A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial of a combined extract of sage, rosemary and melissa, traditional herbal medicines, on the enhancement of memory in normal healthy subjects, including influence of age.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate for the first time the effects of a combination of sage, rosemary and melissa (Salvia officinalis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Melissa officinalis L.; SRM), traditional European medicines, on verbal recall in normal healthy subjects. To devise a suitable study design for assessing the clinical efficacy of traditional herbal medicines for memory and brain function.


METHODS
Forty-four normal healthy subjects (mean age 61 ± 9.26y SD; m/f 6/38) participated in this study. A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study was performed with subjects randomised into an active and placebo group. The study consisted of a single 2-week term ethanol extract of SRM that was chemically-characterised using high resolution LC-UV-MS/MS analysis. Immediate and delayed word recall were used to assess memory after taking SRM or placebo (ethanol extract of Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop.). In addition analysis was performed with subjects divided into younger and older subgroups (≤ 62 years mean age n = 26: SRM n = 10, Placebo n = 16; ≥ 63 years n = 19: SRM n = 13, Placebo n = 6).


RESULTS
Overall there were no significant differences between treatment and placebo change from baseline for immediate or delayed word recall. However subgroup analysis showed significant improvements to delayed word recall in the under 63 year age group (p < 0.0123) with Cohen's effect size d = 0.92. No adverse effects were observed.


CONCLUSION
This pilot study indicates that an oral preparation of SRM at the selected dose and for the period of administration is more effective than a placebo in supported verbal episodic memory in healthy subjects under 63 years of age. Short- and long- term supplementation with SRM extract merits more robust investigation as an adjunctive treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease and in the general ageing population. The study design proved a simple cost effective trial protocol to test the efficacy of herbal medicines on verbal episodic memory, with future studies including broader cognitive assessment.
['Perry|N S L|NSL|', 'Menzies|R|R|', 'Hodgson|F|F|', 'Wedgewood|P|P|', 'Howes|M-J R|MR|', 'Brooker|H J|HJ|', 'Wesnes|K A|KA|', 'Perry|E K|EK|']
D000368:Aged D001892:Camphanes D004311:Double-Blind Method D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal D005260:Female D064368:Healthy Volunteers D029001:Herbal Medicine D006801:Humans D008297:Male D031334:Melissa D008568:Memory D008875:Middle Aged D053723:Panax notoginseng D010865:Pilot Projects D010936:Plant Extracts D010946:Plants, Medicinal D027542:Rosmarinus D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry D016896:Treatment Outcome
Traditional herbal medicine Salvia officinalis Rosmarinus officinalis Melissa officinalis Word recall Cognition Dementia