PLT Health Solutions and its partner Nektium Pharma announced the results of a recent clinical study which found that Zynamite S, a mango leaf (Mangifera indica) extract, was associated with non-stimulating mental energy benefits. Compared to a placebo, a single 100 mg dose of the botanical was found to support measures of mental processing speed, complex task handling, mental flexibility, mood, and fatigue, within 30 minutes of taking it.

The extract is standardized to 60% or greater mangiferin, and is water-soluble, enabling formulators to include the ingredient in beverages and other formats where taste and solubility present issues.

This second study on Zynamite S within a year confirms and builds upon previous findings, noted Joe Weiss, global head of brand management for PLT.

“This newest study of Zynamite S builds upon Nektium’s previous research demonstrating efficacy in what scientists agree are the core components of “mental energy”: improved cognitive performance, cognitive adaptability, enhanced mood, and reduced fatigue. These results are shown to occur within minutes to hours. Zynamite S has the potential to redefine what we mean by mental energy in consumer products,” he said. “The fact that Zynamite S is water-soluble makes the ingredient even more exciting because it can be formulated into delivery systems that represent significant growth areas in supplement and functional products markets,” Weiss said.

Study Details

In the present study, 88 healthy college students were given a single dose of 100 mg of Zynamite S or a placebo and were assessed three times over a five-hour period. The study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design with a 7-day washout period between testing conditions. Assessments were performed at baseline, 30 minutes, 3 hours, and 5 hours.

Participants completed two trail-making tests for cognitive speed and mental flexibility; a Stroop Color and Word Test for cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control; a digit substitution test for attention, working memory, and processing speed; and a Profile of Mood States (POMS) test for mood, including total mood disturbances, tension, and depression.

Compared to placebo, those taking Zynamite S experienced:

• Improved mood and reduced tension starting at 30 minutes, with a 24.1% improvement in mood at 5 hours
• Reduced fatigue in 30 minutes, with a 26% reduction in 5 hours
• Improved attention and working memory by 17% at 5 hours with significant differences versus placebo at 3 hours
• An improvement of 25.4 in processing speed
• A greater than 21% improvement in the ability to handle complex tasks
• Improved selective attention and inhibitory control. These core executive functions help manage and control thoughts and actions and handle cognitive interference while processing multiple pieces of information simultaneously.

The study was designed to assess the immediate effects of a low, single dose of Zynamite S on mental energy, said Laura López-Ríos, PhD, the lead of the study and product development director for Nektium’s research, development, and innovation business unit. “The results of this study certainly demonstrate that using Zynamite S is ‘experiential.’ This second study on Zynamite S within a single year validates and expands upon our previous findings and demonstrates our commitment to better understanding and communicating the benefits that are possible with our ingredients,” she said.