Canadian company Neptune Technologies and Bioressources said that interim data from clinical trials of its Neptune Krill Oil show that it is effective in treating premenstrual syndrome.
The natural product is made of omega-3, potent phospholipids and antioxidants, and works on both the inflammation and pain as well as the emotional and psychological symptoms, by favourably affecting neurotransmitters within the brain, claimed the company.
Data from the Phase II trial currently underway was collected and analysed from 46 of the 70 patients included in the study. This group of patients supplemented their diet with three grams of Neptune Krill Oil per day and met with their doctor twice during an eight week initial period. During their visits, the patients answered a scientifically validated self-assessment questionnaire relating to their symptoms during the week before menstruation.
JSS Medical Research, the independent research organisation responsible for the data analysis, reported: "The interim results on 64.3 per cent of the 70 patients, which correspond to the 46 patients of the first group analysed, indicate that Neptune Krill Oil significantly improves the overall emotional and physical symptoms of patients suffering from premenstrual syndrome."
"Considering the study design and the power of our scientific results, the possibility that these results are not attributed to the beneficial effects of Neptune Krill Oil but to chance alone, is one in a thousand. This explains why we feel very strongly that the final results on the total number of patients will be just as conclusive," said Dr Tina Sampalis, vice-president of research and development at Neptune.
"The interim results of this clinical study are encouraging and allow us to move a step closer towards the validation of the efficacy of our Neptune Krill Oil on the improvement of certain human health conditions," she added.
The trial to measure the effects of Neptune Krill Oil on the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome is being performed according to current International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines on Good Clinical Practice.
Neptune Technologies & Bioressources is industrialising its extraction process Neptune OceanExtract in order to offer its products to nutraceutical, cosmetic, cosmeceutical and biopharmaceutical markets. It currently extracts krill and other underexploited marine resources such as red crab and calanus.