Science shorts: COVID-19 clinical trials, Gencor's fenugreek findings and more
COVID-19 natural product trial: New curcumin, artemisinin supplement to be tested on patients
A curcumin and artemisinin-based oral spray has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 patients and a clinical trial will be conducted, ASX-listed phytocannabinoid firm MGC Pharmaceuticals has revealed.
Known as ArtemiC, the new product is jointly developed by MGC and Switzerland firm Micelle Technology based on a product originally developed by the latter. New adaptations have been made to the product in response to COVID-19.
The supplement, which also contains vitamin C and Boswellia serrata, will be tested on COVID-19 patients in Israel’s Nazareth Hospital EMMS.
Fytexia’s sinetrol significantly reduces body weight, body fat mass, and BMI – South Korea RCT
A trial featuring French bioscience firm Fytexia’s patented ingredient – Sinetrol – has displayed anti-obesity effects in obese Koreans.
Sinetrol is mainly made up of orange and grapefruit extract. It has been approved by the South Korean food authorities in making the health claim of “help reduce body fat” among the overweight population.
The trial, funded by Fytexia’s exclusive South Korean business partner, pharmaceutical company RP Bio, was independently conducted by researchers from Gachon University and Sungkyunkwan University.
Exercise boost: Gencor’s fenugreek extract found to aid strength and body composition – RCT
Gencor’s fenugreek extract Testofen has been found to increase strength, aerobic endurance and lean body mass in healthy, exercising men, according to new findings published in the journal Transitional Sports Medicine.
The randomised, placebo controlled, double-blind study trial, which was funded by Gencor, was undertaken by researchers from the universities of Sydney and Queensland,
They sought to examine changes in muscular strength and endurance, body composition, functional threshold power, and sex hormones in response to an eight-week calisthenic programme with daily supplementation with Testofen (Fenugreek extract) or a placebo.
Can honey, omega-3, resistant potato starch help fight COVID-19? Researchers to examine via clinical trials
Researchers from Asia, the Middle East, and the West are now trialling omega-3, honey, and even potato resistant starch, on top of vitamins and zinc, as they race to find products that could contribute to the fight against COVID-19 and its symptoms.
In China and India, there are also trials registered to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and nutraceutical formulations.
According to one of the largest clinical trial databases, ClinicalTrials.gov from the US, there are 657 registered trials related to COVID-19 as of April 20.
Value of veggies pre-pregnancy: Eight traditional Aussie fresh products linked to full term deliveries
An analysis of the diets of nearly 3500 Australian women found high consumption of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, green beans and potatoes before conception helped women reach full term pregnancy.
The study assessed live births from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) to analyse preterm birth and low birth weights (LBW) in relation to pre-pregnancy diet.
It included women who were nulliparous and nonpregnant at baseline surveys and used factor analyses and the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) score to derive maternal dietary patterns.
