Cognitive enhancer effect of citicoline alone or in combination with
Panax Ginseng: A prospective human psychometric study
Abstract
A prospective study was conducted to address the combined effect of
Panax Ginseng and citicoline on human psychomotor performance and visual
working memory in normal healthy volunteers. Eighty healthy volunteers
were randomly assigned to four groups: Group A (Control group, n=20) was
placebo, Group B (Ginseng group, n=20) received Panax Ginseng, Group C
(Citicoline group, n=20) received citicoline, and Group D (Combined
group, n=20) received Panax Ginseng plus citicoline. Psychomotor
performance, vigilance and visual working memory of normal healthy
volunteers were assessed before and after 1-month therapy. Panax ginseng
led to an improvement in most components of the psychomotor performance
measures, arousal function and visual working memory accuracy
(p<0.05), but did not significantly affected recognition
reaction time (RRT) and 1-back working memory accuracy
(p>0.05). Regarding citicoline treatment, it led to an
improvement in psychomotor performance measures and visual working
memory accuracy (p<0.05), but did not markedly changed arousal
and vigilance (p>0.05). When citicoline and Panax ginseng
were used in combination, a marked improvement in both psychomotor
performances and visual working memory accuracy on healthy volunteers
were stated (p<0.01). Panax ginseng and citicoline act
synergistically on human psychomotor performance and visual working
memory in normal healthy volunteers.