Asian Herb May Help Improve Memory and Mood

Persicaria minor is an herb species of the family Polygonaceae and is also known as small water-pepper, small smartweed, pygmy smartweed, and spotted lady's thumb. A new study has found that supplementation with persicaria minor extract may help improve memory and mood 

Thirty adults with an average age of 67.5 and mild cognitive impairment participated in the study. They were given 500 mg of persicaria minor or a placebo daily for 6 months. Cognitive function and mood were evaluated at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.

Participants in the supplement group saw significant improvements in the Visual Reproduction II test, which is used to assess visual memory. They also saw significant improvements in measures of anger, tension, confusion, and overall negativity.

The study was conducted by researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.It was published online ahead of print on October 19, 2020 in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies.