Policosanol is the generic term for a natural extract of plant wax

Wax

thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...

es. It is used as a nutritional supplement intended to lower LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) and increase HDL cholesterol ("good" or "healthy" cholesterol) and to help prevent atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...

, though some studies have raised questions about the effectiveness of policosanol.

Physical properties

Policosanol is a mixture of a few fatty alcohol

Fatty alcohol

Fatty alcohols are aliphatic alcohols consisting of a chain of 8 to 22 carbon atoms. Fatty alcohols usually have even number of carbon atoms and a single alcohol group attached to the terminal carbon. Some are unsaturated and some are branched...

s derived from the waxes of such plants as sugar cane and yams

Yam (vegetable)

Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...

, as well as beeswax

Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis. It is mainly esters of fatty acids and various long chain alcohols...

. The most prevalent alcohol in policosanol is octacosanol, followed by triacontanol

Triacontanol

1-Triacontanol is a fatty alcohol of the general formula C30H62O, also known as melissyl alcohol or myricyl alcohol. It is found in plant cuticle waxes and in beeswax. Triacontanol is a growth stimulant for many plants, most notably roses, in which it rapidly increases the number of basal breaks....

.

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

1-Heptacosanol

1-Heptacosanol is a fatty alcohol....

, 1-nonacosanol

1-Nonacosanol

1-Nonacosanol is a fatty alcohol....

, 1-dotriacontanol

1-Dotriacontanol

1-Dotriacontanol is an alcohol....

, and geddyl alcohol.

Modulation of HMG-CoA reductase

HMG-CoA reductase

HMG-CoA reductase is the rate-controlling enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, the metabolic pathway that produces cholesterol and other isoprenoids...

 and bile acid

Bile acid

Bile acids are steroid acids found predominantly in the bile of mammals. Bile salts are bile acids compounded with a cation, usually sodium. In humans, the salts of taurocholic acid and glycocholic acid represent approximately eighty percent of all bile salts. The two major bile acids are cholic...

 absorption inhibition have been proposed as mechanisms.

Studies

Published studies have come to conflicting conclusions regarding the efficacy

Efficacy

Efficacy is the capacity to produce an effect. It has different specific meanings in different fields. In medicine, it is the ability of an intervention or drug to reproduce a desired effect in expert hands and under ideal circumstances.- Healthcare :...

 of policosanol in lowering LDL (i.e., "bad cholesterol") or raising HDL

High density lipoprotein

High-density lipoprotein is one of the five major groups of lipoproteins, which, in order of sizes, largest to smallest, are chylomicrons, VLDL, IDL, LDL, and HDL, which enable lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides to be transported within the water-based bloodstream...

 (i.e., "good cholesterol"). Despite a number of studies funded by the Cuban government, which produces and markets the drug, independent clinical trials have found no evidence of the efficacy of policosanol.

Production

Policosanol is produced, promoted and studied extensively in Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

. The supplement is considered a panacea

Panacea (medicine)

The panacea , named after the Greek goddess of healing, Panacea, also known as panchrest, was supposed to be a remedy that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely...

by some Cubans.

External links

• Policosanol at PDRHealth.com