Oral Supplement Containing Hydroxytyrosol and Punicalagin Improves Dyslipidemia in an Adult Population without Co-Adjuvant Treatment: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled and Crossover Trial

Abstract

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) and punicalagin (PC) exert cardioprotective and antiatherosclerotic effects. This study evaluated the effect of an oral supplement containing HT and PC (SAx) on dyslipidemia in an adult population. A randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover trial was conducted over a 20-week period. SAx significantly reduced the plasma levels of triglycerides (TG) in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia (≥150 mg/dL) (from 200.67 ± 51.38 to 155.33 ± 42.44 mg/dL; p < 0.05), while no such effects were observed in these subjects after the placebo. SAx also significantly decreased the plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in subjects with high plasma levels of LDL-C (≥160 mg/dL) (from 179.13 ± 16.18 to 162.93 ± 27.05 mg/dL; p < 0.01), while no such positive effect was observed with the placebo. In addition, the placebo significantly reduced the plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the total population (from 64.49 ± 12.65 to 62.55 ± 11.57 mg/dL; p < 0.05), while SAx significantly increased the plasma levels of HDL-C in subjects with low plasma levels of HDL-C (<50 mg/dL) (from 44.25 ± 3.99 to 48.00 ± 7.27 mg/dL; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the supplement containing HT and PC exerted antiatherosclerotic and cardio-protective effects by considerably improving dyslipidemia in an adult population, without co-adjuvant treatment or adverse effects.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; dyslipidemia; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; hydroxytyrosol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; punicalagin; total cholesterol; triglycerides.

Figure 1

Flow chart depicting the present study.

Figure 2

The plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) significantly decreased after SAx treatment (oral supplementation with hydroxytyrosol (HT) and punicalagin (PC)) (black color) in subjects with high plasma levels of LDL-C, a risk factor for CVD, (n = 16) (** p < 0.01). This effect was not observed after placebo treatment (gray color). The data represent the adjusted means ± standard deviations (SDs) from multivariate models.

Figure 3

Plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) significantly increased after SAx treatment (oral supplementation with hydroxytyrosol (HT) and punicalagin (PC)) (black color) in subjects with low plasma levels of HDL-C, a risk factor for CVD, (n = 8) (* p < 0.05). This effect was not observed after placebo treatment (gray color). The data represent the adjusted means ± standard deviations (SDs) from multivariate models.

Figure 4

Plasma levels of triglycerides (TG) significantly decreased following SAx treatment (oral supplementation with hydroxytyrosol (HT) and punicalagin (PC)) (black color) in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia, a risk factor for CVD, (n = 4) (* p < 0.05). This effect was not observed after placebo treatment (gray color). The data repreScheme.