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Russo V, Napolitano N, Ascrizzi A, Leonardi S, Pisacane F, Di Micco P, Imbalzano E, Sasso FC, D’Andrea A, Caturano A, Mauriello A. The Lipid-Lowering Efficacy of a Nutraceutical Combination Including Leucoselect Phytosome, Red Yeast Rice, Policosanol and Folic Acid in Dyslipidaemia Patients: Real-World Insights. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:447. [PMID: 38675408 PMCID: PMC11053596 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease is a global health concern and reducing plasma LDL-C levels is a major goal in cardiovascular prevention. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutraceutical formulation including leucoselect® phytosome®, red yeast rice, policosanol and folic acid on LDL-c levels in patients at low cardiovascular risk with dyslipidemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS We prospectively enrolled all consecutive patients with dyslipidemia at low cardiovascular risk who were unresponsive to diet and physical activity. Clinical assessments and laboratory analyses, encompassing lipid profile, hepatic function, and CPK levels, were performed at baseline prior to initiating treatment and repeated at the 12-week mark following administration of the study nutraceutical. RESULTS Sixty (60) consecutive patients (mean age 48.02 ± 10.1 years; 60% male) were included. At the 12-week follow-up, a statistically significant reduction in Total Cholesterol (13.1%) and LDL-c serum level (20.4%) was observed. Hepatic and muscular function remain stable over the time. The adherence to therapy was 99% and the persistence was maximum. CONCLUSIONS The nutraceutical formulation including leucoselect® phytosome® red yeast rice, policosanol and folic acid significantly reduced the LDL-c plasma levels, consistent with previous research showing that the bioactive component in red yeast rice-lovastatin-is effective in addressing problems with lipid metabolism. Importantly, it was safe and well-tolerated among patients with dyslipidemia in a real-world setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Russo
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medical Translational Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.N.); (A.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Nicola Napolitano
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medical Translational Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.N.); (A.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Antonia Ascrizzi
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medical Translational Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.N.); (A.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Silvia Leonardi
- Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Pierpaolo Di Micco
- Department of Medicine, Presidio Ospedaliero Santa Maria delle Grazie, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy;
| | - Egidio Imbalzano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Carlo Sasso
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy (A.C.)
| | - Antonello D’Andrea
- Department of Cardiology, Umberto I Hospital, 84014 Nocera Inferiore, Italy
| | - Alfredo Caturano
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy (A.C.)
| | - Alfredo Mauriello
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medical Translational Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy; (N.N.); (A.A.); (A.M.)
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy (A.C.)
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Cicero AFG, Kennedy C, Knežević T, Bove M, Georges CMG, Šatrauskienė A, Toth PP, Fogacci F. Efficacy and Safety of Armolipid Plus ®: An Updated PRISMA Compliant Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13020638. [PMID: 33669333 PMCID: PMC7920267 DOI: 10.3390/nu13020638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Armolipid Plus® is a multi-constituent nutraceutical that claims to improve lipid profiles. The aim of this PRISMA compliant systematic review and meta-analysis was to globally evaluate the efficacy and safety of Armolipid Plus® on the basis of the available randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trials (RCTs). A systematic literature search in several databases was conducted in order to identify RCTs assessing the efficacy and safety of dietary supplementation with Armolipid Plus®. Two review authors independently identified 12 eligible studies (1050 included subjects overall) and extracted data on study characteristics, methods, and outcomes. Meta-analysis of the data suggested that dietary supplementation with Armolipid Plus® exerted a significant effect on body mass index (mean difference (MD) = -0.25 kg/m2, p = 0.008) and serum levels of total cholesterol (MD = -25.07 mg/dL, p < 0.001), triglycerides (MD = -11.47 mg/dL, p < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD = 1.84 mg/dL, p < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD = -26.67 mg/dL, p < 0.001), high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP, MD = -0.61 mg/L, p = 0.022), and fasting glucose (MD = -3.52 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Armolipid Plus® was well tolerated. This meta-analysis demonstrates that dietary supplementation with Armolipid Plus® is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in serum lipids, glucose, and hs-CRP. These changes are consistent with improved cardiometabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arrigo F. G. Cicero
- Hypertension and Atherosclerosis Research Group, Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, Sant’Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.B.); (F.F.)
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- Italian Nutraceutical Society (SINut), 40138 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-512142224; Fax: +39-51390646
| | - Cormac Kennedy
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin and St James Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland;
| | - Tamara Knežević
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension, Dialysis and Transplantation, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Marilisa Bove
- Hypertension and Atherosclerosis Research Group, Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, Sant’Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.B.); (F.F.)
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Coralie M. G. Georges
- Department of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Agnė Šatrauskienė
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
- Vilnius University Hospital Santariškiu Klinikos, LT-08661 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Peter P. Toth
- CGH Medical Center, Sterling, IL 61081, USA;
- Cicarrone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Federica Fogacci
- Hypertension and Atherosclerosis Research Group, Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, Sant’Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (M.B.); (F.F.)
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- Italian Nutraceutical Society (SINut), 40138 Bologna, Italy
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Fogacci F, Banach M, Mikhailidis DP, Bruckert E, Toth PP, Watts GF, Reiner Ž, Mancini J, Rizzo M, Mitchenko O, Pella D, Fras Z, Sahebkar A, Vrablik M, Cicero AFG. Safety of red yeast rice supplementation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res 2019; 143:1-16. [PMID: 30844537 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Recently, concerns regarding the safety of red yeast rice (RYR) have been raised after the publication of some case reports claiming toxicity. Since the previous meta-analyses on the effects of RYR were mainly focused on its efficacy to improve lipid profile and other cardiovascular parameters, we carried out a meta-analysis on safety data derived from the available randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Primary outcomes were musculoskeletal disorders (MuD). Secondary outcomes were non-musculoskeletal adverse events (Non-MuD) and serious adverse events (SAE). Subgroups analyses were carried out considering the intervention (RYR alone or in association with other nutraceutical compounds), monacolin K administered daily dose (≤3, 3.1-5 or >5 mg/day), follow-up (>12 or ≤12 weeks), with statin therapy or statin-intolerance and type of control treatment (placebo or statin treatment). Data were pooled from 53 RCTs comprising 112 treatment arms, which included 8535 subjects, with 4437 in the RYR arm and 4303 in the control one. Monacolin K administration was not associated with increased risk of MuD (odds ratio (OR) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53,1.65). Moreover, we showed reduced risk of Non-MuD (OR = 0.59, 95%CI 0.50, 0.69) and SAE (OR = 0.54, 95%CI 0.46, 0.64) vs. control. Subgroups analyses confirmed the high tolerability profile of RYR. Furthermore, increasing daily doses of monacolin K were negatively associated with increasing risk of Non-MuD (slope: -0.10; 95%CI: -0.17, -0.03; two-tailed p < 0.01). Based on our data, RYR use as lipid-lowering dietary supplement seems to be overall tolerable and safe in a large kind of moderately hypercolesterolaemic subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Fogacci
- Department of Medicine and Surgery Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maciej Banach
- Department of Hypertension, Chair of Nephrology and Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Poland; Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute (PMMHRI), Lodz, Poland; Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Zielona Gora, Zielona Gora, Poland.
| | - Dimitri P Mikhailidis
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Free Campus, University College London Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Eric Bruckert
- Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Endocrinology Department, Hopital Pitié Salpetrière, Paris, France
| | - Peter P Toth
- The Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA; Preventive Cardiology, CGH Medical Center, Sterling, IL, USA
| | - Gerald F Watts
- Cardiometabolic Service, Department of Cardiology, Royal Perth Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Željko Reiner
- University Hospital Centre Zagreb, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Department of Internal Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - John Mancini
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Manfredi Rizzo
- Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Olena Mitchenko
- Dyslipidaemia Department, Institute of Cardiology AMS of Ukraine, Ukraine
| | - Daniel Pella
- 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Zlatko Fras
- Preventive Cardiology Unit, Department of Vascular Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Michal Vrablik
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, First Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Arrigo F G Cicero
- Department of Medicine and Surgery Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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Mazza A, Lenti S, Schiavon L, Di Giacomo E, Tomasi M, Manunta R, Torin G, Townsend DM, Rubello D. Effect of Monacolin K and COQ10 supplementation in hypertensive and hypercholesterolemic subjects with metabolic syndrome. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 105:992-996. [PMID: 30021394 PMCID: PMC6361161 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.06.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a world-wide epidemic disease with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Treatment strategies of MetS include pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions and in this respect a relevant role has been shown for nutraceutical compounds (NCs). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of NCs incorporated with diet and lifestyle management versus diet alone, in lowering blood pressure (BP) values and improving lipid and glucose profile, in a group of hypertensives and hyper-cholesterolemic patients with MetS. METHODS 104 subjects with MetS (mean age 57.4 ± 8.8 years, 51% males) without history of cardio-vascular (CV) diseases were enrolled in the study. 52 subjects were treated with a once-daily oral formulation of a NCs containing red yeast rice and coenzyme Q10 added to their diet for 2 months and were compared with the 52 patients following a diet program. Differences in BP, serum total cholesterol (TC), low- and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC and HDLC), triglycerides (TG) and glucose values were compared by analysis of variance. RESULTS A significant reduction of BP, TC, TG, LDLC and glucose levels was observed in both treatment groups. However, a greater reduction of systolic BP (-5.2 vs. -3.0 mmHg), diastolic BP (-4.9 vs. 2.9 mmHg), total cholesterol (-17.2%), LDLC (-21.8%), TG (-16.0%) and serum glucose (-3.4%) was observed in the treatment group relative to the control (p < 0.001 for all); HDLC remained unchanged (p = N.S.). Gender difference was not found in either group (p = N.S.). CONCLUSIONS In patients with MetS, NC supplementation was safe, well tolerated and effective in improving clinic BP, lipid and glucose profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Mazza
- ESH Excellence Hypertension Centre, Department of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Viale Tre Martiri 140, 45100 Rovigo, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Lenti
- Internal Medicine Unit, San Donato General Hospital, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Laura Schiavon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy
| | - Ezio Di Giacomo
- Unit of Angiology - Department of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy
| | - Monica Tomasi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy
| | - Roberto Manunta
- Unit of Diabetology, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy
| | - Gioia Torin
- Unit of Internal Medicine C, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Danyelle M Townsend
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Domenico Rubello
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Neuroradiology, Medical Physics, Clinical Laboratory, Microbiology, Pathology, Trasfusional Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Viale Tre Martiri 140, Rovigo, Italy.
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Barrios V, Escobar C, Cicero AFG, Burke D, Fasching P, Banach M, Bruckert E. A nutraceutical approach (Armolipid Plus) to reduce total and LDL cholesterol in individuals with mild to moderate dyslipidemia: Review of the clinical evidence. ATHEROSCLEROSIS SUPP 2017; 24:1-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosissup.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Pirro M, Mannarino MR, Bianconi V, Simental-Mendía LE, Bagaglia F, Mannarino E, Sahebkar A. The effects of a nutraceutical combination on plasma lipids and glucose: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res 2016; 110:76-88. [PMID: 27157250 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia are associated with an increased risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease. Positive effects of a nutraceutical combination comprising red yeast rice, berberine, policosanol, astaxanthin, coenzyme Q10 and folic acid (NComb) on plasma lipid and glucose levels have been reported in some but not all clinical trials. To address this inconsistency, we tried to estimate the size of lipid- and glucose-lowering effects of NComb through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. A systematic literature search in PubMed-Medline, SCOPUS and Google Scholar databases was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of NComb on plasma lipids and glucose levels. Inverse variance-weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for net changes in lipid and glucose levels using a random-effects model. Random-effects meta-regression was performed to assess the effect of putative confounders on plasma lipid and glucose levels. Fourteen trials (1670 subjects in the NComb arm and 1489 subjects in the control arm) met the eligibility criteria for lipid analysis and 10 trials (1014 subjects in the NComb arm and 962 subjects in the control arm) for glucose analysis. Overall, WMDs were significant for the impact of NComb supplementation on plasma levels of total cholesterol (-26.15mg/dL, p<0.001), LDL-cholesterol (-23.85mg/dL, p<0.001), HDL-cholesterol (2.53mg/dL, p<0.001), triglycerides (-13.83mg/dL, p<0.001) and glucose (-2.59mg/dL, p=0.010). NComb-induced amelioration of lipid profile was not affected by duration of supplementation nor by baseline lipid levels; conversely, a greater glucose-lowering effect of NComb was found with higher baseline glucose levels and longer durations of supplementation. In conclusion, the present results suggest that NComb supplementation is associated with improvement of lipid and glucose profile. Short-term beneficial effects of NComb supplementation appear to be maintained in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Pirro
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Massimo Raffaele Mannarino
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Vanessa Bianconi
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Bagaglia
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elmo Mannarino
- Unit of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Arteriosclerosis Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran; Metabolic Research Centre, Royal Perth Hospital, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
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Millán J, Cicero AFG, Torres F, Anguera A. Effects of a nutraceutical combination containing berberine (BRB), policosanol, and red yeast rice (RYR), on lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic patients: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. CLINICA E INVESTIGACION EN ARTERIOSCLEROSIS 2016; 28:178-87. [PMID: 27131395 DOI: 10.1016/j.arteri.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM A nutraceutical combination containing berberine, policosanol, and red yeast rice, largely marketed in Europe (Armolipid Plus(®)) (AP), has been reported to induce significant improvements in plasma lipids, insulin resistance and other components of the metabolic syndrome. However, literature study designs and results were heterogeneous and it was thus necessary to systematically review and meta-analyse all relevant randomised clinical trials (RCTs) to explore and quantify the effects of the dietary supplement AP on lipid profile. The aim of our meta-analysis was the evaluation of the effect of AP on lipid profile. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a structures search on PubMed and Google Scholar to identify eligible articles published prior to 2015. Eleven RCTs were subjected to meta-analysis by means of random effects models using the Standardised Mean Differences approach (Hedges' method) and the Mean Differences approach as a sensitivity analysis. Data from 11 randomised clinical trials, corresponding to 1970 nutraceutical combination and 1954 control patients (3924 total patients), were included after the peer evaluation and data extraction of two independent evaluators. Heterogeneity was significant in all models. A significant effect was found for all lipid parameters. The effect size (relative change from baseline (%)) was -1.3 (9.9%) for total cholesterol, -1.17 (-13.7%) for LDL-c, +0.17 (+3.7%) for HDL-c and -0.24 (-7.0%) for Triglycerides. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis confirms that the nutraceutical combination containing berberine, policosanol, and red yeast rice has shown to be an effective product for the improvement of the lipid profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Millán
- Lipid Research Unit, Internal Medicine Service, General University Hospital "Gregorio Marañón", Madrid, Spain.
| | - Arrigo F G Cicero
- Dyslipidemia Research Unit, Medical and Surgical Sciences Department, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Francisco Torres
- Biostatistics and Data Management Core Facility, IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Anguera
- Lipid Research Unit, Internal Medicine Service, General University Hospital "Gregorio Marañón", Madrid, Spain
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Gonnelli S, Caffarelli C, Stolakis K, Cuda C, Giordano N, Nuti R. Efficacy and Tolerability of a Nutraceutical Combination (Red Yeast Rice, Policosanols, and Berberine) in Patients with Low-Moderate Risk Hypercholesterolemia: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 2014; 77:1-6. [PMID: 26649075 PMCID: PMC4644239 DOI: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2014.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Statins are at the forefront of strategies to manage hypercholesterolemia. However 10% to 15% of patients are intolerant to any statin drugs, even at low daily doses and almost one-third of statin users discontinue therapy within 1 year. Some nutraceuticals are prescribed as lipid-lowering substances, but doubts remain about their efficacy and tolerability. Objectives We aimed to investigate the efficacy and the safety of a nutraceutical combination consisting mainly of 200 mg red yeast rice extract (equivalent to 3 mg monacolins), 500 mg berberine, and 10 mg policosanols (MBP-NC) in patients with low-moderate risk hypercholesterolemia. Methods In this single centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study 60 consecutive outpatients (29 men and 31 women; age range = 18–60 years), with newly diagnosed primary hypercholesterolemia not previously treated, after a run-in period of 3 weeks on a stable hypolipidic diet, were randomized to receive a pill of MBP-NC (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) once a day after dinner, in addition to the hypolipidic diet. The efficacy and the tolerability of the proposed nutraceutical treatment were fully assessed after 4, 12, and 24 weeks of treatment. Results In the MBP-NC group both total cholesterol and LDL-C already showed a significant reduction at Week 4 (–30.3% ± 33.9% and –29.4% ± 35.3%, respectively) that remained substantially unchanged at Week 12 (–26.7% ± 33.1% and –25.6% ± 31.5%, respectively) and at Week 24 (–24.6% ± 32.1% and –23.7% ± 32.6%, respectively). The between-groups differences were significant at all time points for both total cholesterol and LDL-C. There were no significant changes in HDL-C, fasting glucose, and triglyceride serum levels in either group. MBP-NC was also safe and well tolerated. Conclusions In patients with low- to moderate-risk hypercholesterolemia a nutraceutical combination in association with a hypolipidic diet significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL-C levels and may favor the reaching the recommended cholesterol targets. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02078167.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Gonnelli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Carla Caffarelli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Cuda
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Nicola Giordano
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Ranuccio Nuti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy
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