- Policosanol is a cholesterol-lowering natural mixture of primary alcohols, isolated and purified from sugar cane wax. Policosanol is safe and well tolerated, even in populations with high use of concomitant medications.
- Lipid profile improvements with the use of policosanol are seen in healthy volunteers, patients with type II hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), type 2 diabetics with hypercholesterolemia, postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia, and patients with combined hypercholesterolemia and abnormal liver function tests. However, there is controversy in this are based on recent negative evidence.
- Policosanol has performed equal to or better than simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, probucol, or acipimox with fewer side effects in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia.
- Policosanol was approved for use in Cuba in 1991. Currently it is used in more than 25 countries throughout the world, mainly in South America and in the Caribbean region.
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ingredients
Policosanol
Contents
- Bays H, Stein EA. Pharmacotherapy for dyslipidaemia--current therapies and future agents. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2003;4(11):1901-1938.
View Abstract - Berthold HK, Unverdorben S, Degenhardt R, et al. Effect of policosanol on lipid levels among patients with hypercholesterolemia or combined hyperlipidemia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2006 May 17;295(19):2262-9.
View Abstract - Castaño G, Más R, Fernández L, et al. A comparison of the effects of D-003 and policosanol (5 and 10 mg/day) in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, double-blinded study. Drugs Exp Clin Res 2005;31 Suppl:31-44.
View Abstract - Chen JT, Wesley R, Shamburek RD, et al. Meta-analysis of natural therapies for hyperlipidemia: plant sterols and stanols versus policosanol. Pharmacotherapy 2005;25(2):171-183.
View Abstract - Cubeddu LX, Cubeddu RJ, Heimowitz T, et al. Comparative lipid-lowering effects of policosanol and atorvastatin: a randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am Heart J 2006 Nov;152(5):982.e1-5.
View Abstract - Dulin MF, Hatcher LF, Sasser HC, et al. Policosanol is ineffective in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2006 Dec;84(6):1543-8.
View Abstract - Francini-Pesenti F, Beltramolli D, Dall'acqua S, Brocadello F. Effect of sugar cane policosanol on lipid profile in primary hypercholesterolemia. Phytother Res. 2008 Mar;22(3):318-22.
View Abstract - Gamez R, Maz R, Arruzazabala ML, et al. Effects of concurrent therapy with policosanol and omega-3 fatty acids on lipid profile and platelet aggregation in rabbits. Drugs R D 2005;6(1):11-19.
View Abstract - Greyling A, De Witt C, Oosthuizen W, et al. Effects of a policosanol supplement on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolaemic and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2006 May;95(5):968-75.
View Abstract - Illnait J, Castaño G, Alvarez E, Fernández L, Mas R, Mendoza S, Gamez R. Effects of policosanol (10 mg/d) versus aspirin (100 mg/d) in patients with intermittent claudication: a 10-week, randomized, comparative study. Angiology. 2008 Jun-Jul;59(3):269-77.
View Abstract - Kassis AN, Jones PJ. Changes in cholesterol kinetics following sugar cane policosanol supplementation: a randomized control trial. Lipids Health Dis. 2008 Apr 30;7:17.
View Abstract - Mas R, Castano G, Fernandez J, et al. Long-term effects of policosanol on obese patients with Type II Hypercholesterolemia. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2004;13(Suppl):S102.
View Abstract - McCarty MF. An ezetimibe-policosanol combination has the potential to be an OTC agent that could dramatically lower LDL cholesterol without side effects. Med Hypotheses 2005;64(3):636-645.
View Abstract - Reiner Z, Tedeschi-Reiner E. Rice policosanol does not have any effects on blood coagulation factors in hypercholesterolemic patients. Coll Antropol. 2007 Dec;31(4):1061-4.
View Abstract - Tedeschi-Reiner E, Reiner Z, Romić Z, et al. [A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the antilipemic efficacy and tolerability of food supplement policosanol in patients with moderate hypercholesterolemia]. Lijec Vjesn 2005 Nov-Dec;127(11-12):273-9.
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