Effects Of Policosanol Plus Aspirin Therapy On The Neurological Recovery And Plasma Oxidative Markers Of Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Background. Oxidative stress (OS) contributes to brain reperfusion injury after ischemic stroke. Policosanol, a mixture of 8 higher aliphatic sugarcane wax alcohols, has shown to protect against experimental brain ischemia. Objectives. To investigate the effect of policosanol plus aspirin (AS) therapy on the neurological outcome and plasma oxidative variables in patients post-ischemic stroke Methods. Post-ischemic stroke (≤ 30 days evolution) sufferers with a modified Rankin Scale score (mRSs) ≥2 ≤4 were randomized to placebo or policosanol (20 mg/day) + aspirin (AS) (125 mg/day) (pla + AS) or placebo + AS (pla + AS) for 24 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was to significantly increase the patients with a favourable stroke outcome (mRSs ≤1) versus pla +AS. Plasma oxidative markers (malondialdehyde –MDA-, sulphidril groups –SHG-, total antioxidant capacity –TAC-) were secondary variables. Results. Sixty-one (61) patients (mean age: 64 years) were randomized. No significant changes occurred with pla +AS. After 6 weeks on treatment poli + AS reduced significantly the mean mRSs value (p0.001 vs pla + AS), and this effect was not wear off, but enhanced, throughout the study. More (p0.0001) poli + AS patients (29/31, 93.5%) achieved mRSs values ≤1 at study completion as compared to pla + AS patients (2/30, 6.7%). Also, poli + AS treatment produced significant reductions of plasma MDA and SHG, while increased plasma TAC. Treatments were well tolerated. There were not study withdrawals. Conclusions. Poli + AS therapy improved the neurological recovery and favourably modified plasma oxidative markers versus pla + AS in patients post-ischemic stroke KEYWORDSAspirin, Ischemic stroke, Oxidative stress, Policosanol, Rankin-modified scale, Stroke