title: [Effects of policosanol on serum lipids and heme oxygenase-1 in patients with hyperlipidemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of policosanol on serum lipid and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in patients with hyperlipidemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized, open study included 72 patients with hyperlipidemia. The patients were randomly assigned to treatment group (policosanol, 20 mg/d, n = 36) or placebo group (placebo, two tablets/d, n = 36). The levels of serum lipids, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), HO-1 were assessed before and after 16 weeks treatment. Drug-induced adverse effects and events were recorded during the observation period. The serum HO-1 was measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) After 16 weeks, all parameters remained unchanged in the placebo group; the level of TC decreased from (7.01 ± 1.03) mmol/L to (5.66 ± 0.83) mmol/L (-19.4%, P < 0.01), the level of LDL-C decreased from (4.78 ± 0.72) mmol/L to (3.70 ± 0.69) mmol/L (-22.5%, P < 0.01) in the treatment group. TG and HDL-C levels remained unchanged (P > 0.05) while the level of HO-1 significantly decreased from (1.82 ± 1.08) µg/L to (1.45 ± 0.81) µg/L (P < 0.01) and the level of hs-CRP decreased from (3.40 ± 3.64) mg/L to (1.86 ± 2.02) mg/L (P < 0.01) in the treatment group. (2) Safety index was similar between placebo and treatment groups (P > 0.05) and there was no adverse events including allergic reaction, muscle pain in all subjects during the observation period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short-term data obtained from this small hyperlipidemia patient cohort suggest that policosanol is a safe lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory agent for hyperlipidemia patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-yue
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Shui-ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rong
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D008055:Lipids; C080710:policosanol; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1