Comparison of the In Vivo Efficacy of Cuban (Raydel) and Chinese (BOC Science) Policosanol in Alleviating Dyslipidemia and Inflammation Via Safeguarding Major Organs and Reproductive Health in Hyperlipidemic Zebrafish: A Twelve-Week Consumption Study
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Policosanol is a blend of long-chain aliphatic alcohols (LCAAs) and is well-known for several health-beneficial activities; however, the functionality of policosanol varied substantially based on the composition of LCAAs. In this study, two distinct policosanols, Raydel (extracted from Cuban sugarcane wax) and BOC Sciences (extracted from Chinese sugarcane wax), were dietarily supplemented (0.1% /) for 12 weeks in hyperlipidemic zebrafish to examine their influence on the blood lipid profile and functionality of the liver, kidney, and reproductive organs. The results demonstrated a noteworthy impact of both policosanols on preventing high-cholesterol diet (HCD, 4% /)-induced dyslipidemia by decreasing total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels in the plasma. However, compared to BOC Sciences, the Raydel policosanol exhibited a significantly ( < 0.05) higher efficacy in reducing HCD-induced TC and TG levels. A substantial effect was observed exclusively with the Raydel policosanol in mitigating HCD-impaired low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Hepatic histology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis revealed the higher efficacy of Raydel policosanol over BOC Sciences policosanol to prevent HCD-provoked fatty liver changes, cellular senescence, oxidative stress, and interleukin (IL)-6 production. Consistently, a significantly higher effect of Raydel over BOC Sciences policosanol was observed on the protection of kidney, testis, and ovary morphology hampered by HCD consumption. In addition, Raydel policosanol exhibited a notably stronger effect (~2-fold, < 0.05) on the egg-laying ability of the zebrafish compared to policosanol from BOC Sciences. Furthermore, Raydel policosanol plays a crucial role in improving embryo viability and mitigating developmental defects caused by the intake of an HCD. Conclusively, Raydel policosanol displayed a substantially higher efficacy over BOC Sciences policosanol to revert HCD-induced dyslipidemia, the functionality of vital organs, and the reproductive health of zebrafish.
Cho K, Bahuguna A, Kim J, Lee S, Lee Y, Jeon C Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025; 18(2).
PMID: 40006014 PMC: 11859080. DOI: 10.3390/ph18020200.