Source: Ophthalmology  |  Posted 9 years ago

Policosanol at either 40 or 20 mg daily produces similar effects on platelet aggregation, with no enhanced effect from the higher dose.

In a double-blind study, researchers from the National Center for Scientific Research, Cubanacan and Surgical Medical Research Center, Havana City, Cuba, assessed the effect of 30 day treatment with placebo or policosanol 20 and 40 mg daily on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers and patients with type II hypercholesterolaemia. Researchers assessed platelet aggregation using three triggers: arachidonic acid; collagen; and low dose ADP.

Policosanol produced a moderate reduction in platelet aggregation in both normal and hypercholesterolaemic volunteers, and the two doses did not differ significantly in their effect. A non-significant increase following placebo in collagen- and ADP-induced aggregation in normal and hypercholesterolaemic subjects respectively partially masked policosanol's effects.

After 30 days, policosanol reduced low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 15.9 and 17.0 percent at 20 and 40 mg daily respectively. Total cholesterol declined by 12.4 and 12.3 per cent, respectively. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol rose by 5 per cent in both groups, while triglycerides declined compared with baseline. However, the change in triglycerides did not differ significantly from placebo.

The authors concluded that 40 and 20 mg daily policosanol produce similar effects on platelet aggregation. Therefore, the higher dose of policosanol does not appear to enhance the response.