://www.sutherlandiaopc.com

The informational website for Sutherlandia Frutescens (The "South Africa Cancer Bush") is http://www.sutherlandia.org