Cuban Policosanol (Raydel®) Exerts Higher Antioxidant and Anti-Glycation Activities than Chinese Policosanol (BOC Sciences) in Reconstituted High-Density Lipoproteins: In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory Activities in Zebrafish and Its Embryos

Abstract

The present study compares sugarcane-wax purified policosanols sourced from Cuba (Raydel®) and China (BOC Sciences) and utilized following the synthesis of reconstituted high-density lipoproteins (rHDL). The two policosanols exhibited distinctly different ingredient ratios of long-chain aliphatic alcohols, particularly 1-octacosanol (C28) and 1-tetratriacotanol (C34). After synthesizing rHDL with apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the two policosanols bound well with phospholipid and apoA-I to form the discoidal rHDL. Notably, rHDL-1, containing Cuban policosanol, displayed the largest particle diameter at approximately 78 ± 3 nm. In contrast, both control rHDL (rHDL-0) and rHDL containing Chinese policosanol (rHDL-2) exhibited smaller particles, with diameters of approximately 58 ± 3 nm and 61 ± 2 nm, respectively. Furthermore, rHDL-1 demonstrated enhanced anti-glycation activity, safeguarding apoA-I from degradation within HDL, and displayed the antioxidant ability to inhibit LDL oxidation. A microinjection of each rHDL into zebrafish embryos in the presence of carboxymethyllysine (CML) revealed rHDL-1 to have the strongest antioxidant activity with the highest embryo survivability and normal developmental morphology. Dermal application to recover the wound revealed rHDL-1 to have the highest wound-healing activity (75%) and survivability (92%) in the cutaneous wound area in the presence of CML. In adult zebrafish, injecting CML (250 μg) caused acute death and hyperinflammation, marked by heightened neutrophil infiltration and interleukin (IL)-6 production in liver. However, co-administering rHDL-1 notably increased survival (85%) and exhibited strong anti-inflammatory properties, reducing IL-6 production while improving the blood lipid profile. However, a co-injection of rHDL-2 resulted in the lowest survivability (47%) with more hepatic inflammation. In conclusion, Cuban policosanol (Raydel®) has more desirable properties for the in vitro synthesis of rHDL with stronger anti-glycation and antioxidant activities than those of Chinese policosanol (BOC Sciences). Moreover, Raydel-policosanol-integrated rHDL demonstrates a noteworthy effect on accelerated wound healing and robust anti-inflammatory properties, leading to increased survivability in zebrafish embryos and adults by effectively suppressing CML-induced hyperinflammation.

Efficacy Assessment of Five Policosanol Brands and Damage to Vital Organs in Hyperlipidemic Zebrafish by Six-Week Supplementation: Highlighting the Toxicity of Red Yeast Rice and Safety of Cuban Policosanol (Raydel®)

“…This was due to the different compositions and formulations of policosanols in different brands. The results are in accordance with the earlier reports documenting the varied effects of policosanols based on their source of origin and their composition [ 28 , 29 ]. Unexpectedly, the policosanol brands (PCO2–PCO5) were ineffective in boosting the diminished HDL-C levels caused by the consumption of HCD.…”

“…The main reason for this activity is the distinct composition and ratio of policosanols in PCO1 [25]. The results align with the earlier reports suggesting the functional superiority of the policosanol composition in PCO1 compared to other policosanols originating from different sources and origins [28,29]. Even more, in a clinical study, PCO1 consumption for 2 weeks substantially enhanced the HDL-C level in Korean women compared to the placebo control [42], supporting the present findings.…”

“…The difference in the activity emanated from the varying compositions and formulations of policosanols in the different brands. It has been well described that the policosanol’s composition and activity vary greatly based on its origin, source material, geographical location, and extraction method [ 14 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Like PCO1, PCO2 and PCO4 consist mainly of a mixture of distinct policosanols; however, the composition of different policosanols in PCO2 and PCO4 is not defined.…”

“…For the first time in 1993, policosanol was extracted from sugarcane in Cuba, which typically contains eight LCAAs: tetratriacontanol (C34), dotriacontanol (C32), triacontanol (C30), nonacosanol (C29), octacosanol (C28), heptacosanol (C27), hexacosanol (C26), and tetracosanol (C24) [ 18 , 25 , 26 ]. However, the composition of LCAAs in policosanol varied greatly based on the difference in source material, the source of origin, harvesting time, and the method of extraction [ 14 , 27 ], consequently having a distinct functionality and inconsistency between in vitro and in vivo results [ 28 , 29 ]. Many policosanol products, approximately 32 brands with daily dosages ranging from 5 to 50 mg, have been marked globally as functional foods.…”