Luteolin for the Treatment of People With Schizophrenia

Purpose

Luteolin is a natural product found in foods such as celery, green pepper, parsley, and chamomile tea. It has been found to have anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study is to determine if luteolin helps improve symptoms of schizophrenia.

Conditions

  • Schizophrenia
  • Schizoaffective Disorder

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 60 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Either male or female of any race - Age is 18-60 years old - Meets DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder - Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score of 75 or more OR a Clinical Global Impression severity of illness item score of 4 or more - Clinically stable - Treated with the same antipsychotic for at least 60 days and have received a constant therapeutic dose for at least 30 days prior to study entry - Able to participate in the informed consent process and provide voluntary informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

  • Meets DSM-5 criteria for alcohol or substance misuse (except caffeine and nicotine) within the last 6 months; or a positive baseline urine drug screen. Participants who meet DSM-5 criteria for marijuana misuse - mild will be included in the study - A current infection, including HIV and Hepatitis C; or an organic brain disorder or medical condition, whose pathology or treatment could alter the presentation or treatment of schizophrenia or significantly increase the risk associated with the proposed treatment protocol - Currently taking immunosuppressive medications (e.g. oral scheduled corticosteroids, chemotherapy or transplantation or HIV/AIDs associated drugs); or anti-inflammatory medications, including NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen, celecoxib, or naproxen) or aspirin > 81 mg on a daily basis. The use of PRN anti-inflammatory agents will be allowed. - Female participants who are pregnant or nursing

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Intervention Model Description
Double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, randomized clinical trial.
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Active Comparator
Luteolin
  • Dietary Supplement: Luteolin
    The luteolin target dose will be 300 mg BID taken over 12 weeks in capsule form
    Other names:
    • PureLut
Placebo Comparator
Placebo
  • Dietary Supplement: Placebo
    The placebo target dose will be 300 mg BID taken over 12 weeks in capsule form

Recruiting Locations

Maryland Psychiatric Research Center
Baltimore, Maryland 21228
Contact:
Christine Brown
410-402-7878
cbrown@som.umaryland.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Study Contact

Jennifer Zaranski
410-402-6060
jzaranski@som.umaryland.edu

Detailed Description

The study is a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of luteolin for the treatment of people with schizophrenia, who present with residual symptoms and cognitive impairments. The study will be conducted at two sites: The Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Participants will be randomized to either 300mg BID luteolin (three 100mg capsules) or placebo. We hypothesize that luteolin will have significant beneficial effects on global psychopathology and cognitive impairments; decrease antioxidant stress and levels of inflammatory markers; and that improvement in global psychopathology and cognition will be associated with changes in the oxidative stress and inflammatory measures. We also hypothesize that luteolin will be associated with improvements in positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.