Surprising
After heart surgery, 19.5% of gastrodin patients developed delirium versus 35.9% on placebo — but the same study saw no difference in cognitive function.
This single, early-stage trial suggests gastrodin might reduce a serious complication of cardiac surgery, but the lack of effect on cognitive dysfunction and the need for replication in larger studies means we should treat the result as promising but not definitive.
In a double-blind randomized trial of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, those who received gastrodin (600 mg twice daily) had a 19.5% rate of postoperative delirium compared to 35.9% in the placebo group — a statistically significant reduction. However, the same study found no effect on postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and this is among the first trials of gastrodin for this purpose, so larger confirmatory studies are needed. The results are intriguing but should not be seen as a recommendation to use gastrodin for delirium prevention.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Gastrodia for Reduced Postoperative Delirium Incidence — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- 2025-03-11
- Critical care (London, England)
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.