Venetron® Clinical Evidence

Japanese Journal of Physiological Anthropology

Yoto A, et al. The stress-reducing effect of γ-Aminobutyric acid and Apocynum venetum leaf extract on changes in concentration of salivary chromogranin A. 2009;14(3);55.

Topic:
How does Venetron®, a combination of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Apocynum venetum, compare to GABA and Apocynum venetum alone, when taken before a stressful task?

Background:
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a calming neurotransmitter.
Apocynum venetum is an herb traditionally used for hypertension that has been shown to have anxiolytic effects.

Study Type:
Human clinical intervention trial

Study Design:
Double-blind, placebo-controlled. Crossover. Participants were divided into four groups and took a 50 mg dose of Venetron® (a 1:1 blend of Apocynum venetum and GABA), 25 mg of GABA alone, 25 mg of Apocynum venetrum alone, or placebo and underwent a stress-inducing mental task 30 minutes later. Researchers measured chromogranin A (CgA), a marker of stress, and cortisol, a stress hormone. Participants also filled out a questionnaire.

Participants:
12 students

Dosage:
50 mg/day, for 4 days

Results:
Neither of the single ingredients achieved stress reduction. The researchers speculated that the doses may have been too low. Venetron® reduced CgA.

Conclusions:
“From the above results, the subjective mood changes were not observed by the subjective evaluation questionnaire. However, the simultaneous ingestion of AVLE and GABA led to a more effective action against artificially loaded psychological stress at 30 min after ingestion.”

KGK SYNERGIZE INC. Effect of Venetron®

KGK SYNERGIZE INC. Effect of VENETRON® on symptoms of depression in individuals with mild depression. Unpublished paper.

Topic:
Can Venetron® alleviate symptoms of mild depression?

Background:
Venetron® has shown promise in treating anxiety. Can it also help people with depression?

Study Type:
Human clinical intervention trial.

Study Design:
Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Participants took 50 mg of Venetron® or placebo for 8 weeks. At baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks, researchers used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) to measure depression and anxiety and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) to measure severity of symptoms. They also tracked insomnia and took blood samples to measure serotonin.

Dosage:
50 mg/day for 8 weeks

Participants:
Volunteers with mild depression (20 in the treatment group).

Results:
From 4 to 8 weeks, there was a significant improvement of HAM-D scores in the treatment group, but not in the control group.

  • About 40% of the treatment group had more than a 10-point drop in their HAM-D scores.
  • 50% showed a decrease in their HAM-D scores of 50% or greater.
  • 60% had a score of 8 (out of 17) or less by the end of the study.

CGI scores declined by an average of 34% in the treatment group, but this was not significantly different from the placebo group. Insomnia improved significantly, as did anxiety. Serotonin levels increased in 50% of members of the treatment group. Thirty-five percent of participants showed an increase of at least 20%.

Conclusions:
“This result showed a continual improvement in the Venetron® group over time.”

Mechanism of Action

Venetron®’s antidepressant and anxiolytic effects are thought to be due to its bioactive flavonoid content. The formula is standardized to contain more than 4% hyperoside and isoquercitrin, which are responsible for its antidepressant action. Kaemperferol has anxiolytic action. Venetron® has been shown to affect the GABA system and to increase serotonin, by as much as 20% in some people.