The Brenn-O-Kem website also contains claims that its products, which include Rooibos tea, Green Rooibos, Devil’s Claw and Grape Leaf, can treat various diseases, including diabetes and arthritis.

An advert on Oxiprovin’s Facebook page states, “Let’s all support our immune systems during these troubling times. Stay safe and stay healthy.”

Oxiprovin has not been evaluated by the South African medicines regulator. This means that despite its claims, Oxiprovin must provide the following warning on its products (which it does on this package insert): “This medicine is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”

Harris Steinman, a doctor who specialises in debunking claims about alternative medicines, told GroundUp, “Oxiprovin makes definitive claims for benefits in humans. In fact, some claims are mostly theoretical extrapolated from research in rats and petri dishes. This is typical pseudoscientific babble to financially exploit consumers.”

Full statement by Nick Hudson
“Sana Partners is a private equity fund. I am one of the directors of the manager of the fund. One of the companies that Sana Partners holds an investment in is Brenn-O-Kem, a company that recycles wine industry waste. Brenn-O-Kem’s main business is the production of tartrates. It is the largest processor of viticultural waste products in South Africa.