RESUMO
A single-center, crossover, randomized, double-blind, and controlled clinical study was conducted to assess the tolerability profile, especially with regard to gastrointestinal complaints, of oral supplementation with AB-Fortis®, a microencapsulated ferric saccharate (MFS), as compared with conventional ferrous sulphate (FS) in healthy premenopausal women. A dose of 60 mg/day of elemental iron was used. The test products were administered for 14 consecutive days with a washout period of two menstrual episodes and a minimum of one month between the two intervention periods. The subjects completed simple-to-answer questionnaires daily for 14 days during both the intervention and the washout periods, capturing the symptoms associated with oral iron supplementation and overall health aspects. Following product consumption, the incidences of symptoms, numbers of complaints/symptoms, overall intensity, and total days with symptoms were found to be significantly higher for FS consumption as compared to MFS. The better tolerability profile of MFS over FS was further substantiated when both products were compared to a real-life setting (i.e., the washout period). Overall, the administration of both study products was safe with no serious or significant adverse events reported. In summary, the current study shows the better tolerability of the MFS preparation when compared to that of the FS, presenting MFS as a well-tolerated and safe option for improving iron nutrition.
Assuntos
Anemia Ferropriva , Compostos Ferrosos , Humanos , Feminino , Óxido de Ferro Sacarado/uso terapêutico , Compostos Ferrosos/efeitos adversos , Anemia Ferropriva/tratamento farmacológico , Ferro/uso terapêutico , Método Duplo-Cego , Suplementos Nutricionais , Administração Oral , Compostos FérricosRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: A wild green-oats extract (Neuravena®) containing a range of potentially bioactive components, including flavonoids and triterpene saponins, has previously been shown to enhance animal stress responses and memory, and improve cognitive performance in humans at a dose of 1600â mg. Methods This double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced cross-over study assessed the effects of single doses of the green-oat extract (GOE) across a broad range of cognitive domains in healthy adults aged 40-65 years who self-reported that they felt that their memory had declined with age. Participants attended on six occasions, receiving a single dose of either placebo, 800, or 1600â mg GOE on each occasion, with the counterbalanced order of treatments repeated twice for each participant. Cognitive function was assessed with a range of computerized tasks measuring attention, spatial/working/episodic memory, and executive function pre-dose and at 1, 2.5, 4, and 6 hours post-dose. Results The results showed that 800mg GOE increased the speed of performance across post-dose assessments on a global measure including data from all of the timed tasks. It also improved performance of a delayed word recall task in terms of errors and an executive function task (Peg and Ball) in terms of decreased thinking time and overall completion time. Working memory span (Corsi blocks) was also increased, but only on the second occasion that this dose was taken. Discussion These results confirm the acute cognitive effects of GOE seen in previous research, and suggest that the optimal dose lies at or below 800â mg.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento , Avena/química , Disfunção Cognitiva/dietoterapia , Suplementos Nutricionais , Nootrópicos/uso terapêutico , Componentes Aéreos da Planta/química , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Adulto , Idoso , Atenção , Avena/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Cápsulas , Cognição , Disfunção Cognitiva/fisiopatologia , Estudos Cross-Over , Suplementos Nutricionais/efeitos adversos , Método Duplo-Cego , Função Executiva , Humanos , Memória Episódica , Memória de Curto Prazo , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Nootrópicos/administração & dosagem , Nootrópicos/efeitos adversos , Pacientes Desistentes do Tratamento , Componentes Aéreos da Planta/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Extratos Vegetais/efeitos adversos , Autorrelato , Memória EspacialRESUMO
Green oat extracts have been used for centuries in traditional medicine in view of their supposed beneficial effects on cognition and mood. Recently, a specific green oat formulation (Neuravena®) showed to have significant bioactive compounds potentially associated with the enhancement of processing speed, working memory and attention. The main aim of the current study was to compare the potential effect of acute administration of 800 mg of Neuravena® with placebo on a set of neurophysiological correlates of processing speed, attention, performance-monitoring and inhibitory control. Twenty healthy participants were randomized to receive either Neuravena® or placebo. Electroencephalographic (EEG) signal acquisition was obtained while participants carried out the modified Eriksen flanker and oddball tasks. Both groups were compared on measures of behavioral task performance, and a set of event-related potentials (ERPs) components related to performance monitoring (the error-related negativity; ERN and the N2), target detection, and attention (P3a/P3b). Following active-intervention N2, ERN, and P3a/P3b were significantly reduced and performance was faster, with no loss of accuracy. Conversely, no neurophysiological differences were found in the placebo group before and after treatment and performance worsened significantly in terms of reaction time and accuracy. Acute administration of 800 mg of Neuravena® appears to enhance the optimization of neural resources and positively influences cognitive performance in tasks associated with executive functions, processing speed and attention. Moreover, Neuravena® prevents the deleterious effects of tiredness during task performance.
RESUMO
An extract of wild green oat (Avena sativa L.), was tested in vivo in rats for its behavioural effects after chronic oral administration via extract-admixed food. Thirty six male Sprague-Dawley rats received (A) standard diet (controls), (B) 10 g/kg extract-admixed food or (C) 100 g/kg extract-admixed food. The following behavioural tests were performed: elevated plus maze, forced swimming, conditioned avoidance response and tetradic encounter. Body weight, food and fluid consumption were measured and apparent physical appearance was determined twice a week. Apart from a slightly decreased food and fluid intake in the high dose group there were no side effects observed during the treatment. The low dose led to an improvement of active stress response, an enhancement of shock avoidance learning and an increased synchrony in social behaviour. It may be concluded that the wild green oat extract is suitable to improve behavioural initiative in different situations.
Assuntos
Adaptação Psicológica/efeitos dos fármacos , Avena/química , Aprendizagem da Esquiva/efeitos dos fármacos , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Comportamento Social , Animais , Dieta , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Masculino , Aprendizagem em Labirinto/efeitos dos fármacos , Componentes Aéreos da Planta , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , NataçãoRESUMO
Majority of men are affected by symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) from a certain age. Botanical extracts are frequently used in the early management of the symptoms. In a single-arm, mono-center pilot study, the effects of a proprietary oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extract on the symptoms of BPH were investigated. A total of 60 men (62.3 years [95% confidence interval (CI): 60.3-64.3 years]) with a total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 14.8 (95% CI: 13.5-16.1) participated between January 2017 and October 2017 in the study by ingesting the oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extract once daily before going to bed during 3 months. Change in IPSS within treatment period was assessed. Frequency of nocturia was recorded by bladder diary, and postvoid residual urine volume was determined through ultrasound. Between baseline and after 12 weeks of supplementation, a significant symptom reduction of an average 30.1% (95% CI: 23.1-37.1) was seen for the total IPSS. Symptom alleviation had a high impact on quality of life (P < .0001) and was significant after 8 and 12 weeks of intervention (P < .001). Nocturia significantly decreased over time (P < .0001), as confirmed by IPSS questionnaire and bladder diary. Postvoid residual urine volume was significantly reduced at the end of intervention (baseline: 83.67 mL [95% CI: 58.02-109.3]; after 12 weeks: 63.11 mL [95% CI: 45.37-80.85]; P = .0394). These results indicate that the oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extract seems to be a very well tolerable, appropriate plant extract to support health benefits in a collective suffering from BPH related symptoms without the need of medical treatment.
Assuntos
Cucurbita/química , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Hiperplasia Prostática/tratamento farmacológico , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Projetos Piloto , Próstata/efeitos dos fármacos , Próstata/patologia , Hiperplasia Prostática/patologia , Hiperplasia Prostática/fisiopatologia , Qualidade de Vida , Sementes/química , Micção/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Hypertension is a harmful disease factor that develops unnoticed over time. The treatment of hypertension is aimed at an early diagnosis followed by adequate lifestyle changes rather than pharmacological treatment. The olive leaf extract EFLA943, having antihypertensive actions in rats, was tested as a food supplement in an open study including 40 borderline hypertensive monozygotic twins. Twins of each pair were assigned to different groups receiving 500 or 1000 mg/day EFLA943 for 8 weeks, or advice on a favourable lifestyle. Body weight, heart rate, blood pressure, glucose and lipids were measured fortnightly. Blood pressure changed significantly within pairs, depending on the dose, with mean systolic differences of < or =6 mmHg (500 mg vs control) and < or =13 mmHg (1000 vs 500 mg), and diastolic differences of < or =5 mmHg. After 8 weeks, mean blood pressure remained unchanged from baseline in controls (systolic/diastolic: 133 +/- 5/77 +/- 6 vs 135 +/- 11/80 +/- 7 mmHg) and the low-dose group (136 +/- 7/77 +/- 7 vs 133 +/- 10/76 +/- 7), but had significantly decreased for the high dose group (137 +/- 10/80 +/- 10 vs 126 +/- 9/76 +/- 6). Cholesterol levels decreased for all treatments with significant dose-dependent within-pair differences for LDL-cholesterol. None of the other parameters showed significant changes or consistent trends. Concluding, the study confirmed the antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering action of EFLA943 in humans.
Assuntos
Anti-Hipertensivos/farmacologia , Pressão Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Suplementos Nutricionais , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Olea/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Folhas de Planta/química , Gêmeos Monozigóticos , Anti-Hipertensivos/uso terapêutico , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Humanos , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Echinacea purpurea has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections and the common cold. The restraint stress has been reported to suppress a broad spectrum of immune functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of the pressed juice of E. purpurea (L.) Moench (EFLA®894; Echinacea) against restraint stress-induced immunosuppression in BALB/c mice. Echinacea significantly normalized the restraint stress-induced reduction in splenocyte proliferation and splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity (P < .05). Echinacea treatment significantly increased the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the blood (P < .05). In addition, Echinacea restored serum cytokine levels, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-17 (IL-17), as well as the mRNA expressions of these cytokines in spleen (P < .05). Our findings suggest that Echinacea might have beneficial effects on restraint stress-induced immunosuppression by increasing splenocyte proliferation and NK cell activity, while modulating T lymphocyte subsets and cytokine levels in the blood.
Assuntos
Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/uso terapêutico , Suplementos Nutricionais , Echinacea/química , Componentes Aéreos da Planta/química , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Estresse Fisiológico/imunologia , Estresse Psicológico/imunologia , Animais , Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/administração & dosagem , Biomarcadores/sangue , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/patologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/patologia , Proliferação de Células , Células Cultivadas , Citocinas/antagonistas & inibidores , Citocinas/sangue , Citocinas/genética , Citocinas/metabolismo , Terapia de Imunossupressão/efeitos adversos , Terapia de Imunossupressão/psicologia , Células Matadoras Naturais/imunologia , Células Matadoras Naturais/metabolismo , Células Matadoras Naturais/patologia , Contagem de Linfócitos , Masculino , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Distribuição Aleatória , Restrição Física/efeitos adversos , Restrição Física/psicologia , Baço/imunologia , Baço/metabolismo , Baço/patologia , Estresse Psicológico/etiologia , Estresse Psicológico/metabolismo , Estresse Psicológico/patologiaRESUMO
Purslane extract (PE) is derived from Portulaca oleracea L., a medicinal plant used in traditional medicine for its antidiabetic properties. This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PE in improving glucose control, blood pressure, and lipid profile in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with a single oral hypoglycemic agent at baseline. Subjects were randomized to treatment with three capsules of PE/day or a matched placebo. Change from baseline to the week 12 end-of-follow-up visit measures of glucose homeostasis, hemodynamics, and lipid profile was compared by treatment assignment. In addition, these measures were evaluated in a subgroup of "responders," defined as patients whose week 12 HbA1c was lower than baseline values, regardless of treatment assignment. This group was further assessed in subgroups of baseline oral hypoglycemic treatment. A total of 63 participants were treated with either PE (n = 31, 11 females, mean age 52.4 ± 7.9 years) or matched placebo (n = 32, 11 females, mean age 58.3 ± 10.8 years). In the total cohort, systolic blood pressure declined significantly more in the PE group than the placebo group: -7.5 ± 5.0 versus -0.01 ± 0.3 mmHg, P < .0001. In the responders' subgroup, HbA1c declined significantly more in the PE group than the placebo group: -0.8% ± 0.4% versus -0.6% ± 0.5%, P = .03. Few adverse events were reported. These were mild and did not differ by treatment assignment. PE appears to be a safe, adjunct treatment for T2DM, significantly reducing systolic blood pressure in the total cohort and HbA1c in the subgroup of responders.
Assuntos
Glicemia/metabolismo , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/tratamento farmacológico , Homeostase/efeitos dos fármacos , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Portulaca/química , Adulto , Idoso , Pressão Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/sangue , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Método Duplo-Cego , Feminino , Hemoglobinas Glicadas/metabolismo , Humanos , Hipoglicemiantes/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
A double-blind, randomized, parallel and active-controlled clinical study was conducted to evaluate the anti-hypertensive effect as well as the tolerability of Olive leaf extract in comparison with Captopril in patients with stage-1 hypertension. Additionally, this study also investigated the hypolipidemic effects of Olive leaf extract in such patients. It consisted of a run-in period of 4 weeks continued subsequently by an 8-week treatment period. Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf extract (EFLA(®)943) was given orally at the dose of 500 mg twice daily in a flat-dose manner throughout the 8 weeks. Captopril was given at the dosage regimen of 12.5 mg twice daily at start. After 2 weeks, if necessary, the dose of Captopril would be titrated to 25 mg twice daily, based on subject's response to treatment. The primary efficacy endpoint was reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) from baseline to week-8 of treatment. The secondary efficacy endpoints were SBP as well as diastolic blood pressure (DBP) changes at every time-point evaluation and lipid profile improvement. Evaluation of BP was performed every week for 8 weeks of treatment; while of lipid profile at a 4-week interval. Mean SBP at baseline was 149.3±5.58 mmHg in Olive group and 148.4±5.56 mmHg in Captopril group; and mean DBPs were 93.9±4.51 and 93.8±4.88 mmHg, respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, both groups experienced a significant reduction of SBP as well as DBP from baseline; while such reductions were not significantly different between groups. Means of SBP reduction from baseline to the end of study were -11.5±8.5 and -13.7±7.6 mmHg in Olive and Captopril groups, respectively; and those of DBP were -4.8±5.5 and -6.4±5.2 mmHg, respectively. A significant reduction of triglyceride level was observed in Olive group, but not in Captopril group. In conclusion, Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract, at the dosage regimen of 500 mg twice daily, was similarly effective in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressures in subjects with stage-1 hypertension as Captopril, given at its effective dose of 12.5-25 mg twice daily.