Effects of MaquiBright® on improving eye dryness and fatigue in humans: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Shin-Ichiro Yamashita; Naoko Suzuki; Kazuo Yamamoto; Shin-Ichiro Iio; Takahiro Yamada

doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2018.11.001

Effects of MaquiBright^® on improving eye dryness and fatigue in humans: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

J Tradit Complement Med. 2018 Nov 22;9(3):172-178. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2018.11.001. eCollection 2019 Jul.

Authors

Shin-Ichiro Yamashita¹, Naoko Suzuki¹, Kazuo Yamamoto¹, Shin-Ichiro Iio¹, Takahiro Yamada²

Affiliations

¹ ORTHOMEDICO Inc., 2F Sumitomo Fudosan Korakuen Bldg., 1-4-1 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0002, Japan.
² Ario Nishiarai Eye Clinic, 2F Ario Nishiarai, 1-20-1 Nishiarai Sakae-machi, Adachi-ku, Tokyo, 123-0843, Japan.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effects of MaquiBright^®, also known as BrightSight^®, a standardized maqui berry extract, on improving eye dryness and fatigue in Japanese subjects (aged 30-60 years) experiencing eye dryness, eye fatigue, and ≥4 h of visual display terminal (VDT) work daily. Seventy-four participants were equally but randomly assigned to either a MaquiBright^® (MB) or a placebo (P) group, wherein each participant consumed one capsule daily for 4 weeks of the appropriate treatment (MaquiBright^® 60 or 0 mg). Eye dryness and fatigue were measured using the Schirmer's test, tear break-up time (BUT) test, pupillary response, and flicker test before intake and 4 weeks after intake. Furthermore, subjective symptoms were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) method and the Dry Eye-related Quality of Life Score (DEQS) questionnaire. The MB group demonstrated a significantly higher lacrimal fluid production in both eyes (increased 6.4 ± 8.1 mm, P = 0.005) in Schirmer's test compared to the P group before VDT load (playing a video game) at 4 weeks after intake. In the VAS method after VDT load, the reduction of subjective symptoms in eye fatigue (P = 0.047) and stiff shoulders (P = 0.035) were significantly higher in the MB group than in the P group as well as bothersome ocular symptoms (P = 0.037) by the DEQS. No adverse events were reported. Thus, the consumption of 60 mg of MaquiBright^® per day for 4 weeks reduced eye dryness and seemed to alleviate eye fatigue.

Keywords: BMI, Body mass index; BUT, Break-up time; DEQS questionnaire; DEQS, Dry Eye-related Quality of Life Score; Delphinidin; Lacrimal fluid production; MB group, MaquiBright® group; Maqui berry; P group, Placebo group; QOL, Quality of life; ROS, Reactive oxygen species; SD, Standard deviation; Schirmer's test; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale; VDT, Visual Display Terminal.