Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose significantly lowers blood cholesterol in mildly hypercholesterolemic human subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the cholesterol-lowering efficacy of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in mildly hypercholesterolemic humans.


METHODS
Trial one: entry mean (range) total serum cholesterol values of eight female and four male subjects were 6.48 (5.57-7.51) mmol l(-1) (250 (215-290) mg dl(-1)) and 6.60 (5.57-7.64) mmol l(-1) (255 (215-295) mg dl(-1)), respectively. Trial two: corresponding values for 20 women and 20 men were 5.96 (5.43-6.48) mmol l(-1) 230 (210-250) mg dl(-1)) and 6.05 (5.46-6.63) mmol l(-1) 233 (211-256) mg dl(-1)), respectively.


RESULTS
Trial one: HPMC decreased (P< or =0.05) total and LDL-cholesterol 9.3 and 15.3% (medium), 16.9 and 23.5% (high) and 13.8 and 19.4% (ultra-high), respectively, over placebo. Trial two: total and LDL-cholesterol decreased (P< or =0.05) throughout the 8 weeks, with mean (weeks 4-8) reductions of 7 and 8% at 5 g day(-1), and 12 and 15% at 15 g day(-1), respectively, over placebo. Adverse effects were minimal. Trial one: medium, high and ultra-high viscosity HPMC at 15 g day(-1) for 1 week each;1-week wash-out between treatments. Trial two: ultra-high viscosity HPMC at 5 or 15 g day(-1) for 8 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
HPMC soluble fiber, especially high-viscosity grades, significantly lowers cholesterol at well-tolerated doses, showing promise as a treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
Reppas
C
C
College of Pharmacy, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Swidan
S Z
SZ
Tobey
S W
SW
Turowski
M
M
Dressman
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003106:Colon / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008297:Male; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D014280:Triglycerides; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose; D002784:Cholesterol