The DCA Story

  • Over 50 years of DCA research

    Our expertise in immunology for the benefit of all of us

The DCA Story

An Immunomodulator Between Communism and Capitalism

The Pioneer – Dr. Bohuslav Vlcek

The discoverer of the immunomodulator DCA was unfortunately far ahead of his time

Marie & Bohuslav Vlcek

The couple Vlcek - discoverer of deoxycholic acid immunomodulator

The discovery of the effect of deoxycholic acid as an immunomodulator in 1968 was due to the Czech biochemist Dr. Bohuslav Vlcek. He has devoted his life to academic research – a variety of his publications and patents underline this.

Dr. B. Vlcek was a member of the Academy of Sciences. He worked professionally with celebrities such as Nobel laureate Prof. Heyrovsky – both shared a time together at the Institute of Hygiene, Prague.

As is so often the case, he succeeded in discovering the immunological effect of deoxycholic acid by chance. At this time …

… he was a high-ranking scientist in biochemistry at Charles University in Prague. He ordered research into the effects of DCA as an immunomodulator in 1969-1974 in a five-year plan.

However, due to political quarrels and infighting, he had to leave the Czech Republic in 1974 as part of the rising popularity of DCA and go to the West. But this attempt to gain a foothold in “capitalism” in the leap over the iron curtain failed. He was too early for a world that was then chemically enthusiastic about the leap into the plastic age.

Dr. Bohuslav Vlcek died in 1998. Since then, his son Radim Vlcek has continued his work.

The Owner – Radim Vlcek

Legal ownership and management of the DCA project

As the owner of the DCA project – Radim Vlcek – I grew up with DCA as the son of the inventor. In my youth, I experienced the effects of DCA first-hand – my father’s first human experimental carnickel after his self-experiments. Thank God. I grew up with immunomodulation by deoxycholic acid.

I went on my professional career as a therapist, trainer, coach and organizational developer, because I was more passionate about working with people than with things.

But with the death of my father in 1998 …

… his colleagues, fans and customers approached me – with the wish to complete his work. I developed the use of DCA as an immunomodulator even more into the practical and especially into the field of prevention. Because the best drug is the one we don’t need.

DCA has therefore, not only literally, gone into my blood. The know-how of using DCA in medical treatment is a simple practical reality for me – since my childhood. Without this background of experience, I wouldn’t write these lines.

DCA-related PC wear

There is much to learn about the DCA Immunomodulator | Radim Vlcek

The beneficiaries – doctors and patients

The silent users with humanity

DCA on its way to practice

Immunomodulator deoxycholic acid belongs into practical treatment

The effect of DCA as an immunomodulator is widely known in professional circles. This includes researchers, doctors, naturopaths and pharmacists alike.

Most, however, are wary of making known about their affinity or even practical work with DCA. This is simply because the legal hurdles for the use of deoxycholic acid in patients can only be overcome in some cases. In Germany sometimes as a pharmacist’s prescription, sometimes in off-label use.

But DCA is being used in many countries …

… around the world. But soft-footed I receive feedback of the effects that the treaters have in their practices. In some cases from Germany, in others from countries of the world, where it is easier to carry out new therapies.

And that feedback keeps me going on. Because here I see the importance and usefulness of DCA-based immunomodulation for patients, if it is carried out professionally.

The Developers – Research and Pharmaceutical Industry

The change of consciousness to ecology and synergy

There are several scientific publications and clinical studies on the effect of deoxycholic acid as an immunomodulator. The latter were mainly carried out in cases of viral diseases. In addition, there are more and more patents on certain uses of deoxycholic acid.

Many clinical studies on DCA have been going on for a long time, so their integration with the latest research results would make sense. The current DCA research has been gaining momentum in recent years. However, even these first clinical studies on DCA as an immunomodulator do not lose their significance for the behavior of deoxycholic acid in the immune process.

In the last millennium, deoxycholic acid was still too far from the mainstream for the pharmaceutical giants. Medium-sized companies would have liked to have joined, also because …

… their portfolio has in some cases high synergies for DCA-based treatment. But they would have been crushed by the immense cost of introducing a new drug into the market. Until recently, the use of DCA in practice remained a quiet act in the field of complementary medicine. Far below the potential that deoxycholic acid can develop in immunology.

In recent years, however, small progressive companies have launched new uses of deoxycholic acid. All based on their choleretic effect and function in fat metabolism. Although this is far from its immunological effect, the usefulness and approval of deoxycholic acid as an active ingredient has been achieved.

Circumstances such as the Corona crisis in 2020 require a faster rethink. Since I was born more than 50 years ago, the world’s population has doubled and diseases are endangering our entire economic system. Therefore, I think that evolution is too slow and we need accelerated steps to maintain a livable world for us and our descendants. Now is the time to act and to dare to do something new – because standstill is currently the biggest risk.

Several studies and publications on DCA as an immunostimulant

Publications that deal with DCA as an immunomodulator
Publications and patents: DCA immunomodulator

DCA potentiates the immune response

Publication: Potentiation of the immune response with deoxycholic acid (Vlcek, Karls-Univ., CSSR, 1972) – Pub. at DCA Vlcek

GA regulate non-specific immune system

Publikation: Bile Acids Activated Receptors Regulate Innate Immunity (Fiorucci, Univ. of Perugia, Italy, 2018)

DCA in wound healing

Patent: Verwendung von Desoxycholsäure bei Wundheilungsstörungen (Dr. Müller, BRD, 1985)

DCA activates kupffer cells (macrophages)

Publikation: Effect of deoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid on lipid peroxidation in cultured macrophages (Ljubuncic, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, 1996)

Influencing the immune response with DCA

Publikation: Affecting the immunity response with deoxycholic acid (Sborni Lekar, Chyle, CSSR, 1982)

DCA acts in natural cancer defense

Publikation: Evidence of the participation of deoxycholate in cancer immunity (Charles Univ., B. Vlcek, CSSR, 1971) – Pub. bei DCA Vlcek

Bile acids can act antiviral

Patent: Method and composition for the treatment and prevention of viral infections (Health Lab Service Board, Great Britain, 1990)

Macrophages are stimulated by GA

Publikation: Bile acid-activated receptors and the regulation of macrophages function in metabolic disorders (Fiorucci, Univ. of Perugia, Italy, 2020)

DCA investigated to counter stomach cancer

Publikation: Deoxycholic acid inhibits the growth of BGC-823 gastric carcinoma cells via a p53‑mediated pathway (Yang, Henan Univ., China, 2015)

DCA as a steroidal immunopromotor

Publication: Perspectives of steroidal immunopromoters (Vlcek, Karls Univ., CSSR, 1974) – Pub. at DCA Vlcek

GA regulate immune defenses and inflammations

Publikation: Emerging roles of bile acids in mucosal immunity and inflammation (Chen, The Scripps Research Institute, USA, 2019)

DCA modulates inflammatory processes

Publikation: Microbial metabolite deoxycholic acid controls Clostridium perfringens-induced chicken necrotic enteritis through attenuating inflammatory cyclooxygenase signaling (Wang, University of Arkansas, USA, 2019)

DCA effects on herpes

Publication: For the treatment of herpes zoster with deoxycholic acid (Dr. Bradna, Hospital Kutna Hora, 1983, CSSR) – Pub. at DCA Vlcek

GA active in the immune system and inflammations

Publikation: Counter-regulatory role of bile acid activated receptors in immunity and inflammation (Fiorucci, University of Perugia, Italy, 2010)

DCA suppresses tumor growth

Publikation: Deoxycholic acid modulates the progression of gallbladder cancer through N 6-methyladenosine-dependent microRNA maturation (Lin, Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ., China, 2020)

Gallic acids stimulate macrophages

Patent: Immunmodulierende Zusammensetzungen aus Galle (Imutec Corp, Canada, 1996 & 2003)

DCA as Agent in Cancer Immunity

Publication: Toxicity of deoxycholate at pH below 7-3 as a potential cancerostatic property (Vlcek, Karls-Univ., CSSR, 1970) – Pub. at DCA Vlcek

GA control the immune system

Publikation: The Immunomodulatory Role of Bile Acids (Sipka, Univ. of Debrecen, Hungary, 2014)

DCA against gallbladder cancer

Publikation: Deoxycholic acid modulates the progression of gallbladder cancer through N 6-methyladenosine-dependent microRNA maturation (Lin, National Scienc Foundation of China, 2020)

Tackling bowel cancer with UDCA

Patent: Composition for the prevention or treatment of gastric cancer containing urso-deoxycholic acid as an active ingredient (Chosun University, South Korea, 2011)

Livestock feed with DCA supports immune defenses

Patent: Futter und Futterzusatzmittel mit einer verbesserten Resistenz gegen Krankheiten wie Pseudorabies für Vieh, Geflügel und Fisch (National Federation Agriculture, Japan, 1995)

DCA treatment of herpes recurrences

Publication: Deoxycholic acid in the treatment of recurrent herpes Labialis (Chyle, Karls-Univ. Prague, CSSR, 1975) – Pub. at DCA Vlcek

Candida reduced by DCA

Publikation: Secondary bile acids inhibit Candida albicans growth and morphogenesis (Guinan, Oxford University Press, Great Britain, 2018)

Deoxycholic acid regenerates skin

Patent: Composition for skin cell regeneration, anti-wrinkle, antioxidant, anti-imflamation, and skin whitening (LG Household & Health Care Ltd., South Korea, 2015)

DCA heparin against inflammation

Patent: Composition for preventing or treating of inflammatory diseases comprising novel desulfated heparin-deoxycholic acid derivates (Kyungpook University, South Korea, 2012)

UDCA as a cancer drug?

Patent: Compound having anti-cancer effect and method for preparation thereof and application thereof (3D Medicines, China, 2017)

© Header Picture – DCA Vlcek