Treatment and Prevention of Hyperlipidemia
The R&D division of Pharma & Food Consulting has developed a dietary supplement for the treatment and/or prevention of hyperlipidemia by combining natural macromolecules with antihyperlipidemic activity.
Although serum cholesterol reduction can be achieved by following a balanced low-fat diet and regular exercise, most of the time these strategies fail and statin drug treatment has shown several side effects. Therefore, the pharmacological approach has been, in part, replaced by the introduction of dietary supplements and nutraceuticals. The product proposed in this study is composed of a combination of natural macromolecules with antihyperlipidemic activity: chitosan (CH), α-cyclodextrins (α-CD) and lupine protein (LP).
First, the antihyperlipidemic effect of these active ingredients, alone or in combination, was evaluated in vivo using a rat model in which hyperlipidemia was induced by intraperitoneal (IP) injection of Poloxamer 407. The combination of CH, α-CD, and LP showed a synergistic effect on reducing serum lipid concentrations (cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein) in hyperlipidemic rats. Therefore, based on the in vivo results, a tablet formulation was developed aimed at overcoming the negative technological effects of antihyperlipidemic macromolecules: long disintegration times and low mechanical strength of the tablets. The innovative combination of selected active ingredients proved highly effective on an in vivo model of hyperlipidemia, returning serum lipid values to basal levels, thus helping to reduce the risks of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.
