Viridian Policosanol

(Derived from sugar cane Saccharum officinarum)

Policosanol is a mixture of alcohols isolated and purified from sugar cane. Recently, researchers found that 5-20mg daily of policosanol to be effective at improving serum lipid profiles equal or better than simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, probucol, or acipimox. Policosanol is believed to decrease total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis and increasing LDL processing. Policosanol consists mainly of 66% octacosanol, 12% triacontanol, and 7% hexacosanol.

• Cholesterol Reduction – Policosanol decreases cholesterol synthesis from acetate but not from mevalonate.  However, unlike statin drugs, policosanol does not inhibit HMG-CoA reductase. Although the exact mechanism of HMG-CoA reductase inhibition is unknown, it is thought to modulate the synthesis and degradation of this enzyme. Initial studies using policosanol in healthy volunteers revealed that a 20mg dose reduced TC by 11.3%, LDL by 22%, and increased HDL by 30%.
• Cardiovascular Protection – Besides improving serum lipid profile, policosanol reduces several other cardiovascular disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, platelet aggregation, endothelial cell damage, smooth muscle proliferation, angina, maximum oxygen uptake, and is effective in patients with intermittent claudication.  Doses of 40mg policosanol daily have been shown to significantly reduce triglyceride levels.  Policosanol may have advantages over aspirin because it decreases platelet aggregating thromboxane B2 without affecting platelet anti-aggregating prostacyclin (PGI2).
• Diabetic Support – Policosanol was effective in three studies on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyper-cholesterolemia.  Significant improvements in lipid profiles were noted with no adverse effects on glycaemic control or glycosylated haemoglobin.
• Postmenopausal Health – postmenopausal women are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and improving serum cholesterol levels is important for decreasing the risk. A study of 244 postmenopausal women with type 2 hypercholesterolemia given 10mg policosanol per day, over 24 weeks resulted in a reduction of 16.8% TC, 25.4% LDL, 29.6% LDL/HDL, and 27.3% TC/HDL, and HDLs increased 29.3%.