title: Improvement in immediate memory after 16 weeks of tualang honey (Agro Mas) supplement in healthy postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the verbal learning and memory performance of postmenopausal women who received tualang honey (Agro Mas) in comparison with women receiving estrogen plus progestin therapy and untreated controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 102 postmenopausal women were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: tualang honey (20 g/d)[corrected], estrogen plus progestin therapy (Femoston 1/5), and untreated control. Their verbal learning and memory performances were assessed using the Malay version of the Auditory Verbal Learning Test before and after 16 weeks of intervention. Data were analyzed using the repeated-measures analysis of variance, and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the mean scores of total learning as well as the mean scores of trials A1, A5, A6, and A7 between the three groups. There were also significant differences in the overall mean scores of total learning and trials A1 and A5 between both estrogen plus progestin therapy and tualang honey groups when compared with the untreated control group. However, significant differences in the mean score for trials A6 and A7 were only observed between the estrogen plus progestin therapy and untreated control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postmenopausal women who received tualang honey showed improvement in their immediate memory but not in immediate memory after the interference and delayed recall. This is comparable with the improvement seen in women receiving estrogen plus progestin therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. zahir@kb.usm.my
authors.forename: Zahiruddin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Nazlahshaniza
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shafin
authors.forename: Rahimah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Nik Hazlina Nik
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Wan Mohd Zahiruddin Wan
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mohammad
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004394:Dydrogesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins; D004958:Estradiol; D004394:Dydrogesterone