Objective:

2

To assess the effect and safety of Huannao Yicong Formula (还脑益聪方

HYF) in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods:

2

Sixty patients with mild-tomoderate AD were evenly randomized into HYF group and donepezil group with the random number method. Patients in the HYF group took 5 g of HYF granules twice daily and 5 mg placebo of donepezil once daily. Patients in the donepezil group took 5 mg donepezil once daily and 5 g placebo of HYF granules twice daily. The intervention lasted for 6 months. Clinical researchers

participants and statisticians were blinded to the treatment assignment throughout the study. The primary outcomes were scores of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Chinese Medicine Symptom Scale (CM-SS). The secondary outcomes were scores of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). The serum levels of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and amyloid-β protein 42 (Aβ

42

) were detected with enzymelinked immunosorbent assay kits. The scale assessments were conducted at baseline

the 3rd and 6th months of treatment

respectively. Biochemistry tests were conducted at baseline and the 6th month of treatment.

Results:

2

A total of 52 patients completed the trial

28 in HYF group and 24 in donepezil group. Compared with the baseline

HYF and donepezil significantly decreased the total scores of ADAS-Cog and CM-SS

and significantly increased the scores of MoCA and MMSE after 6-month treatment (all

P

<

0.01). Both treatments remarkably reduced the serum levels of AchE and Aβ

42

(both

P

<

0.05). The CM-SS total effective rate of HYF was significantly higher than donepezil [75.00% (21/28) vs. 54.17% (13/24)

P

<

0.05]. No severe adverse events were observed in both groups.

Conclusion:

2

HYF is effective and safe for improving the cognitive function in mildto-moderate AD patients. [Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Reg No. ChiCTR-IOR-17011746)]