Policosanol for the Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2005-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Policosanol, a compound derived from sugar cane wax and available in health food stores
across the United States, is a popular non-prescription product for treating
hypercholesterolemia. Virtually all of the published medical literature on policosanol has
been authored by research groups in Cuba.
This study will assess the short-term safety and efficacy of policosanol in healthy adults
who have a baseline LDL-C of 130-200. The recruitment population will be derived from primary
care clinics consisting primarily of Caucasian and African-American patients. The primary
outcome measurements will be the percentage change in LDL-C. Secondary outcomes will include
changes in total cholesterol, HDL-C, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, and lipoprotein
sub-particles. This will be the first known randomized clinical trial of policosanol in North
America.
The data derived from this pilot study regarding the lipid lowering effects of policosanol
will be used to support applications for further funding through institutions outside the
Carolinas Healthcare System including the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Specific Aim: To independently corroborate the lipid lowering effects of policosanol in a
small pilot study.