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Withania Somnifera: an Immunomodulator and Anti-inflammatory Agent for Schizophrenia

NCT01793935 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 68

Last updated 2018-01-03

Study results available
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Summary

Withania somnifera (WSE; Ashwagandha in Ayurveda) extracts have been used as an adaptogen or to build resistance to stress or diseases in indigenous medical systems in India for centuries. Modern scientific data for WSE indicate several bioactive molecules (withanolides, withanosides, indosides, withaferin-A, others) with significant immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and stress reducing properties.

This study will examine whether a standardized extract of Withania Somnifera (WSE; Sensoril®) will improve total, positive, negative symptoms, and stress in patients with schizophrenia. The study will examine whether WSE reduces PANSS positive and negative symptoms and stress scores in subjects, and whether these improvements are mediated by changes in inflammatory immune indices. An additional aim will determine if patients receiving WSE will have fewer adjustments to their psychotropic medications that those assigned to placebo. The study will examine whether WSE will re-balance Th1/Th2 ratios (cytokine measures) and mediate a reduction of elevated hs-CRP levels. It is hypothesized that those subjects whose Th1/Th2 ratios normalize will likely have a greater magnitude of clinical improvement versus those subjects whose immune ratios remain unbalanced.

The proposal is a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT of WSE added to antipsychotic medications in approximately 60 or more patients with schizophrenia with an exacerbation of symptoms. If efficacy is affirmed, this low cost extract could be studied further, and used quite readily across low, middle and high income countries.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Sensoril®

Sensoril® is a proprietary extract of Withania Somnifera. Each Sensoril® capsules will contain 250 mg of standardized extract of Withania Somnifera

DRUG

Placebo

Each Placebo capsule comprises inert ingredients; microcrystalline cellulose NF 102, croscarmellose Sodium NF, silicon Dioxide, Fumed NF (Cab-0-sil), magnesium sterate, NF matched in appearance and fill weight to Sensoril® capsules. Moreover, based on past experience, we will expose the placebo capsules to covered sachets containing Sensoril, so that the smell permeates the placebo capsules which then smell like the Sensoril capsules.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • K.N. Roy Chengappa

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • KN Roy Chengappa, MD · University of Pittsburgh

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
75 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2013-04-30
Primary Completion
2016-07-07
Completion
2016-07-07

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Drugs
Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01793935 on ClinicalTrials.gov