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Dietary supplement

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by PureBulk.com

Powder Category: Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% is a dietary supplement by PureBulk.com with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for high cholesterol, heart and blood vessel health, leg pain from poor circulation (intermittent claudication).Based on those ingredients, 248 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Polycosanol. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 3 of its 3 active ingredients.
  • “Polycosanol” is listed as a grouped ingredient — the label gives one combined amount (10 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.

This powder contains 3 active ingredients: hexacosanol, octacosanol, and triacontanol — all long-chain fatty alcohols that together make up the polycosanol blend. Octacosanol is the main component.

There are no inactive ingredients listed.

Does it work?

Strong evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded its ingredients' overall clinical evidence instead.

Strong

Strong clinical evidence supports its ingredients for:

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredients' overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Intermittent claudication — rated "Likely Effective" (Policosanol) (Natural Medicines).

Hexacosanol and triacontanol show likely effectiveness for intermittent claudication (leg pain on walking), but the evidence for coronary heart disease and familial high cholesterol is insufficient to rate. Octacosanol's effectiveness hasn't been established in our data for the conditions it's studied in — athletic performance, high cholesterol, Lou Gehrig's disease, and Parkinson disease all have insufficient evidence.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Policosanol Octacosanol

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 2 of the 2 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 2 of 2.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 2 of 2.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

These ingredients are generally well tolerated in studied amounts, though long-term safety data are limited and real-world benefit is uncertain. Common side effects reported in trials include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, irritability, and insomnia — but a small number of study participants experienced these.

Weight loss has also been reported, though post-market data show it's uncommon. During pregnancy, there's not enough safety information, so it's best to avoid use.

The same applies to breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding before taking this product.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Policosanol Octacosanol

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 2 of the 2 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Policosanol, Octacosanol.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; diabetes medications; Parkinson's medications.
  • For scale: 248 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before you take this product, double-check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're on beta-blockers or propranolol (blood pressure medications), blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs like warfarin or aspirin, diabetes medications, levodopa/carbidopa for Parkinson disease, or nitroprusside. All of these have documented moderate-severity interactions.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with strong clinical evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This product may help with leg pain from intermittent claudication, though evidence for other uses isn't established. It does interact with blood pressure drugs, blood thinners, diabetes medications, and Parkinson medications, so if you take any of those, check with your doctor or pharmacist first.

Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding unless advised otherwise by your healthcare provider.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 3 of 3 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Sep 25, 2013.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99%, straight from the product label.

Brand PureBulk.com
Net contents 10 Gram(s); 0.35 oz.
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Sep 25, 2013
DSLD ID 23197
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
10 mg
Maximum serving Sizes:
10 mg
Servings per container
1000
IngredientAmount% DV
Hexacosanol1.3 mg--
Octacosanol3 mg--
Triacontanol4 mg--
Polycosanol10 mg--

Other ingredients: None

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
General Statements

Derived from sugar cane wax

Precautions

WARNING: Those taking antiocoagulants should use caution.

Warning: This product is not intended for use by those with a serious medical condition or pregnant or lactating women.

Consult your physician before use.

Keep out of reach of children.

Storage

Storage: Keep dry, cool & dark

Formulation

Free of: sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten, corn and additives.

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: As a dietary supplement, take 10 mg once or twice daily (or as directed by physician). Because you only need a small amount of this product, use a milligram scale to measure accurately.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

See for yourself

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size10 mg Dosage formPowder Servings per container1000 Amounts shown are per serving.

Polycosanol

Interacts with
242 drugs
10 mg per serving

Policosanol is a mix of waxy alcohols (mostly octacosanol) made from sugar cane or other plant waxes, and it is often marketed as a natural way to low...

Polycosanol monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: None. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99%?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
248Drugs
248 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Polycosanol6 drug types · 242 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, taking policosanol with other antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Some clinical research shows that taking policosanol 10-50 mg daily for 7-15 days can inhibit platelet aggregation in healthy patients. Although, one clinical trial shows that taking policosanol 10 mg twice daily for 2 weeks prior to warfarin dosing does not affect warfarin pharmacokinetics or warfarin response. Furthermore, a study in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with a drug-eluting stent found that taking policosanol 40 mg plus clopidogrel and aspirin daily for 30 days modestly reduced the risk for minor bleeding events when compared with taking clopidogrel and aspirin alone. Until more is known, use with caution.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, policosanol might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Clinical research shows that policosanol can lower blood glucose levels.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Beta-Blockers

Concomitant use of policosanol with beta-blockers can cause additive blood pressure-lowering effects.
Clinical research shows that policosanol 5 mg daily can have additive blood pressure-lowering effects in patients with hypertension who are taking beta-blockers. Also, animal research shows that policosanol can increase the blood-pressure lowering effects of propranolol.

Likelihood Probable Evidence A
Nitroprusside (Nitropress)

Theoretically, concomitant use of policosanol with nitroprusside might cause additive blood pressure-lowering effects.
Animal research shows that taking policosanol along with nitroprusside can increase the blood pressure-lowering effects of nitroprusside.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Propranolol (Inderal)

Animal research shows that taking policosanol along with propranolol can increase the blood pressure-lowering effects of propranolol.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Warfarin (Coumadin)

Theoretically, taking policosanol with warfarin might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Some clinical research shows that taking policosanol 10-50 mg daily for 7-15 days can inhibit platelet aggregation in healthy patients. However, one clinical trial shows that taking policosanol 10 mg twice daily for 2 weeks prior to warfarin dosing does not affect warfarin pharmacokinetics or warfarin response.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99%, from the product label.

PureBulk.com

See all PureBulk.com products
Name
PureBulk.com
City
Roseburg
State
OR
ZipCode
97471
Phone Number
(541) 679-1500
Web Address
PureBulk.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com: Common Questions

Does Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% by PureBulk.com interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% has a known interaction with 248 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is octacosanol, and why is it in this product?
Octacosanol is a long-chain fatty alcohol and the main active ingredient in the polycosanol blend. It's studied for circulation and cholesterol, though evidence for most uses is still incomplete. It works alongside hexacosanol and triacontanol, the other two fatty alcohols in this product.
Can this help with leg pain when I walk?
Yes — hexacosanol and triacontanol (two of the three actives here) show likely effectiveness for intermittent claudication, which is leg pain that happens during walking. Octacosanol's effect on this condition hasn't been established in the data we hold.
Will this help lower my cholesterol?
The evidence for this product's effectiveness in high cholesterol is insufficient to rate. While the ingredients are studied for it, we don't have enough reliable data in our records to say whether it works.
What side effects might I get?
Most people tolerate it well. The side effects reported in trials were uncommon and included headache, mild dizziness, drowsiness, irritability, insomnia, and occasional weight loss. Some people also reported upset stomach or skin rash.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
There isn't enough safety information for either pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it's best to avoid use. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether it's right for you in these situations.
Is this the same as regular policosanol?
This product is a policosanol blend — a combination of three fatty alcohols (hexacosanol, octacosanol, and triacontanol) that together make up what's called polycosanol. Quality and ingredient composition can vary between products, so be aware that real-world benefit differs.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% is safe with your meds?

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99% label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Octacosanol 30% Polycosanol 99%'s label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 31 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Policosanol 15 references
  1. Carbajal D, Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation and serum levels of arachidonic acid metabolites in healthy volunteers. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1998;58:61-4.
  2. Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R, et al. Comparative study of policosanol, aspirin and the combination therapy policosanol-aspirin on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Res 1997;36:293-7. PubMed
  3. Valdes S, Arruzazabala ML, Fernandez L. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1996;16:67-72.
  4. Greyling A, De Witt C, Oosthuizen W, Jerling JC. Effects of a policosanol supplement on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolaemic and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2006;95:968-75. PubMed
  5. Abdul MI, Jiang X, Williams KM, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of echinacea and policosanol with warfarin in healthy subjects. Br J Clin.Pharmacol. 2010;69:508-15. PubMed
  6. Molina, Cuevas, V, Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, Quintana D., Mas, Ferreiro R., and Valdes, Garcia S. Effect of policosanol on arterial blood pressure in rats. Study of the pharmacological interaction with nifedipine and propranolol. Arch Med Res 1998;29
  7. Castano G, Fernandez L, Mas R, et al. Comparison of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of original policosanol versus other mixtures of higher aliphatic primary alcohols in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Int.J.Clin.Pharmacol.Res. 2002;22:5
  8. Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, D., Mas, R., Valdes, S., and Molina, V. Pharmacological Interaction Between Policosanol and Nitroprusside in Rats. J Med Food 2001;4(2):67-70. PubMed
  9. Castano G, Mas R, Gamez R, et al. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol.Res 2004;24:65-77.
  10. Francini-Pesenti F, Brocadello F, Beltramolli D, et al. Sugar cane policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in primitive, diet-resistant hypercholesterolaemia: A double blind, controlled study. Complement Ther Med 2008;16:61-65. PubMed
  11. Castaño G, Fernández L, Mas R, Illnait J, Mesa M, Fernández JC. Comparison of the effects of policosanol and atorvastatin on lipid profile and platelet aggregation in patients with dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Clin Drug Investig. 2003;23(10 PubMed
  12. Fernandez L, Mas R, Illnait J, Fernandez JC. Policosanol: results of a postmarketing surveillance study of 27,879 patients. Curr Ther Res 1998;59(10):717-22. DOI
  13. Wang HY, Jiao QP, Chen SY, et al. Efficacy and safety of policosanol plus fenofibrate combination therapy in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia: A randomized, controlled clinical study. Am J Med Sci. 2018;356(3):254-261. PubMed
  14. Xu K, Liu X, Li Y, Wang Y, Zang H, Guo L, et al. Safety and efficacy of policosanol in patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity after drug-eluting stent implantation: two-year follow-up results. Cardiovasc Ther. 2016 Oct;34(5):337-42. doi: 10.1 PubMed
  15. Li C, Ding Y, Si Q, Li K, Xu K. Multiple functions of policosanol in elderly patients with dyslipidemia. J Int Med Res. 2020;48(7):300060520936082. PubMed

See these in context on the Policosanol monograph →

Octacosanol 16 references
  1. Carbajal D, Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation and serum levels of arachidonic acid metabolites in healthy volunteers. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1998;58:61-4.
  2. Arruzazabala ML, Valdes S, Mas R, et al. Comparative study of policosanol, aspirin and the combination therapy policosanol-aspirin on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Res 1997;36:293-7. PubMed
  3. Valdes S, Arruzazabala ML, Fernandez L. Effect of policosanol on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1996;16:67-72.
  4. Snider S. Octacosanol in parkinsonism. Ann Neurol 1984;16:723. PubMed
  5. Greyling A, De Witt C, Oosthuizen W, Jerling JC. Effects of a policosanol supplement on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolaemic and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2006;95:968-75. PubMed
  6. Abdul MI, Jiang X, Williams KM, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of echinacea and policosanol with warfarin in healthy subjects. Br J Clin.Pharmacol. 2010;69:508-15. PubMed
  7. Molina, Cuevas, V, Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, Quintana D., Mas, Ferreiro R., and Valdes, Garcia S. Effect of policosanol on arterial blood pressure in rats. Study of the pharmacological interaction with nifedipine and propranolol. Arch Med Res 1998;29
  8. Menendez, R., Mas, R., Amor, A. M., Gonzalez, R. M., Fernandez, J. C., Rodeiro, I., Zayas, M., and Jimenez, S. Effects of policosanol treatment on the susceptibility of low density lipoprotein (LDL) isolated from healthy volunteers to oxidative modificat
  9. Castano G, Fernandez L, Mas R, et al. Comparison of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of original policosanol versus other mixtures of higher aliphatic primary alcohols in patients with type II hypercholesterolemia. Int.J.Clin.Pharmacol.Res. 2002;22:5
  10. Arruzazabala, M. L., Carbajal, D., Mas, R., Valdes, S., and Molina, V. Pharmacological Interaction Between Policosanol and Nitroprusside in Rats. J Med Food 2001;4(2):67-70. PubMed
  11. Castano G, Mas R, Gamez R, et al. Concomitant use of policosanol and beta-blockers in older patients. Int J Clin Pharmacol.Res 2004;24:65-77.
  12. Francini-Pesenti F, Brocadello F, Beltramolli D, et al. Sugar cane policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in primitive, diet-resistant hypercholesterolaemia: A double blind, controlled study. Complement Ther Med 2008;16:61-65. PubMed
  13. Castaño G, Fernández L, Mas R, Illnait J, Mesa M, Fernández JC. Comparison of the effects of policosanol and atorvastatin on lipid profile and platelet aggregation in patients with dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Clin Drug Investig. 2003;23(10 PubMed
  14. Wang HY, Jiao QP, Chen SY, et al. Efficacy and safety of policosanol plus fenofibrate combination therapy in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia: A randomized, controlled clinical study. Am J Med Sci. 2018;356(3):254-261. PubMed
  15. Xu K, Liu X, Li Y, Wang Y, Zang H, Guo L, et al. Safety and efficacy of policosanol in patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity after drug-eluting stent implantation: two-year follow-up results. Cardiovasc Ther. 2016 Oct;34(5):337-42. doi: 10.1 PubMed
  16. Li C, Ding Y, Si Q, Li K, Xu K. Multiple functions of policosanol in elderly patients with dyslipidemia. J Int Med Res. 2020;48(7):300060520936082. PubMed

See these in context on the Octacosanol monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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