Huperzine A by Ray Sahelian, M.D. (index of hundreds of supplements)
 

Huperzine A is discussed in Mind Boosters, a book by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
 

Huperzine A is an extract from a club moss (Huperzia serrata) that has been used for centuries in Chinese folk medicine. Huperzine's action has been attributed to its ability to strongly inhibit acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft. Acetylcholine is involved in memory and learning. By inhibiting the enzyme that breaks it down, more acetylcholine becomes available to stimulate neurons. Alzheimer’s disease is a condition where there’s a relative shortage of acetylcholine.
        Several studies have been done over the past few years with huperzine A both in China and the United States. These studies have shown that Huperzine A is many times more effective and selective than tacrine (a cholinesterase-inhibiting pharmaceutical drug) in inhibiting cholinesterase (Cheng 1996). Huperzine A has also been found to be beneficial in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists at Zhejiang Medical University, in Hangzhou, China administered 200 mcg of huperzine A to fifty patients with Alzheimer’s disease for a period of eight weeks and compared the results to a group who received placebo pills (Xu 1995). The study was done in a double blind, placebo controlled and randomized manner. The results showed 58 percent of the patients treated with huperzine A had improvements in memory, cognition, and behavioral functions whereas only 36 percent of those on placebo improved. No severe side effects were found. Blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, liver and urine tests did not show any major abnormalities. The researchers say, "Huperzine A is a promising drug for symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease."

Huperzine A, 50 mcg
Life Enhancement

Huperzine A is a phytonutrient that helps maintain proper memory function. It accomplishes this by slowing the breakdown of acetylcholine, a process that accelerates with aging. Acetylcholine plays a vital role in the cognitive function of the mind by enabling the delivery of messages from neuron to neuron in your brain.

* Huperzine A daily value not established

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Plus: Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter.  Once or twice a month we email you a brief abstract of several new studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics and their practical interpretation  by Ray Sahelian, M.D. We will discuss Huperzine A research as it becomes available.

Huperzine A Research Update
Huperzine A.
Drugs R D. 2004;5(1):44-5.
Huperzine A, an alkaloid isolated from Huperzia serrata, is a putative nootropic agent developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Huperzine A is currently in phase III trials in China for the treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism of action of huperzine A is suggested to be facilitated through the slow reversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Marco Hi-Tech Joint Venture has exclusive worldwide marketing and distribution rights to huperzine A. Marco Hi-Tech Joint Venture is a corporation principally owned by Hi-Tech Pharmacal and Marco International, a global trading and finance firm formed to import huperzine A from China. Marco Hi-Tech Joint Venture also has rights to synthetic analogues of huperzine A. In July 2003, Savient Pharmaceuticals acquired the exclusive rights from Marco Hi-Tech to market huperzine A in Europe and the US. Clinical trials of huperzine A in elderly patients with age-associated memory loss are underway in the US, and a phase II study funded by an NCI grant is being planned.

Clinical efficacy and safety of huperzine Alpha in treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer disease, a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2002 Jul 25;82(14):941-4.
To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of huperzine Alpha in treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS: Two hundred and two patients with the diagnosis of possible or probable AD from 15 centers the nationwide were randomly divided into two groups: huperzine Alpha group (n = 100, given huperzine Alpha 400 micro g/day for 12 weeks) and placebo group (n = 102 ). Different scales were used to evaluate the cognitive function, activity of daily life (ADL), non-cognitive disorders, and overall clinical efficacy. Safety evaluation was conducted every 6 weeks. RESULTS: In comparison with the baseline data, there was an improvement of 4.6 points in cognition assessed by ADAS-Cog (P = 0.000); an improvement of 2.7 points by MMSE, an improvement of 1.5 points in behavior and mood by ADAS-non-Cog (P = 0.008) with 59.2% of the patients being on the mend clinically; and an improvement of 2.4 points by ADL with the capacity of ADL improved by at least 10% among 32.75% of the patients. 70% of the patients in huperzine Alpha group scored 1 approximately 3 points, and 27.8% of them scored 1 approximately 2 points by CIBIC-plus. The proportions of patients with an improvement of >/= 4 points by ADAS-Cog were 56.1% and 12.5% in the huperzine Alpha group and placebo group respectively. The proportions of patients with an improvement of >/= 4 points by MMSE were 37.8% and 10.1% in the huperzine Alpha group and placebo group respectively. The proportions of patients with an improvement of 1 approximately 3 points in global rating by CIBIC-plus were 59.2% and 40.6% in the huperzine Alpha group and placebo group respectively. The proportions of patients with an improvement of >/= 10% points by ADL were 32.7% and 17.2% in the huperzine Alpha group and placebo group respectively (P = 0.01). The proportions of patients with an improvement of > 0 points by ADS-non-C0g were 70.0% and 36.3% in the huperzine Alpha group and placebo group respectively. Mild and transient adverse events (edema of bilateral ankles and insomnia) were observed in 3% of huperzine Alpha treated patients. CONCLUSION: A safe and effective medicine, huperzine Alpha remarkably improves the cognition, behavior, ADL,and mood of AD patients.

Huperzine A Animal Studies
Comparative effects of huperzine A, donepezil and rivastigmine on cortical acetylcholine level and acetylcholinesterase activity in rats.
Neurosci Lett. 2004 May 6;361(1-3):56-9.
The cholinesterase inhibitors huperzine A, donepezil and rivastigmine were compared for their effects on extracellular acetylcholine concentration and acetylcholinesterase activity in the rat cortex. After i.p. injection, huperzine A (0.25-0.75 micromol/kg), donepezil (2-6 micromol/kg) and rivastigmine (0.75-1.5 micromol/kg) dose-dependently elevated the concentration of acetylcholine. The duration of huperzine A was longest. The time courses of cortical acetylcholinesterase inhibition with middle doses of these agents mirrored the increases of acetylcholine at the same doses. However, acetylcholinesterase inhibition was disproportionately greater after middle dose of rivastigmine than doses of huperzine A and donepezil that increased acetylcholine to a similar extent. Muscle fasciculation appeared only after donepezil with a dose-dependent incidence and intensity. In molar terms, huperzine A was 8- and 2-fold more potent than donepezil and rivastigmine, respectively, in increasing cortical acetylcholine levels, with a longer-lasting effect.

Acetyl l-carnitine 
Alpha Lipoic acid
 

Huperzine Emails
Q. Is Huperzine's effect cumulative?
   A. Since huperzine has a long half life, my best guess is that the effects are cumulative.

Q. Two years ago I lost my memory...(no Alzheimer's in our family!)I am 56 and have been menopausal for ten years now and have been using homeopathic remedies only...My life has been filled with many sources of stress which seemed to make it even more difficult. I seem to have lost my short term memory these past two years and was in a fog when trying to 'pull up' information...I took phosphatidyl serene for two years with little results and stumbled on a site on Huperzine.( I no longer take the PPS )I have been taking Huperzine for about three months...50 mcg a day and noticed quite an improvement but I was BY NO MEANS back to my old self. I would have to rely on notes to my self which I would forget I wrote. My life has been changed since I found a site that offered that I need to take 200 mcg twice a day. I AM NOW BACK TO MY OLD SELF......I certainly hope this is not too much !
     A. Little research is available on the long term use of huperzine, it would be best to be monitored by a medical professional.