Plant fails to delay Alzheimer's
Thursday September 6th, 2012
A popular plant extract thought to boost the mind seems to have no impact in delaying Alzheimer's disease, researcher said today.
Researchers in France set out to find whether gingko biloba helps prevent development of the disease.
More than 2,800 people took part over five years in the research, reported in The Lancet today.
The participants were over the age of 70 and had already been seen by a primary care doctor over concerns about memory problems.
After the five year period four per cent of those who took the plant extract - 61- developed the disease - compared with five per cent of the others, just 73.
Reporting in The Lancet, the researchers say the difference is not statistically significant.
Researcher Professor Bruno Vellas of the Hôpital Casselardit, in Toulouse, France, said more research is needed on the long term effects of gingko.
He said: "Effective and safe prevention strategies are urgently needed to tackle the growing public health burden of Alzheimer's disease, and the efficacy of any such intervention needs to be shown through randomised controlled trials.
"This is only the third Alzheimer's prevention trial to be completed, and is the first to be done outside the USA, so further research in this area is urgently needed."
Tags: Alternative Therapy | Elderly Health | Europe | Mental Health
Printer friendly page