Policosanol (or polycosanol) is the generic term for a natural extract of plant waxes. Its users believe it can lower (bad) LDL cholesterol and increase (good) HDL cholesterol and to help prevent atherosclerosis. Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees (beeswax) and used by them in constructing their honeycombs. ... Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) refers to a class and range of lipoprotein particles, varying somewhat in their size and contents, which carry cholesterol in the blood and around the body, for use by various cells. ... High density lipoproteins (HDL) form a class of lipoproteins, varying somewhat in their size and contents, that carry cholesterol from the bodys tissues to the liver. ...

Physical properties

Policosanol is a mixture of a few fatty alcohols derived from the waxes of such plants as sugar cane and yams, as well as beeswax. The most prevalent alcohol in policosanol is octacosanol, followed by triacontanol. Fatty alcohols are aliphatic alcohols derived from natural fats and oils. ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... Yam is the common name for members of the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae). ... Beeswax cake Fresh wax scales (in the middle of the lower row) Beeswax is a product from a bee hive. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

There is a much lower concentration of several other fatty alcohols: behenyl alcohol, lignoceryl alcohol, ceryl alcohol, 1-heptacosanol, 1-nonacosanol, 1-dotriacontanol, and geddyl alcohol.

Studies

Policosanol is touted as a natural way to treat high cholesterol levels. Published studies have come to conflicting conclusions regarding the efficacy of policosanol in lowering LDL (i.e., "bad cholesterol") or raising HDL (i.e., "good cholesterol").^[1][2] Many of the studies that have found positive effects of policosanol have come from one group in Cuba,^{[citation needed]} whose research has been funded by Dalmer Laboratories (aka Laboratorios Dalmer). This company was created by the National Center for Scientific Research in Havana, Cuba specifically to market policosanol. Cuba produces sugar cane, one of the sources of policosanol. A German study failed to find evidence of cholesterol-lowering effects. In this study, 143 participants with hypercholesterolemia or combined hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to policosanol at doses of 10, 20, 40 or 80 milligrams daily or placebo. After 12 weeks, the researchers found no statistically or clinically significant effect on LDL-C, HDL-C, total cholesterol, triglycerides, or lipoproteins. In other words they found policosanol to be of no clinical value.^[1]

Production

Policosanol is produced, promoted and studied extensively in Cuba, where pharmaceutical research and sugar cane farms both exist in abundance. The supplement is used as a panacea by some Cubans. Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. ... In Greek mythology, Panaceia, or Πανάκεια (Latin Panacea), was the goddess of healing. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Heiner K. Berthold, MD, PhD; Susanne Unverdorben, MD; Ralf Degenhardt, PhD; Michael Bulitta, Dipl-Stat; Ioanna Gouni-Berthold, MD (May 17, 2006). "Effect of Policosanol on Lipid Levels Among Patients With Hypercholesterolemia or Combined Hyperlipidemia". Journal of the American Medical Association 295 (19): 2262-2269. Retrieved on 3 October 2006.
2. ^ Pons P, Rodriguez M, Robaina C, Illnait J, Mas R, Fernandez L, Fernandez JC. (1994). "Effects of successive dose increases of policosanol on the lipid profile of patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia and tolerability to treatment". International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Research 14 (1): 27-33. PMID 7927958. Retrieved on 3 October 2006.

External links

• Policosanol at PDRHealth.com
• Monograph at www.policosanol.com