Effect of policosanol on cerebral ischemia in Mongolian gerbils

Abstract

Policosanol is a mixture of higher aliphatic primary alcohols isolated from sugar cane wax, whose main component is octacosanol. An inhibitory effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation and cerebral ischemia in animal models has been reported. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of policosanol on cerebral ischemia induced by unilateral carotid ligation and bilateral clamping and recirculation in Mongolian gerbils. Policosanol (200 mg/kg) administered immediately after unilateral carotid ligation and at 12-or 24-h intervals for 48 h significantly inhibited mortality and clinical symptoms when compared with controls, whereas lower doses (100 mg/kg) were not effective. Control animals showed swelling (tissue vacuolization) and necrosis of neurons in all areas of the brain studied (frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and olfactory tubercle), showing a similar injury profile. In the group treated with 200 mg/kg policosanol swelling and necrosis were significantly reduced when compared with the control group. In another experimental model, comparison between groups showed that the brain water content of control gerbils (N = 15) was significantly higher after 15 min of clamping and 4 h of recirculation than in sham-operated animals (N = 13), whereas policosanol (200 mg/kg) (N = 19) significantly reduced the edema compared with the control group, with a cerebral water content identical to that of the sham-operated animals. cAMP levels in the brain of control-ligated Mongolian gerbils (N = 8) were significantly lower than those of sham-operated animals (N = 10). The policosanol-treated group (N = 10) showed significantly higher cAMP levels (2.68 pmol/g of tissue) than the positive control (1.91 pmol/g of tissue) and similar to those of non-ligated gerbils (2.97 pmol/g of tissue). In conclusion, our results show an anti-ischemic effect of policosanol administered after induction of cerebral ischemia, in two different experimental models in Mongolian gerbils, suggesting a possible therapeutic effect in cerebral vascular disorders.

Effects of policosanol on the recovery of ischemic stroke: a randomized controlled study

“…No demonstration of the mechanisms of the antiplatelet effects of policosanol is available, but they involve a simultaneous decrease of TxA 2 and increase of prostacyclin concentrations rather than an inhibition of COX 2 activity [13,15], being logical to expect a greater antiplatelet efficacy of poli + AS over pla + AS therapy. We also found that poli + AS reduced low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) by 16.7% (week 12) and 25.5% (week 24) as compared to pla + AS, and that also had benefits on total cholesterol and HDL-C.…”

“…Policosanol, a mixture of 8 high molecular weight sugarcane wax alcohols, has reduced platelet aggregation in experimental and clinical studies [9][10][11][12][13]. Also, policosanol has shown protective effects in experimental brain ischemia models, and to increase the antiplatelet/antithrombotic effects of AS [14,15], and long-term administered prevented the progression of carotid-vertebral atherosclerosis in humans [16].…”

Nutritional Supplements Modulating Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors and the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

“…In addition, a few short-term studies indicated that the cholesterol-lowering effect of policosanol was better than that of statins such as simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, probucol, or acipimox and with fewer side effects in patients with type II HC [27][28][29][30]. Prat et al [31], Crespo et al [32] and Noa et al [33] reported that policosanol reduces intermittent claudication [27,34], platelet aggregation [35,36], diastolic blood pressure [DBP] and systolic blood pressure [SBP] [37,38] in older patients with hypertension and type II HC and dyslipidemia in type 2 DM [27,39]; and cerebral ischemia in animals [40]. Policosanol decreased progression and increased regression of CVD as assessed by thallium-labeled myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (TL-MPS) and Doppler-ultrasound, and decreased symptoms of CVD [41][42][43].…”

Protective effects of octacosanol on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinsonism in rats via regulation of ProNGF and NGF signaling

“…Additionally, Policosanol showed a protective effect on the myocardial necrosis induced by isoprenaline in a rat experimental model [34] . Results of another study proved an antiischemic effect of policosanol administered after induction of cerebral ischemia, in two different experimental models in Mongolian gerbils, suggesting a possible therapeutic effect in cerebral vascular disorders [35] . The effects of octacosanol mentioned above made a foundation for the present study design since the reaction mediated by reactive oxygen species was the common feature of those pathological changes including PD.…”