Efficacy Assessment of Five Policosanol Brands and Damage to Vital Organs in Hyperlipidemic Zebrafish by Six-Week Supplementation: Highlighting the Toxicity of Red Yeast Rice and Safety of Cuban Policosanol (Raydel®).

Policosanol is a mixture of long-chain aliphatic alcohols (LCAAs) derived from various plant and insect origins that are marketed by various companies with distinct formulations and brand names. Policosanols offer several beneficial effects to treat dyslipidemia and hypertension; however, a comprehensive functionality comparison of various policosanol brands has yet to be thoroughly explored. In the present study five distinct policosanol brands from different origins and countries, Raydel-policosanol, Australia (PCO1), Solgar-policosanol, USA (PCO2), NutrioneLife-monacosanol, South Korea (PCO3), Mothernest-policosanol, Australia (PCO4), and Peter & John-policosanol, New Zealand (PCO5) were compared via dietary supplementation (1% in diet, final wt/wt) to zebrafish for six weeks to investigate their impact on survivability, blood lipid profile, and functionality of vital organs under the influence of a high-cholesterol diet (HCD, final 4%, wt/wt). The results revealed that policosanol brands (PCO1-PCO5) had a substantial preventive effect against HCD-induced zebrafish body weight elevation and hyperlipidemia by alleviating total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) in blood. Other than PCO3, all the brands significantly reduced the HCD's elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). On the contrary, only PCO1 displayed a significant elevation in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level against the consumption of HCD. The divergent effect of PCO1-PCO5 against HCD-induced hepatic damage biomarkers, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), was observed. PCO1, PCO2, and PCO4 efficiently curtailed the AST and ALT levels; however, PCO3 and PCO5 potentially aggravated the HCD's elevated plasma AST and ALT levels. Consistently, the hepatic histology outcome revealed the least effectiveness of PCO3 and PCO5 against HCD-induced liver damage. On the contrary, PCO1 exhibited a substantial hepatoprotective role by curtailing HCD-induced fatty liver changes, cellular senescent, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production. Likewise, the histological outcome from the kidney, testis, and ovary revealed the significant curative effect of PCO1 against the HCD-induced adverse effects. PCO2-PCO5 showed diverse and unequal results, with the least effective being PCO3, followed by PCO5 towards HCD-induced kidney, testis, and ovary damage. The multivariate interpretation based on principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) validated the superiority of PCO1 over other policosanol brands against the clinical manifestation associated with HCD. Conclusively, different brands displayed distinct impacts against HCD-induced adverse effects, signifying the importance of policosanol formulation and the presence of aliphatic alcohols on the functionality of policosanol products.

Efecto sobre la actividad in vitro de las enzimas cicloxigenasa y 5-lipoxigenasa de los alcoholes octacosanol y el triacontanol / Effects of octacosanol and triacontanol alcohols on ciclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase enzyme activities in vitro

Introducción: el policosanol, mezcla de ocho alcoholes purificados de la cera de la caña de azúcar, contiene octacosanol como componente mayoritario. El D-002, mezcla de seis alcoholes alifáticos primarios purificada de la cera de abejas, presenta triacontanol como el componente mayoritario. Aunque ambas sustancias son mezclas de alcoholes de alto peso molecular, exhiben diferente composición y perfil farmacológico como son sus efectos sobre las enzimas del metabolismo del ácido araquidónico: mientras el policosanol inhibe la actividad de ciclooxigenasa (COX)-1, el D-002 inhibe las actividades de la COX y la 5-lipooxigenasa (5-LOX). Objetivo: investigar los efectos del octacosanol y el triacontanol, principales componentes del policosanol y el D-002, respectivamente, sobre las actividades de las enzimas COX y 5-LOX in vitro. Métodos: el policosanol y el triacontanol se suspendieron en vehículo Tween-20/H2O (2 por ciento) (0.6-5000g/mL). Los efectos de la adición de estos alcoholes sobre las actividades de las enzimas COX-1, COX-2 y 5-LOX se evaluaron en microsomas de plaquetas de ratas, microsomas de vesículas seminales de ratas y en preparaciones de polimorfonucleares (PMN) de ratas, respectivamente. Se utilizó indometacina (0.4 µg/mL) como inhibidor de referencia de COX-1 and COX-2 y Lyprinol como inhibidor de 5-LOX. Resultados: la adición de octacosanol inhibió la actividad de COX-1 de modo significativo, marcado (70 por ciento con la concentración mayor) (CI50=143.54 g/mL) y dependiente de la dosis (r=0.991, p <0.001). La adición de triacontanol, sin embargo, no afectó COX-1, pero inhibió de modo significativo y dependiente de la dosis (r=0.985, p <0.001) la actividad de la COX-2 hasta 50 por ciento con 1250 g/mL. En contraste, el octacosanol no modificó la actividad de la COX-2. La indometacina inhibió COX-1...

Introduction: policosanol, a mixture of eight primary aliphatic alcohols purified from sugar cane wax, contains octacosanol as major component. D-002, a mixture of six primary aliphatic alcohols purified from beeswax, presents triacontanol as the main component. Although both substances are high molecular weight alcohol mixtures, they have different compositions and pharmacological effects such as their distinct effects on arachidonic acid metabolism enzymes; whereas policosanol inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, D-002 inhibits COX and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) activities. Objective: to study the effects of octacosanol and triacontanol, which are main components of policosanol and D-002, respectively on the COX and the 5-LOX enzyme in vitro activities. Methods: triacontanol and octacosanol were suspended in a Tween-20/H2O (2 percent) (0.6-5000 g/mL) vehicle. The effects of adding these alcohols on COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes activities were assessed in rat platelet microsomes, rat seminal vesicle microsomes and rat polymorphonuclear (PMN) preparations, respectively. Indomethacin (0.4µg/mL) was used as reference inhibitor of COX-1 and COX-2, and Lyprinol as 5-LOX inhibitor. Results: octacosanol showed significant, marked (70 percent with highest concentration) (IC50=143.54 g/mL) and dose-dependent (r=0.991, p <0.001) inhibitory action on COX-1 activity. However, Triacontanol did not affect COX-1, but inhibited significantly, depending on dose (r=0.985, p <0.001) the COX-2 activity to 50 percent with 1250 g/mL. In contrast, octacosanol did not change COX-2 activity. Indomethacin inhibited both COX-1...

Effects of octacosanol and triacontanol alcohols on ciclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase enzyme activities in vitro / Efecto sobre la actividad in vitro de las enzimas cicloxigenasa y 5-lipoxigenasa de los alcoholes octacosanol y el triacontanol

INTRODUCTION: policosanol, a mixture of eight primary aliphatic alcohols purified from sugar cane wax, contains octacosanol as major component. D-002, a mixture of six primary aliphatic alcohols purified from beeswax, presents triacontanol as the main component. Although both substances are high molecular weight alcohol mixtures, they have different compositions and pharmacological effects such as their distinct effects on arachidonic acid metabolism enzymes; whereas policosanol inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, D-002 inhibits COX and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) activities. OBJECTIVE: to study the effects of octacosanol and triacontanol, which are main components of policosanol and D-002, respectively on the COX and the 5-LOX enzyme in vitro activities. METHODS: triacontanol and octacosanol were suspended in a Tween-20/H2O (2 %) (0.6-5000 g/mL) vehicle. The effects of adding these alcohols on COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes activities were assessed in rat platelet microsomes, rat seminal vesicle microsomes and rat polymorphonuclear (PMN) preparations, respectively. Indomethacin (0.4µg/mL) was used as reference inhibitor of COX-1 and COX-2, and Lyprinol as 5-LOX inhibitor. RESULTS: octacosanol showed significant, marked (70% with highest concentration) (IC50=143.54 g/mL) and dose-dependent (r=0.991, p <0.001) inhibitory action on COX-1 activity. However, Triacontanol did not affect COX-1, but inhibited significantly, depending on dose (r=0.985, p <0.001) the COX-2 activity to 50 % with 1250 g/mL. In contrast, octacosanol did not change COX-2 activity. Indomethacin inhibited both COX-1 and COX-2 by 83 %. Octacosanol addition was ineffective whereas triacontanol had significant, dose-dependent (r=0.978, p<0.001) and marked effect (79 %) on the 5-LOX activity (IC50=58.74 g/mL). Lyprinol inhibited 5-LOX by 89 %. The inhibitions induced by octacosanol and triacontanol were competitive. CONCLUSIONS: in vitro addition of octacosanol and triacontanol caused differential effects on COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX enzyme activities. Whereas octacosanol markedly inhibited COX-1 activity and did not change those of COX-2 and 5-LO, triacontanol markedly inhibited 5-LOX activity, but had moderate effect on COX-2 and did not change COX-1 activity.

INTRODUCCIÓN: el policosanol, mezcla de ocho alcoholes purificados de la cera de la caña de azúcar, contiene octacosanol como componente mayoritario. El D-002, mezcla de seis alcoholes alifáticos primarios purificada de la cera de abejas, presenta triacontanol como el componente mayoritario. Aunque ambas sustancias son mezclas de alcoholes de alto peso molecular, exhiben diferente composición y perfil farmacológico como son sus efectos sobre las enzimas del metabolismo del ácido araquidónico: mientras el policosanol inhibe la actividad de ciclooxigenasa (COX)-1, el D-002 inhibe las actividades de la COX y la 5-lipooxigenasa (5-LOX). OBJETIVO: investigar los efectos del octacosanol y el triacontanol, principales componentes del policosanol y el D-002, respectivamente, sobre las actividades de las enzimas COX y 5-LOX in vitro. MÉTODOS: el policosanol y el triacontanol se suspendieron en vehículo Tween-20/H2O (2 %) (0.6-5000g/mL). Los efectos de la adición de estos alcoholes sobre las actividades de las enzimas COX-1, COX-2 y 5-LOX se evaluaron en microsomas de plaquetas de ratas, microsomas de vesículas seminales de ratas y en preparaciones de polimorfonucleares (PMN) de ratas, respectivamente. Se utilizó indometacina (0.4 µg/mL) como inhibidor de referencia de COX-1 and COX-2 y Lyprinol como inhibidor de 5-LOX. RESULTADOS: la adición de octacosanol inhibió la actividad de COX-1 de modo significativo, marcado (70 % con la concentración mayor) (CI50=143.54 g/mL) y dependiente de la dosis (r=0.991, p <0.001). La adición de triacontanol, sin embargo, no afectó COX-1, pero inhibió de modo significativo y dependiente de la dosis (r=0.985, p <0.001) la actividad de la COX-2 hasta 50 % con 1250 g/mL. En contraste, el octacosanol no modificó la actividad de la COX-2. La indometacina inhibió COX-1 y COX-2 en un 83 %. Mientras la adición del octacosanol no fue efectiva, el triacontanol inhibió de modo significativo, dependiente de la dosis r=0.978, p <0.001) y marcadamente (79 %) la actividad de la 5-LOX (CI50=58.74 g/mL). El Lyprinol inhibió la 5-LOX en un 89 %. Las inhibiciones inducidas por el octacosanol y el triacontanol fueron competitivas. CONCLUSIONES: la adición in vitro de octacosanol y triacontanol produjo efectos diferenciales sobre las actividades enzimáticas de COX-1, COX-2 y 5-LOX. Mientras el octacosanol inhibió marcadamente la actividad de COX-1, sin afectar COX-2 y 5-LOX; el triacontanol inhibió marcadamente 5-LOX, pero moderadamente COX-2, y no cambió la actividad de COX-1.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of octacosanol from the leaves of Sabicea grisea var. grisea in mice.

Sabicea species are used in the Amazon for treatment of fever and malaria, which suggests that its chemical constituents may have some effect on pain and inflammation. Phytochemical analysis of the hexane fraction obtained from the crude ethanol extract from Sabicea grisea var. grisea Cham. & Schltdl (Rubiaceae), an endemic plant in Brazil, resulted in the isolation of octacosanol. This study investigated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the octacosanol in different experimental models. The crude ethanolic extract and hexane fraction obtained from the leaves of S. grisea produced an inhibition of acetic acid-induced pain. Moreover, octacosanol isolated from the hexane fraction produced a significant inhibition of pain response elicited by acetic acid. Pre-treatment with yohimbine, an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, notably reversed the antinociceptive activity induced by octacosanol in the abdominal constriction test. Furthermore, mice treated with octacosanol did not exhibit any behavioral alteration during the hot plate and rota-rod tests, indicating non-participation of the supraspinal components in the modulation of pain by octacosanol with no motor abnormality. In the formalin test, octacosanol did not inhibit the licking time in first phase (neurogenic pain), but significantly inhibited the licking time in second phase (inflammatory pain) of mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of octacosanol was evaluated using carrageenan-induced pleurisy. The octacosanol significantly reduced the total leukocyte count and neutrophils influx, as well as TNF-α levels in the carrageenan-induced pleurisy. This study revealed that the mechanism responsible for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of the octacosanol appears to be partly associated with an inhibition of alpha 2-adrenergic transmission and an inhibition of pathways dependent on pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, these results demonstrated that the octacosanol from the leaves of S. grisea possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities, which could be of relevance for the pharmacological control of pain and inflammatory processes.