June 11, 2003 – A drug from the Chinese pharmacopoeia has been shown to be just as effective as a conventional drug in the fight against vascular dementia, a problem that occasionally occurs following a stroke.
The effect of the substance called gastrodine has been compared with that of the drug Duxil, which is regularly used to treat dementia associated with stroke. A total of 120 patients were recruited into divided and two groups, one receiving gastrodine and the other receiving Duxil. In both cases, the drug was diluted in warm water before being administered orally.
The results are remarkable. The improvement in patients who took gastrodine was quantified at 51%, compared to 52% for the Duxil group. However, the patients who took gastrodine had fewer side effects in addition to experiencing a more pronounced improvement in their behavior.
Gastrodine consists of extracts from the orchid Gastrodia and six other herbs. It has been used for hundreds of years to treat headaches, dizziness and stroke.
Vascular dementia remains little known to the public, but is thought to be the second most important cognitive problem, after Alzheimer’s disease.
The results of this study were presented at the American Heart Association’s Second Asia Pacific Forum, but have not been published.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
From drkoop.com and BBC News; June 11, 2003.
