D-004, a lipid extract of Roystonea regia fruits that contains oleic, lauric and myristic acids as major components inhibits alpha1-adrenoreceptors-mediated contractile responses in isolated rat vas deferens and prostate trips; no study has demonstrated a similar effect for oleic, lauric or myristic acids individually. Therefore, the effects of D-004 (250 microg/mL), oleic (100 microg/mL), lauric (50 microg/mL) or myristic (25 microg/mL) acids and their combined effects on phenylephrine (PHE: 10(-7)-10(-4) mol/L) induced contractions has been studied. No treatment changed the basal tone of the preparations, but all inhibited PHE-induced contractions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-002, a mixture of six higher aliphatic alcohols purified from beeswax, displayed anti-inflammatory effects in carrageenan-induced pleurisy and cotton pellet granuloma in rats. The aim of the present study was to confirm the anti-inflammatory properties of D-002 and to explore its potential analgesic effects. Xylene-induced mouse ear oedema was used to assess the anti-inflammatory effect, acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate responses for the analgesic activity, and the open field and horizontal rotarod tests for motor performance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-004, a lipid extract of Roystonea regia fruits, has been shown to reduce Testosterone, but not dihydrotestosterone-induced prostate hyperplasia in rodents. Inhibition of prostate 5?-reductase seems to explain these effects of D-004. Finasteride, an inhibitor of 5?-reductase used to treat benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), has been shown to produce drug-induced depression and to increase mouse immobility in the forced swim test (FST).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreased platelet aggregation contributes to vascular risk. D-003, a mixture of high molecular weight sugarcane wax acids, has shown antiplatelet effects in experimental models and healthy volunteers. This randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of titrated doses of D-003 (5-20 mg/d) on platelet aggregation in hypercholesterolemic patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF5-alpha-Reductase inhibitors, alpha1-adrenoreceptors blockers and herbal drugs, like lipid extracts from saw palmetto fruits, are used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). D-004, a lipid extract from the Royal palm fruits, prevented prostate hyperplasia (PH) induced with testosterone and the atypical PH induced with phenylephrine (PHE) in the rat, its effect in this last model being comparable to that of saw palmetto, but lesser than that of tamsulosin (CAS 106133-20-4). It was investigated whether single doses of D-004, tamsulosin and their combined therapy can prevent urodynamic changes induced with PHE in the rat.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objective: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate that results in obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms. Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), the dwarf American palm (Arecaceae family), is commonly used to treat BPH. The Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) also belongs to the Arecaceae family, and 200-400mg of D-004, a lipid extract from its fruits, administered orally for 14 days has been shown to prevent testosterone- but not dihydrotestosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Policosanol is a mixture of long-chain primary aliphatic alcoholspurified from sugar cane wax that has cholesterol lowering and antiplatelet effects. Omega-3 fatty acids (FA) have triglyceride lowering and antiplatelet effects. Combination treatment with policosanol and omega-3 FA (Ω23FA) has been associated with significant inhibition of platelet aggregation in rabbits compared with either drug alone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the nonmalignant, uncontrolled growth of prostate gland cells and stroma leading to difficulty in urinating. Lipid extracts from Saw palmetto (Arecaceae) fruits are used to treat BPH. The Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) is a member of this family and D-004, a lipid extract from its fruits, prevents prostate hyperplasia (PH) induced with testosterone, as opposed to dihydrotestosterone, in rodents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a nonmalignant growth of prostate leading to difficulty in urinating. Drug therapy, phytotherapy included, is frequently used to treat BPH. D-004 is a lipid extract from Roystonea regia fruits, and previous studies have shown that oral treatment with D-004 for 14 days prevented prostate hyperplasia (PH) induced by testosterone in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the non-malignant, uncontrolled growth of glandular and stromal elements of the prostate gland. Lipid extracts from Saw palmetto (Arecaceae) fruits are widely used to treat BPH. The Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) is a member of the same family.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-003 is a mixture of high molecular weight aliphatic primary acids purified from sugar cane wax with antiplatelet and cholesterol-lowering effects. Previous studies showed that D-003 (10-20 mg/day) administered for a short time inhibits platelet aggregation, 14 days being the longest duration investigated. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of D-003 (5 and 10 mg/day) for 30 days on platelet aggregation in normocholesterolemic subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Policosanol is a mixture of high-molecular-weight aliphatic primary alcohols isolated from sugarcane wax with cholesterol-lowering and antiplatelet effects. Omega-3 fatty acids (FA) from fish oil can protect against coronary disease. An antiarrhythmic mechanism is emerging as the most convincing explanation for omega-3 FA cardiovascular protection, but triglyceride (TG)-lowering effects and inhibition of platelet function could play a role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the noncancerous, uncontrolled growth of prostate gland cells and stroma that can cause difficulty urinating. Fruit lipid extracts from saw palmetto, a palm from the Arecaceae family, are used for BPH management. The Cuban royal palm, Roystonea regia, is also a member of the Arecaceae family and therefore it was appropriate to investigate the protective effects of Roystonea regia fruit lipid extracts on prostatic hyperplasia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-003 is a mixture of very high molecular weight aliphatic acids purified from sugar cane wax showing cholesterol-lowering and antiplatelet effects proven in experimental and clinical studies. Experimental evidence indicates that inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by D-003 is associated with a reduction of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) and an increase of prostacyclin (Pgl2) serum levels. This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study was undertaken to investigate whether D-003 (20 mg/day) modifies serum levels of TxB2 and Pgl2 and inhibits platelet aggregation in human healthy volunteers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Benign prostatic hypertrophy is the nonmalignant, uncontrolled growth of prostatic epithelial cells and stroma that, left untreated, may lead to difficult urination and other complications. A common treatment of BPH is lipid extract from saw palmetto fruit, and lipid extract from Cuban Royal palm (a palm of the same family) fruit is being studied for this use. One study found that the latter, D-004, at 100 to 400 mg/kg daily prevented prostatic hypertrophy (PH) induced with testosterone (T) in a rat model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-003 is a mixture of higher aliphatic primary acids isolated and purified from sugarcane wax, the main component of which is octacosanoic acid. D-003 exhibits a cholesterol-lowering effect as well as antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects in experimental models. Warfarin is a coumarin derivative with anticoagulant activity that acts as a vitamin K antagonist.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProstaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids
January 2004
D-003 is a natural mixture of long chain aliphatic acids isolated and purified from sugar cane wax. It possesses antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects as well as decreases plasma and serum levels of thromboxane B(2) (TxB(2)), meanwhile significantly and markedly raises prostacyclin (PgI(2)) levels in rats. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of D-003 on spinal cord injury in rabbits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFD-003 is a mixture of high-molecular-weight aliphatic primary acids purified from sugar cane wax with antiplatelet and cholesterol-lowering effects. Cardiac lesions induced by isoproterenol (ISO) are characterized by myocardial necrosis and exudative infiltration. The objective of this study was to determine whether D-003 shows protective effects against ISO-induced myocardial necrosis in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProstaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids
May 2003
D-003 is a mixture of higher primary aliphatic saturated acids purified from sugarcane wax, with antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects experimentally demonstrated. Octacosanoic acid is the main component of D-003, followed by triacontanoic, dotriacontanoic, and tetracontanoic acids, while other acids are minor components. This work investigates the effects of combination therapy D-003+aspirin (ASA) on arachidonic acid (AA)-induced sudden death in mice and bleeding time in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolicosanol is a natural mixture of higher aliphatic primary alcohols isolated from sugar cane wax (Saccharum officinarum L.). It has cholesterol-lowering effects demonstrated in experimental models and in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia, with positive pleiotropic properties such as inhibition of platelet aggregation and lipid peroxidation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProstaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids
July 2002
D-003 is a natural mixture of higher primary saturated aliphatic acids purified from sugar cane wax, whose main component is octacosanoic acid followed by triacontanoic, dotriacontanoic, and tetratriacontanoic acids. D-003 inhibits platelet aggregation and arterial thrombosis experimentally induced in a dose-dependent fashion. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of D-003 (25 and 200 mg/kg) in experimental models of venous thrombosis and on plasma levels of two metabolites from arachidonic acid (AA) : thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2)) and prostacyclin (PgI(2)).
View Article and Find Full Text PDF1. The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of a higher dose of policosanol, a cholesterol-lowering drug, (40 mg/day) with the effects of 20 mg/day policosanol on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers and type II hypercholesterolaemic patients. 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study was designed to determine the effect of D-002, a natural product isolated and purified from beeswax (Apis mellifera), on gastric mucus composition on ethanol-induced ulcer in rats. The morphology of the lesions was analysed histologically, and morphometric analysis of gastric-gland content in total glycoprotein and sulphated macromolecules were done. Oral pretreatment with D-002 at 5 and 25 mgkg(-1)1 before oral administration of ethanol at 60%, produced a significant increase in the amount of gastric mucus and total protein.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis randomized, double-blind study was undertaken to compare the effects of policosanol and pravastatin administered at 10 mg/day on lipid profile, platelet aggregation and endothelemia in older patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and high coronary risk. After 6 weeks on a lipid-lowering diet, patients with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels > 3.4 mmol/l were randomized to receive, under double-blind conditions, policosanol or pravastatin 10 mg tablets that were taken with the evening meal for 8 weeks.
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