[Clinical study on treatment of mild cognitive impairment by modified wuzi yanzong granule].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of modified Wuzi Yanzong Granule (MWYG) in treating mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to explore its mechanism.

METHODS

Forty-four MCI patients were selected referring to the international recognized Peterson's criteria and randomly divided into two groups, the treated group treated with MWYG and the control group treated with Ginkgo leaf extraction, with the course of 3 months for both groups. Changes of memorial quotient (MQ), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion rate and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) before and after treatment were observed.

RESULTS

After treatment, levels of MQ, serum SOD activity increased and serum MDA content, mtDNA deletion rate and AchE decreased in both groups (P < 0.01), but the difference between the two groups was insignificant. No adverse reaction was found in two groups.

CONCLUSION

Both MWYG and Ginkgo leaf capsule can effectively improve the memorial function of patients with MCI, the therapeutic mechanism is possibly related with the actions in reducing AchE activity, improving free radical metabolism, and alleviating mitochondrial DNA oxidation damage.