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Octacosanol

Octacosanol is a policosanol nutrient that is extracted from wheat germ. It has been proven to increase oxygen utilization during exercise and improve glycogen storage in muscle. As a result, it increases physical endurance, improves reaction time, reduces high-altitude stress, and aids in tissue oxygenation. This substance can greatly benefit those who have a lowered endurance level, and is good for muscular dystrophies and other neuromuscular disorders. It also reduces blood cholesterol levels. Policosanol is a natural mixture of higher aliphatic primary alcohols that contains 1-Octacosanol, Triacontanol, Tetracosanol, Hexacosanol, Heptacosanol. These C24 to C36 primary alcohols are also found in sugarcane wax, rice bran wax, beeswax and various vegetable wax. Polycosanols are a class of primary aliphatic alcohols having 20 to 40 (C20 C40) carbon atoms. They are widely distributed in germs, kernels and other components of nuts, seeds, fruits and cereals, in Greek olive oils and in apple wax (Belding et al. Polycosanols are also present, in very small amounts, in wheat grain, in the form of the long chain alkyl esters of fatty acids. The major compounds present in wheat grain include, palmitoyl hexacosanol and arachidoyl, palmitoyl and behenoyl tetracosanol. An important property of the fatty alcohols and fatty acids used in context of the carrier and composition of the present invention is related to their therapeutic properties per se. Long chain saturated and mono unsaturated fatty alcohols, e.g., stearyl alcohol, erycyl alcohol, arachidyl alcohol and docosanol have been reported to possess antiviral, antiinfective, antiproliferative and antiinflammatory properties. Longer chain fatty alcohols, e.g., tetracosanol, hexacosanol, heptacosanol, octacosanol, triacontanol, etc., are also known for their metabolism modifying properties and tissue energizing properties. Long chain fatty acids have also been reported to possess antiinfective characteristics. Thus, the pharmaceutical or cosmetic carrier of the present invention provides an extra therapeutic or cosmetic benefit in comparison with currently used vehicles, such as petroleum, which are inert and non-active.

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