Transl Clin Pharmacol.  2019 Sep;27(3):92-97. 10.12793/tcp.2019.27.3.92.

Cognition enhancing effect of panax ginseng in Korean volunteers with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

• Park KC
• Jin H
• Zheng R
• Kim S
• Lee SE
• Kim BH
• Yim SV

• KMID: 2458948
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12793/tcp.2019.27.3.92

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the cognition-enhancing effect of Panax ginseng. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to address the cognition-enhancing effects of Panax ginseng. A total of 90 Korean volunteers with mild cognitive impairment participated in this study. All subjects were allocated randomly into "˜Ginseng' group or "˜Placebo' group. All subjects were administered 3g of Panax ginseng powder or starch (placebo) for 6 months. The Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), Korean version of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL), and Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB) were used to assess the changes in cognitive function at the end of the 6 month study period. The subjects of the "˜Ginseng' group improved significantly on the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) immediate recall (P = 0.0405 and P = 0.0342 in per-protocol (PP) and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, respectively) and on the RCFT 20-min delayed recall (P = 0.0396 and P = 0.0355 in PP and ITT analysis, respectively) compared with "˜placebo' group throughout the 6 months of Panax ginseng administration. There were no serious adverse events. These results suggest that Panax ginseng has a cognition-enhancing effect.

Keyword

Clinical Trial; Cognition; Panax Ginseng; Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB)

MeSH Terms

Activities of Daily Living
Cognition*
Mass Screening
Memory, Short-Term
Mild Cognitive Impairment*
Panax*
Seoul
Starch
Volunteers*
Starch

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