title: Effects of chitosan on plasma lipids and lipoproteins: a 4-month prospective pilot study.
abstract: Chitosan can favorably modulate plasma lipids, but the available data are not conclusive. We evaluated the effect of chitosan on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in 28 patients with plasma triglyceride levels >150 mg/dL (mean age: 63 ± 12 years), not taking other lipid-lowering agents. All patients received a chitosan derived from fungal mycelium (Xantonet, Bromatech, Italy) at a fixed dose of 125 mg/d in addition to their current medications for 4 months. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to measure low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subclasses. After treatment, total cholesterol reduced by 8%, LDL cholesterol by 2%, and triglycerides by 19%, with a concomitant 14% increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We also found a beneficial effect of chitosan on LDL subclasses, with a significant increase in LDL-2 particles (from 37 ± 8% to 47 ± 8%, P = .0001) and a decrease (although not significant) in atherogenic small, dense LDL. Whether these findings may affect cardiovascular risk remains to be established in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Department of Medicine, Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology, Italy Paolo Sotgiu Institute for Quantitative and Evolutionary Psychiatry and Cardiology, L.U.de.S. University, Lugano, Switzerland manfredi.rizzo@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Manfredi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria Vincenza
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nikolic
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology, Italy Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.affiliation: Paolo Sotgiu Institute for Quantitative and Evolutionary Psychiatry and Cardiology, L.U.de.S. University, Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cocchi
authors.affiliation: Second Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katsiki
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montalto
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D048271:Chitosan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D048271:Chitosan; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: chitosan; lipids; lipoproteins; therapy