Benefits
Vascular protection
In hamsters fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks, the blend was followed by 69% less fatty streak area in the aortic wall than in unsupplemented high-fat-fed animals. This is an animal result from a study funded by the ingredient's manufacturer; nothing comparable has been measured in people.
Cholesterol handling in animals
In the hamster study, supplemented animals showed 23% lower non-HDL cholesterol and 49% lower triglycerides than high-fat-fed controls, and their plasma accepted 17% more cholesterol from macrophages in culture. Total cholesterol was not significantly different (p = 0.058) and HDL cholesterol was unchanged. Nitric oxide, blood flow and blood pressure have not been measured for this blend in any species.
Polyphenol composition
The blend supplies polyphenols characteristic of artichoke, olive and grape - chlorogenic acid, cynarin, epicatechin and oleuropein among them. Markers of oxidative stress and of LDL oxidation were not measured in the published research on this blend, so its antioxidant effect in the body has not been demonstrated.
Mechanism of action
Cholesterol efflux
Plasma from supplemented hamsters accepted more cholesterol from cultured J774 macrophages than plasma from high-fat-fed controls (total efflux +17.3%, driven mainly by passive diffusion, +28.4%). The study's authors proposed this as the route by which arterial fat deposits were reduced. Oxidation and inflammation markers were not measured.
Lipid profile in the animal model
Twelve weeks of supplementation in high-fat-fed hamsters was followed by lower non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides than in unsupplemented high-fat-fed animals, with no change in HDL cholesterol. Nitric oxide, vasodilation and vascular tone were not assessed.
Clinical trials
Romain C et al. Nutrients 2018;10(10):1511. Preclinical animal study funded by Fytexia, the ingredient's manufacturer; two of the ten authors are Fytexia employees, and the paper's disclosure states that two of the academic laboratories involved were paid by Fytexia to perform and report the work.
21 male Golden Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) in three groups of 7: standard diet, high-fat diet, or high-fat diet plus the blend at 55 mg/kg/day by oral gavage, over 12 weeks. No human participants.
Against the high-fat control group, supplemented hamsters had 69% less aortic fatty streak area, 23% lower non-HDL cholesterol, 49% lower triglycerides and 17% higher plasma cholesterol efflux capacity. Total cholesterol was not significantly different (p = 0.058) and HDL cholesterol was unchanged. These are results in animals; the blend has not been given to human participants in any published study.