| This is a double-blind study of 43 persons positively infected with pulmonary tuberculosis receiving conventional multi-antibiotic treatment to ascertain if the addition of a plant sterol/sterolin mixture could improve the clinical outcome. The study took place over 6 months and the patients were closely monitored with a variety of lab and radiographic tests. The groups receiving the sterol/sterolin mixture showed a significant weight gain over the placebo group. As well, the treatment group showed a significant increase in lymphocytes and eosinophils. The increase in lymphocytes is consistent with previous experiments indicating a T-cell proliferative effect with the oral intake of phytosterols. The increase in eosinophils is difficult to explain, since no previous allergic response has been attributable to the ingestion of the phytosterols. However, other data indicate there may be a relationship between the rise of CD4 lymphocytes and eosinophils. Plant sterols/sterolins have been demonstrated elsewhere to selectively increase CD4 lymphocyte counts. Other lab parameters remained the same between the two groups including hemoglobin, hematocrit, neutrophil count, serum globulin, creatinine, and urea. This preliminary study indicates that plant sterols and sterolins may have a positive role to play in the complementary treatment of immunocompromised patients |
