A Pilot Feasibility Study of Activated Charcoal in Healthy Volunteers

October 2, 2023 updated by: Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

A Pilot Feasibility Study of Activated Charcoal in Healthy Adult Volunteers

This is a pilot study designed to test feasibility, tolerability, and safety of medical grade oral Activated Charcoal (AC) in 12 healthy volunteers. To determine the two most palatable and tolerable AC combinations. There will be a total of 4 combinations (2 AC doses and 2 solutions) in stage 1. Each participant will drink an assigned combination every day for 3 consecutive days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, "M/T/W") and switch to a different assigned combination M/T/W the following week. AC solution assignments will be defined before the study using a balanced incomplete block design. Each subject will rate their experience using a 5-point scale every day for the 12 days they are on study.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
12

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
        • Masonic Cancer Center at University of Minnesota

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥18 years
  • No use of prescription medications, including oral birth control, currently or in the last 30 days
  • Sexually active women must be using an effective form of contraception. Note that subjects who are on oral contraception should use an additional form of contraception such as barrier methods, as AC may interfere with the efficacy of oral contraceptive
  • Voluntary written consent signed before performance of any study-related procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

  • At risk of GI hemorrhage or perforation due to underlying pathology, recent surgery, or medical conditions that could be adversely affected by the administration of AC
  • Planning to have an endoscopic procedure
  • Known hypersensitivity to AC
  • Non-English speakers

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Solution A Dose 1, Then Solution B Dose 2
Participants initially assigned to Solution A Dose 1 will complete the three day course (days 1-3) and switch to the Solution B Dose 2 arm to complete the three day course (days 8-10). The dose level for Solution A Dose 1 is 12 grams of medical grade oral AC mixed with 4 ounces of tap water. Participants will report on a daily basis and consume the assigned combination of oral AC.
Biological: Activated charcoal and Tap Water
12 grams of AC mixed with Tap water or 25 grams of AC mixed with Tap water
Other Names:
  • Medical grade AC, "Activated Charcoal Powder, USP", activated carbon.
Experimental: Solution A Dose 2, Then Solution B Dose 1
Participants initially assigned to Solution A Dose 2 will complete the three day course (days 1-3) and switch to the Solution B Dose 1 arm to complete the three day course (days 8-10). The dose level for Solution A Dose 2 is 25 grams of medical grade oral AC mixed with 4 ounces of tap water. Participants will report on a daily basis and consume the assigned combination of oral AC.
Biological: Activated charcoal and Tap Water
12 grams of AC mixed with Tap water or 25 grams of AC mixed with Tap water
Other Names:
  • Medical grade AC, "Activated Charcoal Powder, USP", activated carbon.
Experimental: Solution B Dose 1, Then Solution A Dose 2
Participants initially assigned to Solution B Dose 1 will complete the three day course (days 1-3) and switch to the Solution A Dose 2 arm to complete the three day course (days 8-10). The dose level for Solution B Dose 1 is 12 grams of medical grade oral AC mixed with 4 ounces of apple juice. Participants will report on a daily basis and consume the assigned combination of oral AC.
Biological: Activated Charcoal and Apple Juice
12 grams of AC with Apple Juice or 25 grams of AC with Apple Juice
Experimental: Solution B Dose 2, Then Solution A Dose 1
Participants initially assigned to Solution B Dose 2 will complete the three day course (days 1-3) and switch to the Solution A Dose 1 arm to complete the three day course (days 8-10). The dose level for Solution B Dose 2 is 25 grams of medical grade oral AC mixed with 4 ounces of apple juice. Participants will report on a daily basis and consume the assigned combination of oral AC.
Biological: Activated Charcoal and Apple Juice
12 grams of AC with Apple Juice or 25 grams of AC with Apple Juice

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Average Palatability Rating
Time Frame: two weeks
Each healthy volunteer will rate their experience using a 5-point scale (1=terrible, 2=bad, 3=okay, 4=good, 5=great) every day.
two weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Number of Participants With Grade 2 and Above Adverse Events Related to Activated Charcoal by Day 12
Time Frame: 12 days
12 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Armin Rashidi, MD, PhD, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 22, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 31, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 31, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 17, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 17, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 19, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 26, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 2, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2019LS014
  • HM2019-12 (Other Identifier: University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center)
  • UL1TR002494 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings