A 12-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Gastrodia elata Extract for Memory Support in Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints.
7 affiliations
- 1Digital Healthcare, Graduate School of JABA, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
- 2Department of Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
- 3Department of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
- 4Jeonbuk State Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Iksan 54591, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
- 5Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
- 6Department of Il-won Integrative Medicine, Wonkwang University Korean Medicine Hospital, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
- 7Research Center of Traditional Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk State, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) represent an early window for cognitive intervention; however, no approved pharmacological treatment exists at this stage. Gastrodia elata is a traditional medicinal plant, and preclinical studies suggest that it may influence synaptic plasticity, neurotrophic signaling, and neuroinflammatory pathways involved in memory; however, human evidence remains limited. Methods: This study was a randomized, participant- and assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which the Clinical Research Coordinator, statistician, physician, and participants remained unaware of group assignment throughout the study period. Eighty adults with normal objective cognitive function and subjective memory complaints were randomized; 76 participants were included in the full analysis set (36 G. elata, 40 placebo) and all 80 in the safety set. Results: The prespecified primary outcome showed a small between-group difference in MoCA-K total score change: G. elata 0.72 ± 1.34 vs. placebo 0.13 ± 1.07 (between-group p = 0.034). Exploratory secondary analyses showed significant differences in MoCA-K delayed recall, K-MMSE total, K-MMSE memory recall and BDNF, whereas Digit Span and IL-6 did not differ significantly between groups. No serious adverse events occurred. The trial was retrospectively registered in CRIS (KCT0011966) on 12 May 2026. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that G. elata supplementation may support selected cognitive outcomes in adults with SMCs, although the clinical relevance requires confirmation in larger, prospectively registered trials. Further studies incorporating neuroimaging and prespecified biomarker analyses are warranted to determine whether the observed cognitive findings are accompanied by objective changes in brain function or circulating biomarkers.
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BibTeX
@article{pandey202612week,
title = {{A 12-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Gastrodia elata Extract for Memory Support in Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints.}},
author = {Ayusha Pandey and Dasol Park and Wonbae Ha and Chang Su Kim and Eun Suk Lee and Chan-Mi Park and Jungtae Leem and Kang-Beom Kwon},
journal = {Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ph19101558},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42943254},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A 12-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Gastrodia elata Extract for Memory Support in Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints.
AU - Ayusha Pandey
AU - Dasol Park
AU - Wonbae Ha
AU - Chang Su Kim
AU - Eun Suk Lee
AU - Chan-Mi Park
AU - Jungtae Leem
AU - Kang-Beom Kwon
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/ph19101558
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42943254
AB - Background/Objectives: Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) represent an early window for cognitive intervention; however, no approved pharmacological treatment exists at this stage. Gastrodia elata is a traditional medicinal plant, and preclinical studies suggest that it may influence synaptic plasticity, neurotrophic signaling, and neuroinflammatory pathways involved in memory; however, human evidence remains limited. Methods: This study was a randomized, participant- and assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which the Clinical Research Coordinator, statistician, physician, and participants remained unaware of group assignment throughout the study period. Eighty adults with normal objective cognitive function and subjective memory complaints were randomized; 76 participants were included in the full analysis set (36 G. elata, 40 placebo) and all 80 in the safety set. Results: The prespecified primary outcome showed a small between-group difference in MoCA-K total score change: G. elata 0.72 ± 1.34 vs. placebo 0.13 ± 1.07 (between-group p = 0.034). Exploratory secondary analyses showed significant differences in MoCA-K delayed recall, K-MMSE total, K-MMSE memory recall and BDNF, whereas Digit Span and IL-6 did not differ significantly between groups. No serious adverse events occurred. The trial was retrospectively registered in CRIS (KCT0011966) on 12 May 2026. Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence that G. elata supplementation may support selected cognitive outcomes in adults with SMCs, although the clinical relevance requires confirmation in larger, prospectively registered trials. Further studies incorporating neuroimaging and prespecified biomarker analyses are warranted to determine whether the observed cognitive findings are accompanied by objective changes in brain function or circulating biomarkers.
SN - 1424-8247
ER -