Guarana (Paullinia Cupana) for Breast Cancer Chemotherapy-related Fatigue

Summary

The investigators hypothesize that Guaraná, a native plant from the Amazon, might improve chemotherapy-induced fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment. In order to assess this, the investigators randomized patients to either guaraná extract or to placebo, switching the assigned treatment mid-term through the cycles of Chemotherapy.

Timeline

Start

2008-02

Primary completion

2009-09

Completion

2009-12

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper We were unable to show any statistically significant differences between the guaraná and the placebo-treated group with any of the measured scores. PMID 19388866 ↗

Publications

• Background de Souza Fede AB, Bensi CG, Trufelli DC, de Oliveira Campos MP, Pecoroni PG, Ranzatti RP, Kaliks R, Del Giglio A. Multivitamins do not improve radiation therapy-related fatigue: results of a double-blind randomized crossover trial. Am J Clin Oncol. 2007 Aug;30(4):432-6. doi: 10.1097/COC.0b013e31804b40d9.
• Results da Costa Miranda V, Trufelli DC, Santos J, Campos MP, Nobuo M, da Costa Miranda M, Schlinder F, Riechelmann R, del Giglio A. Effectiveness of guarana (Paullinia cupana) for postradiation fatigue and depression: results of a pilot double-blind randomized study. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Apr;15(4):431-3. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0324.
• Results Kennedy DO, Haskell CF, Robertson B, Reay J, Brewster-Maund C, Luedemann J, Maggini S, Ruf M, Zangara A, Scholey AB. Improved cognitive performance and mental fatigue following a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement with added guarana (Paullinia cupana). Appetite. 2008 Mar-May;50(2-3):506-13. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.10.007. Epub 2007 Oct 30.

Drugs

Indications