Supplementation with a combination of methylphenidate and a specialized plant extract mix may enhance focus in children, adolescents, and youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
February 16, 2021
Methylphenidate (commonly sold under the trade name Ritalin) combined with HX106—plant extract mix—could improve ADHD symptoms, according to clinical trial results published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine Research (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2021.100714). The herbal combination of HX106 includes Gastrodia elata Blume, Liriope platyphylla, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, and Dimocarpus longan Lour plant extracts.
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 27 participants with ADHD—aged 8-20 years old—were given daily doses of either methylphenidate/HX106 or methylphenidate/placebo granule mixture supplementation, for 4-weeks. Following this intervention, researchers tested participants' outcomes on comprehensive attention and functional brain activity.
The results showed that the drug/herbal extract combination improved ADHD symptoms by 26.8%, compared to drug/placebo group, with significantly enhanced attention scores. Researchers further noted that HX106 positively affected patients' depression moods. "HX106 enhances the effect of methylphenidate on ADHD symptoms and increases brain activity in the attention-regulation network. Therefore, HX106 may be a promising adjunctive therapy option for patients with ADHD” – they concluded.
