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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
ACTRN12611000487910
Ethics application status
Yes
Date submitted
20/04/2011
Date registered
10/05/2011
Date last updated
Type of registration
Prospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
The chronic effects of Bacopa, Pycnogenol and an antioxidant/micronutrient combination formula on cognitive and cardiovascular function in a healthy older population
Scientific title
The chronic effects of Bacopa, Pycnogenol and an antioxidant/micronutrient combination formula on cognitive and cardiovascular function in a healthy older population
Secondary ID [1] 253063 0
None
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
ARC-LI
Linked study record

Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Effects of natural supplements on cognition 258626 0
Effects of natural supplements on mood 258627 0
Effects of natural supplements on cardiovascular function 258628 0
Effects of natural supplements on inflammation and oxidative stress 258629 0
Mechanisms of natural supplements 258630 0
Condition category
Condition code
Alternative and complementary medicine 258770 258770 0 0
Herbal remedies
Mental Health 265976 265976 0 0
Studies of normal psychology, cognitive function and behaviour
Cardiovascular 265977 265977 0 0
Normal development and function of the cardiovascular system

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of intervention(s) / exposure
Participants will consume a nutraceutical treatment daily for 12 months. Participants will be randomly allocated to
one of four natural supplements (each of which is taken as oral capsules): Bacopa Monniera (300mg/day), Pycnogenol (150mg/day), a treatment consisting of various antioxidants and micronutrients (Folic acid 400mcg, Vitamin B12 6mcg, Vitamin E 30IU, CoQ10 50mg, Alpha Lipoic Acid 400mg, Phosphatidylserine 200mg and Acetyl-L-carnetine 500mg) and a placebo.
Intervention code [1] 257585 0
Other interventions
Intervention code [2] 264557 0
Prevention
Comparator / control treatment
Placebo (consisting of avicel, an inert plant cellulose fiber)
Control group
Placebo

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 259632 0
Speed of information processing via inspection
time on the Inspection Time Task and reaction time performance on the Hick Reaction Time Paradigm
Timepoint [1] 259632 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Primary outcome [2] 259633 0
Memory via performance on the following computerised tasks: Immediate and delayed word recall, delayed word recognition, immediate and delayed picture recognition, contextual memory, spatial working memory, numeric working memory
Timepoint [2] 259633 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Primary outcome [3] 259634 0
Sustained attention via the Rapid Visual Information Processing task
Timepoint [3] 259634 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [1] 266430 0
Subjective mood and anxiety via Bond and Lader Visual Analogue Scales, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory II
Timepoint [1] 266430 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [2] 266432 0
Subjective fatigue and health via Short Form 36, Chalder Fatigue Scale and Leeds Sleep Evaluation questionnaire
Timepoint [2] 266432 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [3] 266433 0
Cardiovascular/arterial stiffness assessment via SphygmoCor system
Timepoint [3] 266433 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [4] 266434 0
Brachial blood pressure via automatic sphygmomanometer
Timepoint [4] 266434 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [5] 266435 0
Inflammation and oxidative stress via blood
samples. The haematological measures will include C-Reactive protein, F2 Isoprostanes, cytokines (TNF-alpha, Interleukin-1Beta, Interleukin 1-6 and Interleukin 10) and plasma Glutathione (GSH) concentration.
Timepoint [5] 266435 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [6] 276251 0
Middle cerebral artery blood velocity via Transcranial Doppler.
Timepoint [6] 276251 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [7] 276252 0
Flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery via ultrasound
Timepoint [7] 276252 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [8] 276253 0
Measurement of blood glucose using HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) and Insulin.
Timepoint [8] 276253 0
at baseline, 3-month post-treatment commencement, 6-month post-treatment commencement and 12-month post-treatment commencement
Secondary outcome [9] 276254 0
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Genotyping from blood samples, using an array of candidate genes related to dementia, oxidative stress, antioxidant defence, individual variability in cognition, intelligence and behaviour and cardiovascular function.
Timepoint [9] 276254 0
Baseline
Secondary outcome [10] 276255 0
Telomere Length (a measure of DNA damage and biological aging) from blood samples
Timepoint [10] 276255 0
Baseline and 12-month post-treatment commencement.

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
1) Healthy non-smoking males and females aged 60 - 75 years
2.) Free from psychiatric disorders
3.) No neurological diseases
4.) Not suffering from severe cardiovascular, gastrointestinal or endocrine disorders
5.) Not suffering from any other disorders affecting food metabolism
6.) No recent history (past 5 years) of chronic/severe illness (longer than 6 weeks)
7.) Must not be taking antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, AChE inhibitors, illicit drugs or significant cognitive enhancing drugs that will interfere with the study measures (e.g. chronic intake of substances such as Ginkgo)
8.) Must score 24 and above on the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE)
9.) Must score <20 on the Geriatric Depression Scale
10.) Must have corrected to normal vision
11.) No alcohol abuse (defined as greater than 14 standard drinks per week for women and 28 standard drinks per week for men) or addiction.
Minimum age
60 Years
Maximum age
75 Years
Sex
Both males and females
Can healthy volunteers participate?
Yes
Key exclusion criteria
1.) Smokers
2.) Psychiatric disorder
3.) Neurological disease
4.) Significant endocrine, gastrointestinal or cardiovascular disorder
5.) Other disorders effecting food metabolism
6.) Recent history (past 5 years) of chronic/severe illness (longer than 6 weeks)
7.) Taking psychoactive medication including, antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, AChE inhibitors, illicit drugs or significant cognitive enhancing drugs (e.g. chronic intake of substances such as Ginkgo)
8.) A score <24 on the MMSE
9.) A score >19 on the Geriatric Depression Scale
10.) Vision that is not corrected to normal
11.) Current regular alcohol use exceeding 14 standard drinks per week for women and 28 standard drinks per week for men

Study design
Purpose of the study
Prevention
Allocation to intervention
Randomised controlled trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
The treatment will be randomly assigned to the
subject by randomisation done by a third party, created off-site. Staff who enroll a subject into the study will provide a treatment bottle to the subject, which will already be numbered off-site.
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Simple randomisation by using a randomization table created by computer software
Masking / blinding
Blinded (masking used)
Who is / are masked / blinded?



Intervention assignment
Parallel
Other design features
Phase
Not Applicable
Type of endpoint/s
Efficacy
Statistical methods / analysis

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Not yet recruiting
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
1/07/2011
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
Actual
Sample size
Target
600
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment outside Australia
Country [1] 261068 0
State/province [1] 261068 0

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 258129 0
Government funding body e.g. Australian Research Council
Name [1] 258129 0
Australian Research Council
Country [1] 258129 0
Australia
Funding source category [2] 258130 0
Commercial sector/Industry
Name [2] 258130 0
Flordis PTY LTD
Country [2] 258130 0
Australia
Funding source category [3] 258131 0
Commercial sector/Industry
Name [3] 258131 0
Horphag Research
Country [3] 258131 0
Switzerland
Funding source category [4] 258132 0
Commercial sector/Industry
Name [4] 258132 0
Blackmores
Country [4] 258132 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
University
Name
Swinburne University of Technology
Address
Brain Sciences Institute
Swinburne University of Technology
Advanced Technology Centre
427-451 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 257304 0
None
Name [1] 257304 0
Address [1] 257304 0
Country [1] 257304 0

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Yes
Ethics committee name [1] 260110 0
Swinburne University Human Research Ethics
Ethics committee address [1] 260110 0
Swinburne University PO Box 218 HAWTHORN
VIC 3122
Ethics committee country [1] 260110 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 260110 0
Approval date [1] 260110 0
14/07/2010
Ethics approval number [1] 260110 0
2010/106

Summary
Brief summary
This study will investigate the effects of chronic administration of three natural supplements on cognition, cardiovascular function and biological measures.
The primary aim of this project is to determine whether 12 months administration of the natural supplements Bacopa monniera (EBm), Pycnogenol (PYC) and an antioxident/micronutrient combination formula improve cognitive functioning in a healthy older population. The
secondary aims of this project are to investigate the mechanisms underpinning any cognitive effects of EBm, PYC and the combination formula by examining the relationship between cognition, biochemical and cardiovascular measures and to investigate the time course of any
improvements. The study will follow a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, between-group design.
Participants will be required to consume one of four types of supplements (EBm, PYC, combination formula or placebo) daily for 12-months. We will measure performance on different cognitive tasks, mood, cardiovascular and biochemical measures before treatment (baseline), 3-months, 6-months and 12-months after consuming the treatment.
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Contact person for public queries
Contact person for scientific queries

No information has been provided regarding IPD availability


What supporting documents are/will be available?

No Supporting Document Provided
Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.