Octacosanol

Octacosanol/Drug Interactions:

  • AnticoagulantsAnticoagulants: Based on a clinical trial using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may decrease claudication (14). However, the administration of policosanol and warfarin to rats did not enhance the prolongation of the bleeding time induced by warfarin alone (53).
  • Antidiabetic agentsAntidiabetic agents: Side effects of Octa-60g potentially include skin rash or increased glucose and alanine aminotransferase, although individual values stayed within the normal range (26).
  • AntihypertensivesAntihypertensives: Based on several clinical studies and one animal study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may decrease arterial pressure (10; 11; 12; 13).
  • Antilipemic agentsAntilipemic agents: Based on several clinical trials using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have hypocholesterolemic effects (17; 25; 27; 28; 30; 37).
  • Antiplatelet agentsAntiplatelet agents: Based on a gerbil study and two clinical studies using policosanol and aspirin, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have additive platelet aggregation inhibiting effects in healthy patients and improve clinical evolution and exercise-ECG responses in patients with coronary heart disease, when used with aspirin (54; 45; 38).
  • AspirinAspirin: Based on a gerbil study and two clinical studies using policosanol and aspirin, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have additive platelet aggregation inhibiting effects in healthy patients and improve clinical evolution and exercise-ECG responses in patients with coronary heart disease, when used with aspirin (54; 45; 38).
  • Beta blockersBeta blockers: Based on several clinical studies using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may decrease arterial pressure and may interaction pharmacologically with beta-blockers (10; 11; 12). Based on an animal model using policosanol, pretreatment with high doses may significantly increase propranolol-induced hypotensive effects (13).
  • Hepatotoxic agentsHepatotoxic agents: Side effects of Octa-60g potentially include skin rash or increased glucose and alanine aminotransferase, although individual values stayed within the normal range (26).
  • Nitrates (nitroprusside)Nitrates (nitroprusside): Based on an animal study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly increase nitroprusside-induced hypotensive effects (46).

    • Octacosanol/Herb/Supplement Interactions:

  • Anticoagulants and antiplateletsAnticoagulants and antiplatelets: Based on a clinical trial using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may decrease claudication (14). However, the administration of policosanol and warfarin to rats did not enhance the prolongation of the bleeding time induced by warfarin alone (53). Based on a gerbil study and two clinical studies using policosanol and aspirin, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have additive platelet aggregation inhibiting effects in healthy patients and improve clinical evolution and exercise-ECG responses in patients with coronary heart disease, when used with aspirin (54; 45; 38).
  • Antidiabetic agentsAntidiabetic agents: Side effects of Octa-60g potentially include skin rash or increased glucose and alanine aminotransferase, although individual values stayed within the normal range (26). Based on a clinical study in elderly patients with type II hyperlipidemia administered 10mg policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce glucose levels, but may not influence glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes (28; 39).
  • AntilipemicsAntilipemics: Based on several clinical trials using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have hypocholesterolemic effects (17; 25; 27; 28; 30; 37).
  • Hepatotoxic herbsHepatotoxic herbs: Based on a clinical study in elderly patients with type II hyperlipidemia administered 10mg policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce AST levels (28). However, side effects of Octa-60g potentially include skin rash or increased glucose and alanine aminotransferase, although individual values stayed within the normal range (26).
  • HypotensivesHypotensives: Based on several clinical studies and one animal study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may decrease arterial pressure (10; 11; 12; 46; 13).
  • Omega-3 fatty acids/fish oilOmega-3 fatty acids/fish oil: Based on a rabbit study, concurrent therapy with policosanol and omega-3 fatty acids may have an additive lowering effect on the lipid profile and platelet aggregation (40).
  • Willow barkWillow bark: Based on a gerbil study and two clinical studies using policosanol and aspirin, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have additive platelet aggregation inhibiting effects in healthy patients and improve clinical evolution and exercise-ECG responses in patients with coronary heart disease, when used with aspirin (54; 45; 38).

    • Octacosanol/Food Interactions:

  • FishFish: Based on a rabbit study using policosanol, concurrent therapy with octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) and omega-3 fatty acids may have an additive lowering effect on the lipid profile and platelet aggregation (40).
  • Potato pulp fermented with Rhizopus oryzae, vegan diet, oat bran, flaxseed, garlicPotato pulp fermented with Rhizopus oryzae, vegan diet, oat bran, flaxseed, garlic: Theoretically, there may be additive hypocholesterolemic effects with octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) due to significant amounts of policosanol found in this product (55; 56).

    • Octacosanol/Lab Interactions:

  • 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha (prostacyclin)6-Keto-PGF1 alpha (prostacyclin): Based on an animal study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly increase 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels (54; 57). Based on a human two-week study of 10mg policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may not affect the level of prostacyclin (58).
  • Blood pressureBlood pressure: Based on a clinical trial of policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressures (10; 11; 12). However, single doses of policosanol (25, 50, and 200mg/kg) orally administered to spontaneously hypertensive rats did not significantly change arterial pressure (13).
  • Claudication distanceClaudication distance: Based on clinical trials of policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly increase the mean values of initial and absolute claudication distances (20; 24; 27; 14).
  • Coagulation panelCoagulation panel: Based on several clinical trials of policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may not change coagulation time (59; 45; 60). However, another clinical study using policosanol did find that it decreased claudication (14). A gerbil study and two clinical studies using policosanol and aspirin showed that octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may have additive platelet aggregation inhibiting effects in healthy patients and improve clinical evolution and exercise-ECG responses in patients with coronary heart disease, when used with aspirin (54; 45; 38). Based on two clinical trials using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may induce modest but significant reductions of fibrinogen levels (27; 14). Based on an animal study using policosanol (5-20mg/kg per day, orally), octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may increase circulating platelet counts in plasma (61).
  • Creatine phosphokinase (CPK)Creatine phosphokinase (CPK): Based on a clinical study in elderly patients with type II hyperlipidemia administered 10mg policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce CPK levels (28).
  • GlucoseGlucose: Based on a clinical study in elderly patients with type II hyperlipidemia administered 10mg policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce glucose levels, but may not influence glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes (28; 39).
  • Lipid panelLipid panel: Based on clinical studies of policosanol 5-40mg, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce total cholesterol, LDL-C, and the ratios of LDL-C to HDL-C and total cholesterol to HDL-C, and increase HDL-C (17; 46; 19; 21; 22; 48; 23; 25; 26; 10; 27; 28; 14; 11; 29; 30; 1; 33; 34; 12; 35). Based on a clinical trial using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may not change triglyceride levels (19; 23; 14; 30). However, in clinical trials up to three years long, policosanol decreased triglyceride levels (28; 11; 25).
  • Liver enzymesLiver enzymes: Based on a clinical study in elderly patients with type II hyperlipidemia administered 10mg policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce AST levels (28). Side effects of Octa-60g potentially include skin rash or increased glucose and alanine aminotransferase, although individual values stayed within the normal range (26).
  • Malondialdehyde (MDA)Malondialdehyde (MDA): Based on clinical and animal studies using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may reduce malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels (46).
  • Serum creatinineSerum creatinine: Based on a clinical study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce creatinine values (17).
  • Specific activity scaleSpecific activity scale: Based on a clinical study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly improve the results of this test of cardiovascular capacity after a year of therapy (24).
  • ThromboxaneThromboxane: Based on clinical and animal studies using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may reduce thromboxane A (2) serum levels (54; 46).
  • Thrombus weightThrombus weight: Based on an animal study using policosanol, octacosanol (the main component of policosanol) may significantly reduce thrombus weight (57; 53; 58).