Use of Gou-Teng to Treat Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a pre-dementia condition commonly occurs in elderly people. As Hong Kong has become an aged society, the prevalence of dementia and MCI in Hong Kong has increased substantially in recent decades. To date, no effective pharmacological therapies are available for MCI, and there exists a need for exploring complementary treatment for this age-related condition. Preclinical studies have identified Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gouteng in Chinese) to have promising neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer's disease experimental models. Objective: To assess the effectiveness and the safety of oral administration of Uncaria rhynchophylla for MCI in older people in Hong Kong. Study design: This is a double-blinded, randomized, placebo controlled pilot study. 56 patients with MCI will be randomized into two groups i.e. Uncaria rhynchophylla and placebo groups. All subjects will receive treatment twice a day for a consecutive 16 weeks.