AttentionREACTNCT07255755
Cereboost (American Ginseng Extract) and Brain Function
A study testing American Ginseng extract in people with Attention and Cognition, run by University of East Anglia at 2 sites in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The study will assess the immediate, short-term benefits of a single dose of a supplement containing 200mg of Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng) on cognition (brain function) in healthy young adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- What is being tested?
- American Ginseng extract
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 27 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2025to 15 Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- To be eligible for inclusion, the Participant must fulfil all the following criteria:
- Be able to give written informed consent.
- Be between 18-40 years, inclusive.
- Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale scores (DASS-21):
- Depression ≤9
- Anxiety ≤7
Show all 13Show fewer
- Stress ≤14
- Willing to refrain from alcohol consumption 24-hours prior to assessment visits.
- Willing to refrain from caffeine consumption (including but not limited to energy drinks, soda, coffee…) on the morning of the assessment visit.
- Non-smokers and non-vapers
- Willing to consume the Study Product (SP).
- Willing to attend the study visit in an overnight fasted state, having followed a low-polyphenol diet for 48 h.
- Fluent in written and spoken English
Who cannot join
- Participants will be excluded from the study if they meet any of the following criteria:
- Participants who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant during the study or who are lactating and/or currently breastfeeding.
- Has food allergies or other issues with foods that would preclude intake of the Study Products.
- Not willing to consume gelatine from bovine/porcine source
- Has a BMI ≤18.5 or ≥30kg/m2
- Blood pressure >140/90 mmHg
Show all 27Show fewer
- Has any significant acute or chronic coexisting health conditions that would prevent them from fulfilling the study requirements, put the participant at risk or would confound the interpretation of the study results as judged by the investigator on the basis of medical history and routine laboratory test results.
- Excluded health conditions include:
- Cognitive disorders in the past 12 months.
- Current or past history of a major neuropsychiatric disorder, including: bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder
- Current or past history of a major neurological condition.
- Gastrointestinal disorders (e.g. IBS/IBD)
- ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
- Learning disabilities and difficulties
- Current, uncorrected, vision or hearing impairment
- Current or recent use of a medication that the investigator believes would interfere with the objectives of the study or pose a safety risk or confound the interpretation of the study results. Prohibited medications include:
- Anti-psychotics
- Anti-coagulants (including Warfarin)
- Anti-platelets (including Aspirin and Clopidogrel)
- Sedatives
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
- Taking any dietary supplements and unwilling to stop for two weeks prior to and for the duration of participation in the study
- Current or history of drug or alcohol abuse
- Current or history of: HIV, kidney disease, liver or biliary disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease (chronic respiratory trouble)
- Planned surgery within 2 weeks of their participation in the study
- Do not agree to the GP being contacted about participation and screening results
- Participated in any other cognitive trials within the last month
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United Kingdom2 sites
Quadram Insitute Clinical Research Facility
Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ
University of East Anglia
Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ
About this study
Official title: A Double Blind Randomised Clinical Study to Evaluate Attention Improvement in an Adult Population After Cereboost Intake
The study will assess the immediate, short-term benefits of a single dose of a supplement containing 200mg of Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng) on cognition (brain function) in healthy young adults.
To understand the effect this product may have, the participants will complete a series of questionnaires and cognitive tests (tests of memory and brain function) at set intervals across a 6-hour period. Blood samples will also be collected to assess the impact of the study product on the participants.
Read the detailed description
Lifestyle strategies such as nutritional interventions have received increased attention as they provide safe and effective solutions to improve cognitive performance. Ginseng, a popular herbal root extract obtained from plants of the Panax family, is widely regarded as a panacea in traditional medicine and has been used for centuries to treat mental and physical ailments and promote longevity. Ginseng contains a number of bioactives including flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, essential oils, and vitamins. However, the main bioactive ingredients in ginseng are purported to be ginsenosides including Rb1, Re, Rd, and F11. Among multiple species of ginseng, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) provides a particularly rich source of these ginsenoside when compared to other ginseng varieties, and emerging research suggests that supplementation with Panax quinquefolius may elicit cognitive enhancement effects.
Cereboost TM from Givaudan SA is a standardised extract of American ginseng and has been reported to exert such benefits. For example, following acute supplementation with 100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg Cereboost TM, improvements on an immediate word recall task, a visuospatial working memory task, a choice reaction time task, a composite working memory factor, and a measure of subjective mood (i.e. calmness) were observed in healthy young adults (aged 18-40 years) during the six hours after consumption. Adding to these findings, a study of middle-aged adults (aged 40-60 years) observed similar acute benefits of 200 mg Cereboost TM on a composite working memory factor after three hours, although no changes in mood were observed in this older age group. More recently, improved working memory and attention during the immediate postprandial period (2-6 hours) in healthy young adults was reported following Cereboost TM 200mg intake.
We are interested in conducting a larger study (n=200) employing standardised methods to investigate the acute benefits of a single dose (200mg) of American ginseng (Cereboost TM) and focusing mainly on the Modified Attention Network Task (MANT) test as the primary outcome.
- Being tested
- American Ginseng extract, Placebo product
- Keywords
- American Ginseng, Cereboost
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
American Ginseng extractDietary supplement
Cereboost TM capsules delivering 200 mg of Panax quinquefolius extract standardised for ginsenosides (10-12%)
Placebo productDietary supplement
Placebo capsules, identical in appearance to active treatment, but only containing maltodextrin
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | A placebo capsule (containing maltodextrin) Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo product |
| Study Product | Experimental | Study product capsule containing 200mg American Ginseng extract (Cereboost TM) Receives: Dietary Supplement: American Ginseng extract |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Measure of Attention
Measured by the Attentional Network Task (ANT), expressed by accuracy score (%correct) at 6 hours post consumption
Measured: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Secondary outcomes (6)
Measure of Cognition (Executive function)
Measured by a neuropsychological test battery (https://neuropsychology.online) including the following cognitive tasks; Reaction time, Digit span - backwards, Go/No-Go, Spatial working memory - forwards, Trail making B.
Measured: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Cognition (Reaction Time)
Measured by a neuropsychological test battery (https://neuropsychology.online) including the following cognitive tasks; Reaction time, Digit span - backwards, Go/No-Go, Spatial working memory - forwards, Trail making B.
Measured: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Mood State
Established by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Now (PANAS-X) questionnaire. The questionnaire includes 20 mood-related adjectives, and participants rate the extent to which they are currently experiencing each emotion on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 'Very slightly or not at all' (scored as 1) to 'Extremely or very much' (scored as 5).
Half of the presented words related to positive emotions, the other half to negative emotions. Separate scores are obtained for positive affect and negative affect by summing ratings for all similar emotions.
Measured: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Subjective Sleepiness
Established by using the validated Karolinska sleepiness scale (KSS), a 9-point Likert scale. Anchor points on the scale are '1. Extremely alert' and '9. Extremely sleepy, it is an effort to stay awake'.
Measured: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Subjective Mental Fatigue
Established by the subjective mental fatigue questionnaire on a 9-point Likert scale. Anchor points on the scale are '1. Very low/Alert' and '9. Very high/Fatigued'.
Measured: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of American Ginseng metabolites
Blood sample will be collected to measure metabolites resulting from American ginseng metabolism
Measured: Blood collection at 6-hours post intervention timepoint
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Dec 2025
- Study start1 Dec 2025
- Primary completion15 Jun 2026
- Study completion15 Jun 2026
Why it stopped: Rate of recruitment was really low and it was decided to close the Norwich site
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AttentionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 27 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of East Anglia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Givaudan France Naturals, Atlantia Food Clinical Trials
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- David Vauzour, PhD, Principal investigator, University of East Anglia
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07255755
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- R211952
- Other IDs
- IRAS355890
- Acronym
- REACT
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 14 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 26 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Double Blind Randomised Clinical Study to Evaluate Attention Improvement in an Adult Population After Cereboost Intake
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07255755
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- REACT / R211952
- Keywords
- American Ginseng, Cereboost
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: Rate of recruitment was really low and it was decided to close the Norwich site
- Enrolment
- 27 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of East AngliaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Givaudan France Naturals, Atlantia Food Clinical Trials
- Study start
- 1 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Jun 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 1 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study will assess the immediate, short-term benefits of a single dose of a supplement containing 200mg of Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng) on cognition (brain function) in healthy young adults.
To understand the effect this product may have, the participants will complete a series of questionnaires and cognitive tests (tests of memory and brain function) at set intervals across a 6-hour period. Blood samples will also be collected to assess the impact of the study product on the participants.
Detailed description
Lifestyle strategies such as nutritional interventions have received increased attention as they provide safe and effective solutions to improve cognitive performance. Ginseng, a popular herbal root extract obtained from plants of the Panax family, is widely regarded as a panacea in traditional medicine and has been used for centuries to treat mental and physical ailments and promote longevity. Ginseng contains a number of bioactives including flavonoids and other phenolic compounds, essential oils, and vitamins. However, the main bioactive ingredients in ginseng are purported to be ginsenosides including Rb1, Re, Rd, and F11. Among multiple species of ginseng, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) provides a particularly rich source of these ginsenoside when compared to other ginseng varieties, and emerging research suggests that supplementation with Panax quinquefolius may elicit cognitive enhancement effects.
Cereboost TM from Givaudan SA is a standardised extract of American ginseng and has been reported to exert such benefits. For example, following acute supplementation with 100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg Cereboost TM, improvements on an immediate word recall task, a visuospatial working memory task, a choice reaction time task, a composite working memory factor, and a measure of subjective mood (i.e. calmness) were observed in healthy young adults (aged 18-40 years) during the six hours after consumption. Adding to these findings, a study of middle-aged adults (aged 40-60 years) observed similar acute benefits of 200 mg Cereboost TM on a composite working memory factor after three hours, although no changes in mood were observed in this older age group. More recently, improved working memory and attention during the immediate postprandial period (2-6 hours) in healthy young adults was reported following Cereboost TM 200mg intake.
We are interested in conducting a larger study (n=200) employing standardised methods to investigate the acute benefits of a single dose (200mg) of American ginseng (Cereboost TM) and focusing mainly on the Modified Attention Network Task (MANT) test as the primary outcome.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Dietary Supplement: Placebo productA placebo capsule (containing maltodextrin) |
| Study Product | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: American Ginseng extractStudy product capsule containing 200mg American Ginseng extract (Cereboost TM) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Be able to give written informed consent.
- Be between 18-40 years, inclusive.
- Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale scores (DASS-21):
- Willing to refrain from alcohol consumption 24-hours prior to assessment visits.
- Willing to refrain from caffeine consumption (including but not limited to energy drinks, soda, coffee…) on the morning of the assessment visit.
Key exclusion criteria (27 listed)
- Participants who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant during the study or who are lactating and/or currently breastfeeding.
- Has food allergies or other issues with foods that would preclude intake of the Study Products.
- Not willing to consume gelatine from bovine/porcine source
- Has a BMI ≤18.5 or ≥30kg/m2
- Blood pressure >140/90 mmHg
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| American Ginseng extractCereboost TM capsules delivering 200 mg of Panax quinquefolius extract standardised for ginsenosides (10-12%) | Dietary supplement | Study Product |
| Placebo productPlacebo capsules, identical in appearance to active treatment, but only containing maltodextrin | Dietary supplement | Placebo |
Primary outcome
Measure of Attention
Time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measured by the Attentional Network Task (ANT), expressed by accuracy score (%correct) at 6 hours post consumption
6 secondary outcomes
Measure of Cognition (Executive function)
Time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Cognition (Reaction Time)
Time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Mood State
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Subjective Sleepiness
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of Subjective Mental Fatigue
Time frame: At the beginning and end of the cognitive task batteries at baseline, and at 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention
Measure of American Ginseng metabolites
Time frame: Blood collection at 6-hours post intervention timepoint
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: Rate of recruitment was really low and it was decided to close the Norwich site). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
David Vauzour, PhD principal investigator
University of East Anglia
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing American Ginseng extract in people with Attention and Cognition, run by University of East Anglia at 2 sites in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 13 inclusion and 27 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was stopped early (reason given: Rate of recruitment was really low and it was decided to close the Norwich site). Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Measure of Attention (time frame: Baseline, 2-hours, 4-hours and 6-hours post intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Jun 2026.