Ginkgo biloba and donepezil: a comparison in the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study.

Full Abstract

The Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761 seems to produce neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases of multifactorial origin. There is still debate about the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761 compared with second-generation cholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's dementia. Our aim is to assess the efficacy of the Ginkgo biloba special extract E.S. in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type in slowing down the disease's degenerative progression and the patients' cognitive impairment compared with donepezil and placebo. The trial was designed as a 24-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Patients aged 50-80 years, suffering from mild to moderate dementia, were allocated into one of the three treatments:
Ginkgo biloba (160 mg daily dose), donepezil (5 mg daily dose), or placebo group. The degree of severity of dementia was assessed by the Syndrom Kurz test and the Mini-Mental State Examination. Clinical Global Impression score was recorded to assess the change in the patients' conditions and the therapeutic efficacy of tested medications. Our results confirm the clinical efficacy of Ginkgo biloba E.S. (Flavogin) in the dementia of the Alzheimer type, comparable with donepezil clinical efficacy. There are few published trials that have directly compared a cholinesterase inhibitor with Ginkgo for dementia. This study directly compares a cholinesterase inhibitor with Ginkgo biloba for dementia of the Alzheimer type and could be a valid contribution in this debate. Our study suggests that there is no evidence of relevant differences in the efficacy of EGb 761 and donepezil in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's dementia, so the use of both substances can be justified. In addition, this study contributes to establish the efficacy and tolerability of the Ginkgo biloba special extract E.S. in the dementia of the Alzheimer type with special respect to moderately severe stages.

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Author information

Author/s: Mazza, M (M); Capuano, A (A); Bria, P (P); Mazza, S (S);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. mariannamazza(-atsign-)hotmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal: European journal of neurology : the official journal of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (Eur J Neurol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Sep; vol 13 (issue 9) : pp 981-5

Dates: Created 2006/08/25; Completed 2006/09/11; Revised 2007/09/26;

PMID: 16930364, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Eur J Neurol. 2007 Sep;14(9):e11; author reply e12. (PMID: 17718671)

CommentIn: Eur J Neurol. 2007 Sep;14(9):e9; author reply e10. (PMID: 17718684)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease - complications; drug therapy
Analysis of Variance
Cholinesterase Inhibitors - therapeutic use
Dementia - complications; drug therapy
Double-Blind Method
Female
Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba
Humans
Indans - therapeutic use
Male
Mental Status Schedule
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Piperidines - therapeutic use
Plant Extracts - therapeutic use

Associated Chemicals: Cholinesterase Inhibitors (0) ; Ginkgo biloba extract 761 (0) ; Indans (0) ; Piperidines (0) ; Plant Extracts (0) ; donepezil (120011-70-3)

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