Tocotrienol Product Holds Potential in Treating Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

The results significantly showed that tocotrienol treatment was effective, with 15 patients (50%) being completely cured after one year treatment. The results are statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared to the control group.

Aug 16 2010 --- Carotech together with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board started the largest ever clinical trials on tocotrienols - to evaluate tocotrienols' neuroprotective effect especially on reducing white matter lesions (mini-stroke). These white matter lesion represent areas of subclinical infarct and may be an independent prognostic measure of future stroke risk.
 
The secondary objectives of this human study include evaluating the effects of tocotrienols on blood parameters such as total lipid profile, Apo-B, C-reactive protein, fatty liver accumulation, antioxidant profile, Lp(a) and lipid peroxidation.
 
Carotech claims to be pleasantly surprised with the preliminary results on one of the secondary end-points especially fatty liver accumulation. TocovidSupraBio 200mg (containing TocominSupraBio) twice a day – was found to be significantly effective in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 20 patients (66.7%) out of 30 subjects in the supplemented group showed significant improvement in their fatty liver condition. The results significantly showed that tocotrienol treatment was effective, with 15 patients (50%) being completely cured after one year treatment. The results are statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared to the control group.
 
This is the first research that demonstrated that the palm tocotrienol complex (TocominSupraBio) is effective in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver, a condition which to date has no proven drug treatment.
 
This research work has been accepted for presentation at the Liver Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (ASSLD) to be held in Boston, USA.
 
Fatty liver is a condition where excess fats (triglycerides) are deposited (steatosis) in liver cells (hepatocytes). Normally not harmful but if fat accumulation exceeds 5-10% of liver weight, it may lead to inflammation and tissue scarring (fibrosis).

A large proportion of patients with NAFLD have coexisting metabolic syndrome (type 2 diabetes, obesity, combined hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure).

NAFLD is reported to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). One study reported that “The magnitude of mortality risk in NAFLD depends on the setting and method of ascertainment. Suspected NAFLD in the 45-54 age group is a strong independent risk factor for cardiovascular death and warrants further cardiovascular risk management guidelines.” (Dunn W, et al., 2008).

What is alarming is that, the prevalence of NAFL is quite high worldwide. Prevalence rate in the general adult population has been reported to be between 15% to 30% in Western countries, 21% in Shanghai, between 18 to 30% in Japan and about 14% in Thailand.

At the moment - there is no drug that could effectively cure NAFLD.