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COVID-19NCT05970861

Effect of Natural Food on Gut Microbiome and Phospholipid Spectrum of Immune Cells in COVID-19 Patients

A study testing Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal) in people with COVID-19, run by Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University at 1 site in Kazakhstan.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The efficacy of natural foods such as freeze-dried mare's milk (Saumal) in post-COVID syndrome therapy has not been studied. The literature review has shown that researchers have focused more on evidence-based medications and less on natural products. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 75 years
Conditions the study is for
COVID-19
What is being tested?
Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
75 participants
Where
1 siteKazakhstan
Study dates
1 Sep 2023to 30 Aug 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 75 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 18 years and older;
  • Patients in rehabilitation after COVID-19;
  • Signed informed consent;
  • Presence of patient's history of COVID-19, reliably established by PCR+ /presence of IgG/ diagnosis of coronavirus pneumonia on Computer Tomography based on discharge from hospital or outpatient records.

Who cannot join

  • Chronic inflammatory bowel disease;
  • Gut microbiota transplantation;
  • Chronic pancreatic disease, period of exacerbation;
  • Liver cirrhosis, Metavir stage 3-4;
  • Any disease in the decompensation stage;
  • Neuralgic and psychological disorders that interfere with the study;
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  • Cancer;
  • Non-transportable patients;
  • Patients who do not reside in Almaty;
  • Patients who have refused to participate in the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Kazakhstan1 site
  • Almaty House of Veterans

    Almaty, 050000

Other trials in Kazakhstan

About this study

The efficacy of natural foods such as freeze-dried mare's milk (Saumal) in post-COVID syndrome therapy has not been studied. The literature review has shown that researchers have focused more on evidence-based medications and less on natural products. Some raw foods, such as freeze-dried mare's milk, contribute to forming complete immune complexes and have antioxidant, membrane stabilizing, and antiviral effects.

The use of Saumal proved its effectiveness in patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C. After 4 weeks of using freeze-dried mare's milk, the biodiversity of the intestinal microbiome was increased. The content of bacteria secreting short-chain fatty acids also increased.

The study aims to confirm these effects at the gene level in patients who underwent COVID-19. This study will allow us to develop a highly evidence-based component of rehabilitation therapy in patients after COVID-19.

Read the detailed description

The study consists of three stages. Stage I. Randomized division of 75 patients under study into a main group of 38 patients receiving Saumal for 4 weeks and a control group of 37 patients not receiving Saumal. All respondents have suffered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months. At the moment of the research, all patients will be staying in rehabilitation centers in Almaty City.

The study's biological material will be collected from the respondents (gut microbiome, antiphospholipid antibodies, biochemical blood analysis (glucose, ALT, AST, uric acid, TAGs, alkaline phosphatase)).

Stage II. The main group will be given Saumal for four weeks, after which the gut microbiome, antiphospholipid antibodies, and biochemical blood analysis will be collected from both groups again. This will allow us to assess the impact of freeze-dried mare's milk on the condition of the gut microbiome, antiphospholipid antibodies, and biochemical blood analysis.

Stage III. Data analysis.

  1. Based on the results of gut microbiome sequencing, ELISA (antiphospholipid antibodies), and biochemical blood analysis in the main and control groups, we determine the dynamic changes of those parameters during COVID-19 rehabilitation.
  2. According to the results, the effectiveness of Saumal itself regarding these 2 parameters will be evaluated.
  3. Develop recommendations and an algorithm for patient management after COVID-19 to prevent complications.
Conditions
COVID-19
Being tested
Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal)
Keywords
COVID-19, gut microbiome, antiphospholipid antibodies, rehabilitation, food products
Medical subject headings
COVID-19

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal)Dietary supplement

    Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal) is frequently reported for having therapeutic and dietary properties associated with specific chemical composition and certain physical properties of the product. It contains a total of about 40 biologically active components, the most important of them vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, and B12, amino acids, enzymes, and trace elements (low molecular weight peptides, lactalbumins, and globulins). Saumal will be administered to patients at a dose of 25 grams of dry powder per 200 ml of water, 2 times a day, 30 minutes before the meal, for 4 weeks.

Study groups in NCT05970861
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Main GroupExperimentalPatients who had suffered from COVID-19 in the six months before the start of the study. Patients will receive Saumal (freeze-dried mare milk) for four weeks.
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal)
Control GroupNo interventionPatients who had suffered from COVID-19 in the six months before the start of the study. There will be no intervention.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Gut Microbiome

    Intestinal microbiome studies will be performed using the Illumina MiSeq Metagenomics Kit. Creation of libraries for NGS sequencing. The commercial Illumina MiSeq The Metagenomics Kit includes two primer pools that can amplify the hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA in bacteria. The first pool produces V2-4-8, while the second pool allows for the production of V3-6 and 7-9 regions of 16S rRNA. Sequencing will be performed on an Ion S5 analyzer using an Illumina MiSeq Chip Kit. Once the PCR products have been run, it is important to follow standard procedures for fragment end recovery, adaptor ligation, nick gap repair, qualitative and quantitative assessment of non-amplified libraries, and pooling.

    Measured: 4 weeks

  2. Antiphospholipid Antibodies

    IgG or IgM autoantibodies to cardiolipin, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl-inositol, phosphatidyl acid, and β2-glycoprotein I are determined in human venous blood serum by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using the Anti-Phospholipid Screen IgG/IgM kit.

    Measured: 4 weeks

  3. Biochemical Blood Analysis (Uric Acid)

    This biochemical indicator will be determined from patient serum on a BA400 analyzer (BioSystems S.A., Spain)

    Measured: 4 weeks

  4. Quality of Life Changes

    Constructs: Physical Functioning (PF), Role Limitations due to Physical Health (RP), Bodily Pain (BP), General Health (GH), Vitality (VT), Social Functioning (SF), Role Limitations due to Emotional Problems (RE), Mental Health (MH). All scale ranges (for any construct): 0 to 100.

    Higher scores indicate: PF - better physical functioning; RP - fewer role limitations due to physical health; BP - less bodily pain; GH - better perceived general health; VT - greater vitality and less fatigue; SF - better social functioning; RE - fewer role limitations due to emotional problems; MH - better mental health.

    The SF-36 does not have a single total score but can be summarized using two summary measures:

    1. Physical Component Summary (PCS). Combines the following scales: PF, RP, BP, GH.
    2. Mental Component Summary (MCS). Combines the following scales: VT, SF, RE, MH. Higher scores indicate better physical and mental health. Range: Typically standardized (mean = 50, SD = 10)

    Measured: 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Biochemical Blood Analysis (ALT)

    This biochemical indicator will be determined from patient serum on a BA400 analyzer (BioSystems S.A., Spain)

    Measured: 4 weeks

  2. Biochemical Blood Analysis (AST)

    This biochemical indicator will be determined from patient serum on a BA400 analyzer (BioSystems S.A., Spain)

    Measured: 4 weeks

  3. Biochemical Blood Analysis (Glucose)

    This biochemical indicator will be determined from patient serum on a BA400 analyzer (BioSystems S.A., Spain)

    Measured: 4 weeks

  4. Biochemical Blood Analysis (Triacylglycerides)

    This biochemical indicator will be determined from patient serum on a BA400 analyzer (BioSystems S.A., Spain)

    Measured: 4 weeks

  5. Biochemical Blood Analysis (Alkaline Phosphatase)

    This biochemical indicator will be determined from patient serum on a BA400 analyzer (BioSystems S.A., Spain)

    Measured: 4 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Aug 2023
  2. Study start1 Sep 2023
  3. Primary completion30 Aug 2024
  4. Study completion30 Aug 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
75 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05970861
Sponsor's protocol ID
KazNMU_Saumal_COVID
Status last verified
Jan 2025
First submitted
31 Jul 2023
Last updated
5 Feb 2025
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Zuo T, Zhang F, Lui GCY, Yeoh YK, Li AYL, Zhan H, Wan Y, Chung ACK, Cheung CP, Chen N, Lai CKC, Chen Z, Tso EYK, Fung KSC, Chan V, Ling L, Joynt G, Hui DSC, Chan FKL, Chan PKS, Ng SC. Alterations in Gut Microbiota of Patients With COVID-19 During Time of Hospitalization. Gastroenterology. 2020 Sep;159(3):944-955.e8. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.048. Epub 2020 May 20.

    PubMed 32442562
  • Yeoh YK, Zuo T, Lui GC, Zhang F, Liu Q, Li AY, Chung AC, Cheung CP, Tso EY, Fung KS, Chan V, Ling L, Joynt G, Hui DS, Chow KM, Ng SSS, Li TC, Ng RW, Yip TC, Wong GL, Chan FK, Wong CK, Chan PK, Ng SC. Gut microbiota composition reflects disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses in patients with COVID-19. Gut. 2021 Apr;70(4):698-706. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-323020. Epub 2021 Jan 11.

    PubMed 33431578
  • Romaniuk K., Majszyk-Świątek M., Kryszak K., Danielewicz A., Andraszek K. Alternative use of mare milk. Folia Pomer. Univ. Technol. Stetin. 2019;348:121-130. doi: 10.21005/AAPZ2019.49.1.13.

  • Kushugulova A., Kozhakhmetov S., Sattybayeva R., Nurgozhina A., Ziyat A., Yadav H., Marotta F. Mare's milk as a prospective functional product. Funct. Food Health Dis. 2018;8:537-543. doi: 10.31989/ffhd.v8i11.528.

  • Musayev, A., Yeshmanova, A., Pakhomenko, Y., Kozhakhmetov, S.S., Kushugulova, A.K. Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Intestinal Microbiome Under the Influence Of Mare's Milk In Patients with Hepatitis C. Procedia Environmental Science, Engineering and Management 2020;7(4):605-611.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Freeze-dried Mare Milk (Saumal) in people with COVID-19, run by Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University at 1 site in Kazakhstan.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Feb 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Kazakhstan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 5 Feb 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Gut Microbiome (time frame: 4 weeks). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05970861, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Feb 2025.

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