Policosanol

October 3, 2020

Overview

Policosanol is a chemical most often obtained from sugar cane. It can also be made from other plants, such as wheat.

Policosanol is most commonly used for leg pain due to poor blood circulation (intermittent claudication). It is also used for high cholesterol and clogged arteries, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Classification

Is a Form of:

Chemical most often obtained from sugar cane

Primary Functions:

Leg pain due to poor blood circulation

Also Known As:

32-C, Dotriacontanol, Heptacosanol, Hexacosanol, Nonacosanol, Octacosanol

How Does It Work?

Policosanol seems to decrease cholesterol production in the liver and to increase the breakdown of LDL (low-density lipoprotein or "bad") cholesterol. It also decreases the stickiness of particles in the blood known as platelets.

Uses

Leg pain due to poor blood circulation (intermittent claudication).Taking policosanol by mouth seems to improve the distance people with intermittent claudication can walk without pain.

Recommended Dosing

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

ADULTS

BY MOUTH:

For leg pain due to poor blood circulation (intermittent claudication): 10 mg of policosanol has been taken once or twice daily for up to 2 years.

Policosanol Supplements Frequently Asked Questions

What is Policosanol good for?

Is policosanol effective for lowering cholesterol?

In both clinical and animal studies, policosanol has been shown to significantly reduce levels of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol while increasing levels of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The exact lipid-lowering mechanisms of policosanol have not been adequately elucidated.

Does policosanol really work?

Does Policosanol Reduce Cholesterol? When you think of sugar, you don't think of lowering cholesterol. But Cuban researchers do. In fact they think that a byproduct of the sugar industry, policosanol, is an effective alternative to prescription drugs in reducing blood cholesterol levels.

What foods contain policosanol?

Contents and compositions of policosanol in different plant sources such as rice bran, wheat bran, sugar cane wax, corn kernel, green tea leaves, grain sorghum, perilla seeds and grape seed have been reported [12, 22–25]. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) is an important medicinal plant from the family Asteraceae.

Does policosanol lower blood pressure?

Policosanol was well tolerated, and no drug-related disturbances in safety indicators were found. Policosanol significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (BP) compared with baseline and placebo, which could be an additional advantage in this population at high coronary risk.

Does policosanol lower triglycerides?

RESULTS: Policosanol significantly (p < 0.00001) lowered serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) [20.5%], total cholesterol (TC) [15.4%], triglycerides (11.9%), LDL-C/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio [22.2%] and TC/HDL-C ratio (20.1%), and increased (p < 0.0001) HDL-C (12.7%).

Is Policosanol a plant sterol?

Policosanol also affected total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and triglyceride levels more favorably than plant sterols and stanols. Policosanol caused a clinically significant decrease in the LDL:HDL ratio.

Is policosanol effective for lowering cholesterol?

Does policosanol lower blood pressure?

Is Policosanol safe?

Policosanol is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in doses of 5-80 mg daily for up to 3 years. Side effects of policosanol are generally mild and can include headaches, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, upset stomach, skin redness, or weight loss. But these side effects are relatively uncommon.

Does policosanol lower triglycerides?

Clinical Studies

^ Effects of a nutraceutical combination on left ventricular remodeling and vasoreactivity in subjects with the metabolic syndrome.
^ Long-term effects of nutraceuticals (berberine, red yeast rice, policosanol) in elderly hypercholesterolemic patients.
^ Effects of a nutraceutical combination (berberine, red yeast rice and policosanols) on lipid levels and endothelial function randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
^ Eulipidemic effects of berberine administered alone or in combination with other natural cholesterol-lowering agents. A single-blind clinical investigation.
^ A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of an optimized botanical combination in the management of patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia.
^ a b c Effect of omega-3 and policosanol supplementation on attention and reactivity in athletes.
^ The treatment of hypercholesterolemic children: efficacy and safety of a combination of red yeast rice extract and policosanols.
^ Afinisha Deepam LS, Arumughan C. Effect of saponification on composition of unsaponifiable matter in rice bran oil. J Oleo Sci. (2012)
^ Luciani GB, Swilley S, Starnes VA. Pulmonary atresia, intact ventricular septum, and major aortopulmonary collaterals: morphogenetic and surgical implications. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. (1995)
^ Kim JK, et al. Metabolite profiling based on lipophilic compounds for quality assessment of perilla (Perilla frutescens) cultivars. J Agric Food Chem. (2012)
^ Adhikari P, et al. Policosanol content and composition in perilla seeds. J Agric Food Chem. (2006)
^ a b c d Jung DM, et al. A gas chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometric analysis of policosanols in commercial vegetable oils. J Food Sci. (2011)
^ Irmak S, Dunford NT. Policosanol contents and compositions of wheat varieties. J Agric Food Chem. (2005)
^ Cherif AO, et al. Comparison of the Concentrations of Long-Chain Alcohols (Policosanol) in Three Tunisian Peanut Varieties ( Arachis hypogaea L.). J Agric Food Chem. (2010)
^ a b Reiner Z, Tedeschi-Reiner E, Romić Z. Effects of rice policosanol on serum lipoproteins, homocysteine, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein in hypercholesterolaemic patients. Clin Drug Investig. (2005)
^ Caligiani A, et al. Characterization of a potential nutraceutical ingredient: pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oil unsaponifiable fraction. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. (2010)
^ Ravindranath SV, et al. Policosanol, alpha-tocopherol, and moisture content as a function of timing of harvest of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). J Agric Food Chem. (2009)
^ Thippeswamy G, Sheela ML, Salimath BP. Octacosanol isolated from Tinospora cordifolia downregulates VEGF gene expression by inhibiting nuclear translocation of NF-<kappa>B and its DNA binding activity. Eur J Pharmacol. (2008)
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Banerjee S, Ghoshal S, Porter TD. Activation of AMP-kinase by policosanol requires peroxisomal metabolism. Lipids. (2011)
^ Cabrera L, et al. Study of the stability of tablets containing 10 mg of policosanol as active principle. Boll Chim Farm. (2002)
^ Cabrera L, et al. Stability studies of tablets containing 5 mg of policosanol. Boll Chim Farm. (2003)
^ a b c d e Li Q, Thomson AB, Clandinin MT. Cholesterol ester and free fatty acids are modulated by policosanol in CaCo-2 intestinal cells. J Am Coll Nutr. (2011)
^ Marinangeli CP, et al. Comparison of composition and absorption of sugarcane policosanols. Br J Nutr. (2007)
^ a b c Kassis AN, Jones PJ. Changes in cholesterol kinetics following sugar cane policosanol supplementation: a randomized control trial. Lipids Health Dis. (2008)
^ a b c d Menéndez R, et al. In vitro and in vivo study of octacosanol metabolism. Arch Med Res. (2005)
^ Kabir Y, Kimura S. Tissue distribution of (8-14C)-octacosanol in liver and muscle of rats after serial administration. Ann Nutr Metab. (1995)
^ Kabir Y, Kimura S. Biodistribution and metabolism of orally administered octacosanol in rats. Ann Nutr Metab. (1993)
^ Carling D, Sanders MJ, Woods A. The regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase by upstream kinases. Int J Obes (Lond). (2008)
^ a b c d e Singh DK, Li L, Porter TD. Policosanol inhibits cholesterol synthesis in hepatoma cells by activation of AMP-kinase. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. (2006)
^ Oliaro-Bosso S, et al. Regulation of HMGCoA reductase activity by policosanol and octacosadienol, a new synthetic analogue of octacosanol. Lipids. (2009)
^ Clarke PR, Hardie DG. Regulation of HMG-CoA reductase: identification of the site phosphorylated by the AMP-activated protein kinase in vitro and in intact rat liver. EMBO J. (1990)
^ Ferrer A, et al. Activation of rat liver cytosolic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase kinase by adenosine 5'-monophosphate. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. (1985)
^ Beg ZH, Stonik JA, Brewer HB Jr. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase: regulation of enzymatic activity by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. (1978)
^ Menendez R, et al. Policosanol inhibits cholesterol biosynthesis and enhances low density lipoprotein processing in cultured human fibroblasts. Biol Res. (1994)
^ Menéndez R, et al. Policosanol modulates HMG-CoA reductase activity in cultured fibroblasts. Arch Med Res. (2001)
^ Menendez R, et al. Effect of policosanol on the hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis of normocholesterolemic rats. Biol Res. (1996)
^ Menéndez R, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effect of policosanol on rabbits with hypercholesterolaemia induced by a wheat starch-casein diet. Br J Nutr. (1997)
^ Wang Y, et al. Very long chain fatty acids (policosanols) and phytosterols affect plasma lipid levels and cholesterol biosynthesis in hamsters. Metabolism. (2005)
^ Wang YW, et al. Effects of policosanols and phytosterols on lipid levels and cholesterol biosynthesis in hamsters. Lipids. (2003)
^ a b c d Castaño G, et al. Effects of policosanol on older patients with hypertension and type II hypercholesterolaemia. Drugs R D. (2002)
^ a b c d Castaño G, et al. Effects of policosanol 20 versus 40 mg/day in the treatment of patients with type II hypercholesterolemia: a 6-month double-blind study. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (2001)
^ a b Castaño G, et al. Effects of policosanol in older patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and high coronary risk. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. (2001)
^ a b Pons P, et al. Effects of successive dose increases of policosanol on the lipid profile of patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia and tolerability to treatment. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (1994)
^ a b c Canetti M, et al. A two-year study on the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol in patients with type II hyperlipoproteinaemia. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (1995)
^ a b c Torres O, et al. Treatment of hypercholesterolemia in NIDDM with policosanol. Diabetes Care. (1995)
^ Batista J, et al. Effect of policosanol on hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease in middle-aged patients. A 14-month pilot study. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. (1996)
^ a b Más R, et al. Effects of policosanol in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and additional coronary risk factors. Clin Pharmacol Ther. (1999)
^ a b c Castaño G, et al. Effects of policosanol on postmenopausal women with type II hypercholesterolemia. Gynecol Endocrinol. (2000)
^ a b Castaño G, et al. Effects of policosanol and pravastatin on lipid profile, platelet aggregation and endothelemia in older hypercholesterolemic patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (1999)
^ a b Crespo N, et al. Comparative study of the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol and lovastatin in patients with hypercholesterolemia and noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (1999)
^ a b Castaño G, et al. Effects of policosanol and lovastatin on lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in patients with dyslipidemia associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (2002)
^ a b Castaño G, et al. Comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol with atorvastatin in elderly patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia. Drugs Aging. (2003)
^ a b Castaño G, et al. Comparison of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of original policosanol versus other mixtures of higher aliphatic primary alcohols in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (2002)
^ a b Castaño G, et al. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (2004)
^ a b Fernández S, et al. A pharmacological surveillance study of the tolerability of policosanol in the elderly population. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother. (2004)
^ Castaño G, 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)
^ a b Prat H, Román O, Pino E. Comparative effects of policosanol and two HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on type II hypercholesterolemia. Rev Med Chil. (1999)
^ a b Alcocer L, et al. A comparative study of policosanol Versus acipimox in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Int J Tissue React. (1999)
^ a b Tedeschi-Reiner E, 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)
^ a b Francini-Pesenti F, et al. Effect of sugar cane policosanol on lipid profile in primary hypercholesterolemia. Phytother Res. (2008)
^ a b c Francini-Pesenti F, et al. Sugar cane policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in primitive, diet-resistant hypercholesterolaemia: a double blind, controlled study. Complement Ther Med. (2008)
^ a b Lin Y, et al. Wheat germ policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in subjects with normal to mildly elevated cholesterol concentrations. Metabolism. (2004)
^ a b c d e Berthold HK, et al. Effect of policosanol on lipid levels among patients with hypercholesterolemia or combined hyperlipidemia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. (2006)
^ a b c Greyling A, et al. Effects of a policosanol supplement on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolaemic and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr. (2006)
^ a b c Kassis AN, Jones PJ. Lack of cholesterol-lowering efficacy of Cuban sugar cane policosanols in hypercholesterolemic persons. Am J Clin Nutr. (2006)
^ a b Dulin MF, et al. Policosanol is ineffective in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. (2006)
^ Cubeddu LX, et al. Comparative lipid-lowering effects of policosanol and atorvastatin: a randomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am Heart J. (2006)
^ a b c Backes JM, et al. Modified-policosanol does not reduce plasma lipoproteins in hyperlipidemic patients when used alone or in combination with statin therapy. Lipids. (2011)
^ a b Swanson B, et al. Policosanol for managing human immunodeficiency virus-related dyslipidemia in a medically underserved population: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Altern Ther Health Med. (2011)
^ Menéndez R, et al. Effects of policosanol treatment on the susceptibility of low density lipoprotein (LDL) isolated from healthy volunteers to oxidative modification in vitro. Br J Clin Pharmacol. (2000)
^ Kassis AN, Kubow S, Jones PJ. Sugar cane policosanols do not reduce LDL oxidation in hypercholesterolemic individuals. Lipids. (2009)
^ Arruzazabala ML, et al. Antiplatelet effects of policosanol (20 and 40 mg/day) in healthy volunteers and dyslipidaemic patients. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. (2002)
^ Valdes S, et al. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (1996)
^ a b c d Arruzazabala ML, et al. Effect of policosanol successive dose increases on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Res. (1996)
^ Arruzazabala ML, et al. Comparative study of policosanol, aspirin and the combination therapy policosanol-aspirin on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Res. (1997)
^ Carbajal D, et al. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation and serum levels of arachidonic acid metabolites in healthy volunteers. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. (1998)
^ Arruzazabala ML, et al. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation in type II hypercholesterolemic patients. Int J Tissue React. (1998)
^ Stüsser R, et al. Long-term therapy with policosanol improves treadmill exercise-ECG testing performance of coronary heart disease patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. (1998)
^ Castaño G, et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of policosanol in patients with intermittent claudication. Angiology. (1999)
^ Reiner Z, Tedeschi-Reiner E. Rice policosanol does not have any effects on blood coagulation factors in hypercholesterolemic patients. Coll Antropol. (2007)
^ a b Abdul MI, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of echinacea and policosanol with warfarin in healthy subjects. Br J Clin Pharmacol. (2010)
^ Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults. Executive Summary of The Third Report of The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA. (2001)
^ a b c Castaño G, et al. Effects of addition of policosanol to omega-3 fatty acid therapy on the lipid profile of patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia. Drugs R D. (2005)
^ a b Fontani G, Maffei D, Lodi L. Policosanol, reaction time and event-related potentials. Neuropsychobiology. (2000)
^ Re L, et al. Effects of some natural extracts on the acetylcholine release at the mouse neuromuscular junction. Pharmacol Res. (1999)
^ Noa M, et al. Policosanol prevents bone loss in ovariectomized rats. Drugs Exp Clin Res. (2004)
^ Fisher JE, Rodan GA, Reszka AA. In vivo effects of bisphosphonates on the osteoclast mevalonate pathway. Endocrinology. (2000)
^ Arruzazabala ML, et al. D-003 and warfarin interaction on the bleeding time and venous thrombosis experimentally induced in rats. J Med Food. (2004)
^ Molina V, et al. Synergistic effect of D-003 and aspirin on experimental thrombosis models. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. (2003)
^ Setnikar I, Senin P, Rovati LC. Antiatherosclerotic efficacy of policosanol, red yeast rice extract and astaxanthin in the rabbit. Arzneimittelforschung. (2005)
^ a b c Alemán CL, et al. Carcinogenicity of policosanol in mice: an 18-month study. Food Chem Toxicol. (1995)
^ Alemán CL, et al. A 12-month study of policosanol oral toxicity in Sprague Dawley rats. Toxicol Lett. (1994)
^ a b Rodríguez MD, Garcia H. Evaluation of peri- and post-natal toxicity of Policosanol in rats. Teratog Carcinog Mutagen. (1998)
^ a b Gámez R, et al. A 6-Month Study on the Toxicity of High Doses of Policosanol Orally Administered to Sprague-Dawley Rats. J Med Food. (2001)
^ Rodríguez MD, García H. Teratogenic and reproductive studies of policosanol in the rat and rabbit. Teratog Carcinog Mutagen. (1994)
^ Rodríguez-Echenique C, et al. Effects of policosanol chronically administered in male monkeys (Macaca arctoides). Food Chem Toxicol. (1994)
^ Alemán CL, et al. Carcinogenicity of policosanol in Sprague Dawley rats: a 24 month study. Teratog Carcinog Mutagen. (1994)
Castaño G, et al. A long-term study of policosanol in the treatment of intermittent claudication. Angiology. (2001)
Illnait J, et al. Effects of policosanol (10 mg/d) versus aspirin (100 mg/d) in patients with intermittent claudication: a 10-week, randomized, comparative study. Angiology. (2008)
Mirkin A, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of policosanol in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res. (2001)