Gincosan launches in the UAE

The event, which attracted more than 200 medical professionals and pharmacists, was part of the Gincosan launch activities in the UAE and the Gulf.

Gincosan is the results of many years of extensive research, product development and scientific testing at Pharmaton SA. The two plant extracts contained in it (G115® and GK501®) are derived from the roots of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree. The product was developed by Pharmaton SA more than 20 years ago and has been tested in double-blind, placebo controlled trials.

Acute and chronic dosing was employed and the two extracts were studied both alone and in combination with each other. GK501® has been shown to improve the microcirculation and thus the oxygen supply to the brain, and G115® to improve to optimize the oxygen uptake in the cells. The two extracts in Gincosan® thus act in a complementary way, creating a unique, first-of-its-kind product that improves mental performance and also reduces metal fatigue.

The scientific programme featured a speaker from Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) and two speakers from the Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Pharmaton SA in Lugano-Bioggio. The symposium was chaired by Dr. D M Kayed, MD, American Board certified Neurologist and was hosted by nmc trading with Pharmaton SA. Dr. B R Shetty, Managing Director & CEO - NMC Group, was also present.

Pharmaton SA has been specializing in the scientific research, development and production of phyto-pharmaceuticals for over 50 years. As Mr. Gilbert Mast, Head of International Public Relations of Pharmaton SA, said during his introductory speech, the company is "internationally recognized as centre of excellence for phytomedicine of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. Its phyto-pharmaceuticals range among the leading natural products and are characterized by their high quality, efficacy and reliability, which meet or even surpass the most severe international standards."

Phyto-pharmaceuticals are plant-based drugs. As they gain mainstream popularity among consumers, more and more questions are now being asked about them.

In conventional medicine, scientific evidence plays a crucial role. However, that is not always the case for phytomedicine. Perhaps this explains some of the scepticism among the medical profession towards herbal medicine. As complementary medicine becomes more and more popular in our society, there is an increasing need for doctors and pharmacists to be able to distinguish one phyto-pharmaceutical from another. Three criteria are important for this distinction: efficacy, safety and quality. The scientific symposium held today in Dubai was an important effort to address some of these issues.

The second speaker, Dr. Roger R. Tschopp, Head of Medical Affairs at Pharmaton SA, Switzerland, talked about the threats, challenges and opportunities of modern phytomedicine and stated that "natural" doesn't always equate with "safe". Herbal medicines have been dispensed for centuries by traditional herbalists who have been involved also in their cultivation and preparation as well as assessment of their potency. At present, many herbal products are still processed in unregulated environments and purchased over the counter without counselling of a qualified health practitioner.

Reliable and responsible manufacturers of scientifically proven phyto-pharmaceuticals therefore control the natural ingredients of their products starting from the cultivation of the herbal plant material to its harvesting, extraction, standardization and incorporation into the finished galenical form. The aim is to consistently ensure the high quality, efficacy and safety of the final phyto-pharmaceutical preparation, independently from the variability of nature.

The drug trials for Gincosan were conducted in the UK, in Sweden, the Netherlands and USA. The third speaker, Mr. Andrea Zangara from the Human Cognitive Neuroscience Unit of Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, presented an overview of the key studies and talked about the clinical evidence of Gincosan® on cognitive function. Most of the trials used the CDR computerized assessment system developed by Cognitive Drug Research Ltd (CDR) in the UK as primary cognitive outcome tool.

All the trials have identified beneficial effects on cognitive function especially on long term memory for words and pictures, working memory for numbers and location, speed of memory processes and power of concentration. The improvements were accompanied by enhancements of various mood states and quality of life indicators. Other trials have assessed the effects of the combination with the cognitive challenge design and hypothesis of action explored through EEG.

Over 600 volunteers had taken part in the trials, the study populations comprising student populations, healthy middle-aged adults, healthy elderly people, and volunteers with neurasthenia.