HypercholesterolemiaPhase 3TRFNCT02634606
Effects of a Supplement Derived From Palm Oil on Cholesterol Levels in the Blood
A Phase 3 study testing Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose, Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose and Sugar Pill in people with Hypercholesterolemia, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Elevated blood cholesterol, and particularly LDL cholesterol, is a risk factor for heart disease. Tocotrienols are naturally-occurring compounds in foods that may have beneficial effects on blood cholesterol. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 35 to 70 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Hypercholesterolemia
- What is being tested?
- Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose, Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose and Sugar Pill
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 13 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 22 Mar 2011to 13 Nov 2015
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 35 to 70 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Able to read, speak, and understand English
- Male or female, 35-70 years old (inclusive)
- Total Fasting Plasma Cholesterol of >180 mg/dl
- Currently taking statin medications.
- Willing to maintain AHA Step 1 diet for the duration of the study.
Who cannot join
- Any subject who is taking vitamin E supplements or taking any antibiotics or other medication or dietary supplement which could interfere with the action of tocotrienols.
- Any subject who is taking cholesterol lowering medications other than statins.
- Any subject who has lost >5% of their body weight during the past 3 months.
- Any subjects with a history of gastrointestinal surgery, diabetes mellitus, or other serious medical condition, such as chronic hepatitis or renal disease, bleeding disorder, congestive heart disease, chronic diarrhea disorders, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, angioplasty within 6 months prior to screening, current diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension (defined as BP >160mmHg, diastolic BP>95mmHg), active or chronic gastrointestinal disorders, bulimia, anorexia, laxative abuse, or endocrine diseases (except thyroid disease requiring medication) as indicated by medical history or routine physical examination.
- Major surgery within 12 weeks prior to subject randomization and/or screening, especially cardiac surgery
- Is currently a smoker who has a therapeutic plan to quit smoking anytime during the study period; or if not a current smoker, has quit smoking within the past 3 months.
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- Known HIV positive or known immunocompromised condition (e.g. MV, organ transplantation, treatment with immunosuppressant medications).
- Clinical evidence of current malignancy with the exception of basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
- Currently receiving systemic chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
- Active bleeding.
- Subject has any disorder (excluding illiteracy or visual impairment) that compromises the ability of the subject to give written informed consent and/or to comply with study procedures.
- In the opinion of the study investigator has a risk of non-compliance with study procedures, or cannot read, understand or complete study related materials.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, 900 Veteran Avenue, WH 14-187
Los Angeles, California, 90095
About this study
Official title: Effects of a Tocotrienol-Enriched Fraction of Palm Oil on Serum Lipids in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects
Elevated blood cholesterol, and particularly LDL cholesterol, is a risk factor for heart disease. Tocotrienols are naturally-occurring compounds in foods that may have beneficial effects on blood cholesterol. Tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family, and are found in barley, oats, rye, coconut oil and rice bran oil, but the richest source of tocotrienols is palm oil. Certain of these tocotrienols have been shown to be effective in lowering LDL (or 'bad') cholesterol, with no adverse effects on the HDL (or 'good') cholesterol. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of a palm-oil derived tocotrienol supplement on blood cholesterol, and particularly LDL cholesterol, in individuals who are taking statins, and have either elevated or normal cholesterol levels. Study subjects will consume a palm-oil derived supplement of tocotrienol for 3 months to determine its effects on LDL cholesterol.
Read the detailed description
Both tocotrienols and tocopherols, whose derivatives are in eight different isoforms, are closely related structurally. Tocopherols are generally present in common vegetable oils (i.e. soy, canola). However, tocotrienols are concentrated in cereal grains (ie. oat, barley, and rye, rice bran), with the highest level found in crude palm oil. The development of new cholesterol-lowering agents has been given more and more attention by pharmaceutical companies due to the strong relationship between cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Tocotrienols, especially δ- and γ-tocotrienols, were shown to be effective nutritional agents to treat high cholesterol in recent research programs. In particular, γ-tocotrienol appears to inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase at a posttranscriptional level and there is some evidence that tocopherols antagonize this effect. Therefore, the current study is designed to demonstrate that treatment with a tocotrienol-enriched fraction of palm oil for a three month period will lead to a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol with no effect on HDL cholesterol in patients whose cholesterol level is not adequately controlled in spite of statins. This objective will be achieved utilizing a simple three arm randomized placebo-controlled trial in a total of 99 subjects After acclimation to a step I AHA diet and no supplemental vitamin E in the diet, subjects will be given either a placebo capsule or a tocotrienol (120mg or 240mg) capsule in addition to their statin medications
- Conditions
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Being tested
- Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose, Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose, Sugar Pill
- Keywords
- Cholesterol
- Medical subject headings
- Hypercholesterolemia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low DoseDrug
Also called Tocotrienol-enriched Fraction of Palm Oil (TRF)
250 mg capsule containing 63 mg Gamma Delta Tocotrienols 2x/day for 12 weeks.
Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High DoseDrug
Also called Tocotrienol-enriched Fraction of Palm Oil (TRF)
250 mg capsule containing 127 mg Gamma Delta Tocotrienols 2x/day for 12 weeks.
Sugar PillDrug
Also called Placebo
250 mg Placebo capsule containing 50% medium chain triglycerides and 50% glycerin 2x/day for 12 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose | Active comparator | 33 subjects with cholesterol level (>180 mg/dl), ages 35-70, currently taking statins who meet all of the eligibility criteria in the screening phase of the study will be assigned to the TRF (63mg) arm of the study to evaluate the cholesterol suppressive actions of TRF. Subjects will be asked to take 2 tablets per day and to maintain the American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 12 weeks. Receives: Drug: Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose |
| Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose | Active comparator | 33 subjects with cholesterol level (>180 mg/dl), ages 35-70, currently taking statins who meet all of the eligibility criteria in the screening phase of the study will be assigned to the TRF (127mg) arm of the study to evaluate the cholesterol suppressive actions of TRF. Subjects will be asked to take 2 tablets per day and to maintain the American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 12 weeks. Receives: Drug: Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose |
| Sugar Pill | Placebo comparator | 33 subjects with cholesterol level (>180 mg/dl), ages 35-70, currently taking statins who meet all of the eligibility criteria in the screening phase of the study will be assigned to the Placebo arm of the study to evaluate the cholesterol suppressive actions of Placebo. Subjects will be asked to take 2 tablets per day and to maintain the American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 12 weeks. Receives: Drug: Sugar Pill |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in LDL Cholesterol Over Time Between the 3 Groups
Mixed-effects regression models will be used to evaluate the change in LDL cholesterol over time between the 3 groups
Measured: Baseline and 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Dec 2015 (estimated)
- Study start22 Mar 2011
- Primary completion13 Nov 2015
- Study completion13 Nov 2015
Why it stopped: Unable to obtain supplement for this study. Unable to recruit.
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for HypercholesterolemiaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, Los AngelesThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Zhaoping Li, University of California, Los Angeles
- Investigators
- Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, University of California, Los AngelesDavid Heber, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, University of California, Los Angeles
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02634606
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- TOCO 11-000665
- Acronym
- TRF
- Status last verified
- Jan 2019
- First submitted
- 26 Sep 2014
- Last updated
- 12 Feb 2019
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Feb 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of a Tocotrienol-Enriched Fraction of Palm Oil on Serum Lipids in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02634606
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TRF / TOCO 11-000665
- Conditions
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Keywords
- Cholesterol
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: Unable to obtain supplement for this study. Unable to recruit.
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los AngelesUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 22 Mar 2011 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 13 Nov 2015 (actual)
- Study completion
- 13 Nov 2015 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 Dec 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 12 Feb 2019
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Elevated blood cholesterol, and particularly LDL cholesterol, is a risk factor for heart disease. Tocotrienols are naturally-occurring compounds in foods that may have beneficial effects on blood cholesterol. Tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family, and are found in barley, oats, rye, coconut oil and rice bran oil, but the richest source of tocotrienols is palm oil. Certain of these tocotrienols have been shown to be effective in lowering LDL (or 'bad') cholesterol, with no adverse effects on the HDL (or 'good') cholesterol. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of a palm-oil derived tocotrienol supplement on blood cholesterol, and particularly LDL cholesterol, in individuals who are taking statins, and have either elevated or normal cholesterol levels. Study subjects will consume a palm-oil derived supplement of tocotrienol for 3 months to determine its effects on LDL cholesterol.
Detailed description
Both tocotrienols and tocopherols, whose derivatives are in eight different isoforms, are closely related structurally. Tocopherols are generally present in common vegetable oils (i.e. soy, canola). However, tocotrienols are concentrated in cereal grains (ie. oat, barley, and rye, rice bran), with the highest level found in crude palm oil. The development of new cholesterol-lowering agents has been given more and more attention by pharmaceutical companies due to the strong relationship between cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Tocotrienols, especially δ- and γ-tocotrienols, were shown to be effective nutritional agents to treat high cholesterol in recent research programs. In particular, γ-tocotrienol appears to inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase at a posttranscriptional level and there is some evidence that tocopherols antagonize this effect. Therefore, the current study is designed to demonstrate that treatment with a tocotrienol-enriched fraction of palm oil for a three month period will lead to a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol with no effect on HDL cholesterol in patients whose cholesterol level is not adequately controlled in spite of statins. This objective will be achieved utilizing a simple three arm randomized placebo-controlled trial in a total of 99 subjects After acclimation to a step I AHA diet and no supplemental vitamin E in the diet, subjects will be given either a placebo capsule or a tocotrienol (120mg or 240mg) capsule in addition to their statin medications
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose | Active comparator | Drug: Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose33 subjects with cholesterol level (>180 mg/dl), ages 35-70, currently taking statins who meet all of the eligibility criteria in the screening phase of the study will be assigned to the TRF (63mg) arm of the study to evaluate the cholesterol suppressive actions of TRF. Subjects will be asked to take 2 tablets per day and to maintain the American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 12 weeks. |
| Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose | Active comparator | Drug: Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose33 subjects with cholesterol level (>180 mg/dl), ages 35-70, currently taking statins who meet all of the eligibility criteria in the screening phase of the study will be assigned to the TRF (127mg) arm of the study to evaluate the cholesterol suppressive actions of TRF. Subjects will be asked to take 2 tablets per day and to maintain the American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 12 weeks. |
| Sugar Pill | Placebo comparator | Drug: Sugar Pill33 subjects with cholesterol level (>180 mg/dl), ages 35-70, currently taking statins who meet all of the eligibility criteria in the screening phase of the study will be assigned to the Placebo arm of the study to evaluate the cholesterol suppressive actions of Placebo. Subjects will be asked to take 2 tablets per day and to maintain the American Heart Association (AHA) diet for 12 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 35 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Able to read, speak, and understand English
- Male or female, 35-70 years old (inclusive)
- Total Fasting Plasma Cholesterol of >180 mg/dl
- Currently taking statin medications.
- Willing to maintain AHA Step 1 diet for the duration of the study.
Key exclusion criteria (12 listed)
- Any subject who is taking vitamin E supplements or taking any antibiotics or other medication or dietary supplement which could interfere with the action of tocotrienols.
- Any subject who is taking cholesterol lowering medications other than statins.
- Any subject who has lost >5% of their body weight during the past 3 months.
- Any subjects with a history of gastrointestinal surgery, diabetes mellitus, or other serious medical condition, such as chronic hepatitis or renal disease, bleeding disorder, congestive heart disease, chronic diarrhea disorders, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, angioplasty within 6 months prior to screening, current diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension (defined as BP >160mmHg, diastolic BP>95mmHg), active or chronic gastrointestinal disorders, bulimia, anorexia, laxative abuse, or endocrine diseases (except thyroid disease requiring medication) as indicated by medical history or routine physical examination.
- Major surgery within 12 weeks prior to subject randomization and/or screening, especially cardiac surgery
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low DoseAlso: Tocotrienol-enriched Fraction of Palm Oil (TRF)250 mg capsule containing 63 mg Gamma Delta Tocotrienols 2x/day for 12 weeks. | Drug | Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose |
| Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High DoseAlso: Tocotrienol-enriched Fraction of Palm Oil (TRF)250 mg capsule containing 127 mg Gamma Delta Tocotrienols 2x/day for 12 weeks. | Drug | Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose |
| Sugar PillAlso: Placebo250 mg Placebo capsule containing 50% medium chain triglycerides and 50% glycerin 2x/day for 12 weeks. | Drug | Sugar Pill |
Primary outcome
Change in LDL Cholesterol Over Time Between the 3 Groups
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Mixed-effects regression models will be used to evaluate the change in LDL cholesterol over time between the 3 groups
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Feb 2019.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD principal investigator
University of California, Los Angeles
David Heber, MD, PhD principal investigator
University of California, Los Angeles
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 3 study testing Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - Low Dose, Gamma Delta Tocotrienols - High Dose and Sugar Pill in people with Hypercholesterolemia, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 12 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Feb 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 12 Feb 2019). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in LDL Cholesterol Over Time Between the 3 Groups (time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Feb 2019; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.