NCT02473458

Efficacy of Whole Extract of Licorice in Neurological Improvement of Patients After Acute Ischemic Stroke

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1 / Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 75 (actual)
• Sponsor: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Stroke is one of the most important causes of mortality and disability both in developed and developing countries. The only food and drug administration (FDA) approved therapy for acute stroke is recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA). But narrow therapeutic window has limited the usefulness of thrombolytic therapy. Therefore, finding effective neuroprotective drugs for the patients for whom thrombolysis is contraindicated or not feasible seemed to be mandatory in the world of cerebrovascular medicine. Licorice, extracted from root of a plant scientifically known as Glycyrrhiza glabra, is used in food industries. Certain medical properties has been contributed to licorice and specifically to its active chemical components such as flavonoids and glycyrrhizic acid (GA). GA has been revealed to assert its anti-inflammatory effect by suppression of NF-κB, a key component of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response. Neuroprotective characteristics of GA has been widely investigated in recent studies. In the present study, the investigators verified the efficacy and safety of oral administration of two different doses licorice extract in the patients with acute ischemic stroke, in a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Conditions

• Acute Stroke

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Licorice whole extract	Patients randomly received one of below capsules labeled with codes during the first 24 hours after stroke attack: 1. Starch-filled capsules (as placebo) 2. 450 mg whole licorice extract capsules 3. 900 mg whole licorice extract capsules
DRUG	Placebo

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-06-01
• Primary completion: 2013-06-01
• Completion: 2014-06-01
• First posted: 2015-06-16
• Last updated: 2015-06-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Iran