Cellulose tech may stop plaque build-up
reduce build-up of plaque in the arteries, suggesting a strong
benefit in people at risk of heart disease.
New trial results on the m-doc technology developed by Irish firm Alltracel suggest that it could be used alongside statins as it has a complementary action to the cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Alltracel previously announced that the m-doc ingredient had lowered LDL cholesterol and improved the HDL/LDL ratio in animal tests. In vitro investigation into the mechanism suggests that this is a result of interaction with cholesterol, bile salts and very low density lipoproteins in the gut, reducing absorption of cholesterol in the intestine.
Statins on the other hand target and inhibit an enzyme (HMGCo-A reductase) that is necessary for the production of cholesterol in the liver.
Using both in combination at the early stages of atherosclerosis would allow for lower doses of statins, reducing chances of the side effects associated with these drugs, says Alltracel.
The technology, a microdispersed oxidized cellulose that is derived from cotton polysaccharides, could also be used in combination with plant sterols, as they too have a different mode of action.
Keith Real, new chief scientific officer at the firm, explained that the initial LDL reduction by m-doc had a knock-on benefit.
"A lower LDL level reduces expression of V-CAM1 in blood vessels, a gene linked to the development of atherosclerotic plaque," he told NutraIngredients.com.
Atherosclerosis is a major factor in the onset of heart disease. Reducing risk of this condition and lowering cholesterol could make foods containing the m-doc technology highly beneficial for heart health.
Alltracel is currently in discussion with potential partners in the nutraceutical and pharma industry to bring the technology, easily incorporated into a number of foods, to market.
It will announce new results on safety and efficacy in humans next month.
These are expected to show an effect on cholesterol along the same lines as plant sterols, functional food ingredients that are expected to grow 15 per cent between now and 2010, according to Frost & Sullivan.
Coronary heart disease kills more than 120,000 people every year in the UK alone.
