Early Research

The origin

The founder of Dicot Pharma AB, Jarl Wikberg was a professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences at Uppsala University in the early 2000s. During a conference in South Africa, he met Dr Philippe Rasoanaivo, Professor at the Institut Malgache des Recherches Appliquées in Madagascar. Dr Rasoanaivo spoke about his research on the traditional medicine’s use of plants and roots. His particular interest was in plants used to treat failing sexual ability in older men.

Dr Wikberg, who was an expert on pharmacologically active substances that could affect sexual function, became fascinated and suggested a research collaboration. In initial experiments in Uppsala, various botanical extracts were prepared and given to laboratory animals, whereupon Prof. Wikberg found that the animals became more sexually active by some of these extracts.

The discovery of Libiguin

Prof. Wikberg wanted to investigate whether there was a pharmacologically active substance in the preparations that triggered the effect, and if such a substance could be produced as a semi-synthetic pharmaceutical product. Research resulted in the isolation of two previously unknown substances; Libiguin A and Libiguin B. In follow-up studies in rats, both substances proved to have strongly potent effects on their sexual behavior.

Due to the ability to synthesize Libiguin, the attention was turned to plants in southern Africa that contain a closely related but inactive molecule. Through a chemical synthesis it could be converted into the active substance Libiguin.

Research generated since then indicates that Libiguin has a great potential to achieve long-term improvement in male sexual dysfunctions and. Prof. Jarl Wikberg founded the company Dicot Pharma AB with the purpose to develop Libiguin into an approved pharmaceutical drug.