Heat-processed ginseng enhances the cognitive function in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Ginseng has been reported to improve cognitive function in animals and in healthy and cognitively impaired individuals. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a heat-processed form of ginseng that contains more potent ginsenosides than raw ginseng in the treatment of cognitive impairment in patients with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS:

Forty patients with AD were randomized into one of three different dose groups or the control group as follows: 1.5 g/day (n = 10), 3 g/day (n = 10), and 4.5 g/day (n = 10) groups, or control (n = 10). The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to assess cognitive function for 24 weeks.

RESULTS:

The treatment groups showed significant improvement on the MMSE and ADAS. Patients with higher dose group (4.5 g/day) showed improvements in ADAS cognitive, ADAS non-cognitive, and MMSE score as early as at 12 weeks, which sustained for 24-week follow-up.

DISCUSSION:

These results demonstrate the potential efficacy of a heat-processed form of ginseng on cognitive function and behavioral symptoms in patients with moderately severe AD.

• Authors: Jae-Hyeok Heo, Soon-Tae Lee, Kon Chu, Min Jung Oh, Hyun-Jung Park, Ji-Young Shim, Manho Kim
• Journal: Nutritional neuroscience (Nutr Neurosci) Vol. 15 Issue 6 Pg. 278-82 (Nov 2012) ISSN: 1476-8305 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22780999 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Plant Preparations

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Alzheimer Disease (drug therapy)
• Cognition (drug effects)
• Cognition Disorders (drug therapy)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neuropsychological Tests
• Panax (chemistry)
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Preparations (administration & dosage)