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23 March 2022 | Story André Damons | Photo UFS Photo Archive
Prof Matsabisa
Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa is a professor and Director of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS)

The Department of Pharmacology at the University of the Free State (UFS) and FARMOVS have teamed up to conduct the first South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)-approved multicentre controlled clinical trial of a plant-based product, PHELA, on mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.  

According to Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa, professor and Director of Pharmacology at UFS, it is anticipated that the trial will start in early April with each patient being on treatment for 28 days.

“The main purpose of the clinical trial is to confirm that the product can treat COVID-19 and be registered as a medication for this indication. We believe the medication works as an immune modulator to modulate the cytokine storm due to COVID-19 and also restores and normalises the patient’s immune system. We plan to have 250 patients who suffer from mild to moderate COVID-19,” explains Prof Matsabisa. 

This pivotal study, he says, is based on the modification of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Master protocol for clinical trials. The use of FARMOVS, a wholly owned clinical research company of the UFS Bloemfontein campus, for this clinical trial was to implement the collaborative initiatives between UFS and FARMOVS on clinical research, training, and other research projects.

What is PHELA?

Prof Matsabisa, deputy president of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology Society (SASBCP), says the development of PHELA has been under stringent scientific scrutiny for its safety in both preclinical and clinical research. The efficacy of PHELA as both an immune modulator and an anti-SARS-COV-2 has been proven in vitro and in vivo with reproducible results conducted by three independent research institutions and a science council.
The Department of Pharmacology and FARMOVS are collaborating on a number of studies to advance clinical research on African Traditional Medicines (ATM).

On the use of PHELA, Prof Matsabisa explains: “PHELA is a herbal product made of four medicinal plants. Traditionally PHELA has been claimed for use for a historical disease called muyaga, but recently has been scientifically tested and found effective as an immune modulator and benefiting persons with a compromised immune system.
“The PHELA plants are found in most provinces of South Africa and we have cultivated them to control their growth to produce quality raw materials.” 

“The SAHPRA-approved clinical trial will be conducted in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng. The clinical trial will be conducted by a complement of medical staff and clinicians with vast experience of many active years of clinical trials.
 
“The study, we believe, is a benchmark for all future traditional medicines clinical trial protocols and studies. The studies are expected to start immediately after the product batch manufacturing of the study product, PHELA, is completed and this will be within a month’s time. “A lot of good scientific preclinical safety and efficacy research has gone into the development of the study product for it to reach this stage.

“The efficacy studies have shown convincingly that PHELA is an immune reconstitution product and does have an effect in killing the SARS-COV-2 virus and most of its variants.  PHELA efficacy, therefore, needs to be confirmed through randomised controlled multicentre clinical trials in COVID-19 patients,” Prof Matsabisa says.

Medicinal plants have previously been used to eradicate life-threatening viruses 

Although medicinal plants have been used to combat previous pandemics such as the Spanish flu, avian influenza and others, we still believe rigorous control and efficacy thereof is still to be supported by scientific research and development, says Prof Matsabisa. 

Prof Matsabisa, the current chairperson of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Expert Advisory Committee on Traditional Medicines (REACT), adds: “We have better technologies and resources now, which is why we should take the next step in research to promote consumer safety and to offer them effective alternatives. We do the science to aid in building the herbal industry and develop sustained consumer confidence in traditional medicines. 

Africa should lead the way to a healthier future for all
“My vision is for Africa to share our valuable resources with the world by developing, and distributing world-class medicinal solutions. We should develop and strengthen the pharmaceutical local production of well-researched, quality, safe and efficacious African traditional medicines as commercial products. We are more than capable of doing so and now is the time to do it. Numerous discussions have taken place where other African countries will join South Africa in conducting multicentre studies in clinical trials for traditional medicines. 

“We need to develop or create, based on this current collaborative work with partners like FARMOVS, health centres with a strong focus on African medicines, health products and healing, but in a very strong collaborative initiative with other health systems”, concludes Prof Matsabisa.

Prof Matsabisa was recently awarded a Visiting Professorship at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) in Beijing, China. He was also recommended to Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, to be part of the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) working group in traditional medicine through his participation in the national department of health technical committee on traditional medicines where he has been appointed by the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla.

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Graduates challenged to fulfil their leadership obligations
2017-12-08


 Description: 2017 December summer graduation Tags: 2017 December summer graduation 

Photo: Johan Roux

Graduation videos

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6 December: Morning
6 December: Afternoon
7 December: Morning
7 December: Afternoon

A total number of 1 226 qualifications, including diplomas, certificates, and degrees, were conferred during the two days of the 2017 End-of-Year Graduation Ceremony which took place on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). Forty doctorates and 109 master’s degrees were awarded. Most doctorates (19) were awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences which  also conferred the biggest number of master’s degrees (27).

Celebrating excellence
Some of the highlights at this year’s graduation ceremonies were when the university honoured Prof Paul Holloway and Marius Botha with honorary doctorates and Joyene Isaacs with the Chancellor’s Medal. 

Isaacs, Head of the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, who was nominated by the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences for the Chancellor’s Medal, said: “Agriculture is one of those areas people take for granted. With this medal, agriculture can come to the fore. Agriculture is placed in the spotlight and it is important for this country, but also globally, because we look after the food supply. For me agriculture has been a sustainable livelihood but also a career. Everything about agriculture excites me! I hope that through this award I can take agriculture to the next level.”

Prof Holloway, internationally acclaimed expert in the science and technology of surfaces, thin films, and nanoparticles, who received the Honorary Doctorate in Science degree, said: “This award recognises the efforts we (the UFS and the University of Florida in the US) have jointly developed. We introduced the UFS to phosphors and today it (the UFS) has world-wide recognition expertise in this field. We also learnt from them. They brought us technology we did not have before. It was a mutual growth technique and we all benefit from that. If you work together you can achieve remarkable things.”

“It is the greatest honour of my life. I’ve been associated with the UFS for 17 years in the capacity of moderator, examiner and sometimes lecturer.” These were the words of Botha, author and expert in the financial planning circles of South Africa who was nominated for an honorary degree by the School of Financial Planning Law.

Botha told graduates that a qualification in the financial planning field would give you many opportunities. “If you enter almost any financial services organisation in South Africa, you will find senior people there that completed the postgraduate diploma in Financial Planning Law at the UFS,” he said.

During a luncheon that was hosted by Prof Francis Petersen, the UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, in honour of these esteemed graduates, he thanked them for the contribution they had made, not only for the UFS, but for advancing science, technology, and the better of society. “The Honorary degrees and Chancellor’s Medal are the highest accolades and recognition that the university can bestow on individuals who have excelled in science or scholarship or have contributed to service to this country. You are exemplary individuals and you make the UFS, our country and the world proud,” he said. 

 Description: 2017 Summer Graduation read more Tags: 2017 Summer Graduation read more 

Photo: Johan Roux

Inspiration for the future
Likeleli Monyamane, a UFS Council member, addressed graduates during the morning ceremony on 6 December 2017. She motivated graduates to walk tall and learn to serve our country. “Finding your voice comes with a responsibility to speak for those who do not have a voice,” Monyamane said. 

Leah Molatseli, who launched South Africa’s first legal e-commerce website, Lenoma Legal, was the guest speaker at the afternoon session on 6 December 2017. “You are going to start afresh. It is going to feel like you know absolutely nothing and it’s ok. You need to make peace with that in order for you to learn. 

“A lot of young people expect instant success when they enter a job. I am 29 and have had three jobs, two side jobs and numerous certificates. But I decided to create my own future. That is what I did with Lenoma Legal. Some people are meant to be ordinary and some extraordinary,” said this young entrepreneur and Kovsie Alumnus.

On the second day of the graduation ceremonies Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder and Director of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, challenged the newly graduated alumni to be carriers of hope for Africa. “We need people of skill, spirituality and heart,” he said. 

“How do you want others to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself? We South Africans, we can make things happen. Believe in yourself,” he said. 

“The best science you can do is for others. The moment you achieve that, you mean something to someone,” he said. 

Prior to dissolving the congregations, Dr Khotso Mokhele, the Chancellor of the UFS, said: “It has taken hard work, commitment, dedication, to walk across the stage. You deserve all of that.” 

Interesting facts of the graduation
Among the graduates at these ceremonies was former Miss World 2014, Rolene Strauss. She received a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree. 

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is also very proud of the first group of BAgric students who graduated on the Agricultural College Programme. The eight agriculture students all received the Bachelor of Agriculture degree, majoring in Agricultural Management.

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