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Ashwagandha Pharmacokinetics Study in Older Adults

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) logo

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)

Status and phase

Suspended
Early Phase 1

Conditions

Aging
Healthy

Treatments

Dietary Supplement: Shoden

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
NIH

Identifiers

NCT06171724
26055
KL2TR002370 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will measure the oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of known compounds from a standardized Withania somnifera botanical dietary supplement in healthy older adults.

Full description

This is a single-blind, crossover trial evaluating (a) the pharmacokinetics of withanolides from two doses (120 and 240 mg) of a commercially available Withania somnifera root and leaf extract (Shoden®), (b) the safety and tolerability of these doses over four weeks' use and (c) the feasibility of remotely measuring sleep- and stress-related outcomes in older adults. There will be two four-week study periods separated by a two-week washout period. During each study period, participants will attend a 13-hour pharmacokinetics study visit, where they will receive a single dose of either 120 or 240 mg Shoden®, and return for 24- and 48-hour blood and urine collections. After the 48-hour visit, they will continue taking Shoden® at the administered dose (120 or 240 mg) for four weeks, at which time they will return for a follow-up visit.

Enrollment

14 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

65+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  1. Age 65 and older, male and female
  2. Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 17 and less than 35 at screening
  3. Sufficient vision and hearing to complete all tests
  4. Willingness to discontinue all botanical supplementation for one week prior to and throughout study
  5. No known sensitivity to Withania somnifera or any of its derivatives
  6. Normal or clinically not significant 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recording
  7. Hepatic (ALT, AST, bilirubin), renal (creatinine, estimated GFR), and TSH parameters within normal range
  8. Hemoglobin ≥13.0 g/dL or hematocrit ≥39% (males) OR hemoglobin ≥12.5 g/dL or hematocrit ≥38% (females), per FDA recommendations on blood donation
  9. General health status that will not interfere with the ability to complete the study
  10. Willingness to attend all study visits
  11. Willingness to avoid caffeine and xanthine-containing foods or beverages (e.g., coffee, tea, chocolate, caffeine-containing sodas, colas, etc.), as well as grapefruit juice and poppy-containing foods for 48 hours prior to baseline visits
  12. Willingness to adhere to special diet (no dairy, grapefruit products, poppy-containing foods, high-fat meals, caffeine, or xanthine-containing foods or beverages) during baseline visits and until after 24-hour visit
  13. Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score ≥26

Exclusion criteria

  1. Current smoking, alcohol, or substance abuse according to DSM-V criteria
  2. Participants who are currently pregnant, actively trying to conceive a child, or planning to within three months of study completion
  3. Severe aversion to venipuncture
  4. Donation of blood within 90 days of screening
  5. Participation in drug research study within 90 days of screening
  6. Serious health condition (i.e., illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition which requires a) overnight hospitalization or b) continuing treatment that may cause episodic periods of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive days) within 30 days of screening
  7. Allergy to nightshade plants (Solanaceae family)
  8. Abnormal labs indicating symptomatic and untreated urinary tract infection
  9. History of prostate cancer
  10. History of kidney transplant
  11. Cancer within the last five years, with the exception of non-metastatic skin cancers
  12. Comorbid conditions requiring medication such as diabetes, kidney failure, liver failure, hepatitis, blood disorders, hypotension, thyroid disease, respiratory disorders, or cardiovascular disease
  13. Presence of sleep apnea, moderate to severe restless leg syndrome, major circadian rhythm changes, or narcolepsy
  14. Significant disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS) such as brain tumor, seizure disorder, subdural hematoma, cranial arteritis, or clinically significant stroke
  15. Diagnosis of major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other major psychiatric disorder as defined by DSM-V criteria
  16. Diseases associated with dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus or Parkinson's disease

Trial design

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Allocation

Non-Randomized

Interventional model

Crossover Assignment

Masking

Single Blind

14 participants in 2 patient groups

Shoden 120 mg
Experimental group
Description:
Shoden, administered as a single 120 mg capsule, once at the pharmacokinetics visit and once daily for four weeks following the 48 hour visit.
Treatment:
Dietary Supplement: Shoden
Shoden 240 mg
Experimental group
Description:
Shoden, administered as a single 240 mg capsule, once at the pharmacokinetics visit and once daily for four weeks following the 48 hour visit.
Treatment:
Dietary Supplement: Shoden

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Central trial contact

Alex Speers, ND; Amala Soumyanath, PhD

Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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