NCT01391403

Artemisinin With Risperidone for First-Episode and Drug-Naive Schizophrenia

A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Artemisinin as an Add-on Therapy to Risperidone in the Treatment of Drug-Naive First-Episode Patients With Schizophrenia

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 88 (actual)
• Sponsor: Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will determine the effectiveness of artemisinin plus risperidone in improving symptoms and cognitive disturbances and in Chinese people with schizophrenia. The study addresses the Toxoplasma infection hypothesis of schizophrenia.

Detailed description

Evidences of high levels of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in the serum and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of individuals with schizophrenia have suggested that this organism might be involved in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia. The investigators hypothesize that antimicrobial therapy by using an add-on agent together with a well-proven neuroleptic may have favorable effects on a subgroup of schizophrenic patients.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Artemisinin	400 mg/day
OTHER	Placebo	400mg/day

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-09-01
• Primary completion: 2011-04-01
• Completion: 2011-05-01
• First posted: 2011-07-12
• Last updated: 2016-07-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China