Huperzine (Huperzia serrata)

"Memory Moss" for Memory Loss

Huperzine, or Chinese Club moss, contains a substance, Huperzine-A, which prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. (1-2) Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter necessary for memory function.

The most promising drugs for Alzheimer’s disease work in the same manner, and the active ingredient in this herb is being researched by drug companies as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. (3-5) Huperzine has been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for memory loss.(6)

Huperizine may be useful for:

• Alzheimer’s disease (3-6)
• Memory enhancement (7)

Suggested dose: 50-200 mcg daily.

References:

1.) Wang, BS; Wang, H; Wei, ZH; Song, YY; Zhang, L; Chen, HZ (2009). Efficacy and safety of natural acetylcholinesterase inhibitor huperzine A in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: an updated meta-analysis. Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996) 116 (4): 457–65.
2.) Tang, X. C.; He, X. C.; Bai, D. L. (1999). Huperzine A: a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Drugs of the Future 24 (6): 647–663.
3.) P. Scalfaro, V. Nicolas, M.P. Simonin, S. Charbon, M. McCormick, F. Heimgartner. The sustained release of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor ZT-1 confers the potential for a more efficient neuroprotection in rats. Neurobiology of Aging Conference in New Orleans, Nov 2003.
4.) Zangara, A (2003). The psychopharmacology of huperzine A: an alkaloid with cognitive enhancing and neuroprotective properties of interest in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 75 (3): 675–86.
5.) Bai, D. L.; Tang, X. C.; He, X. C. (2000). Huperzine A, a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Current Medicinal Chemistry 7 (3): 355–374.
6.) Wang, Bai-Song; Wang, Hao; Wei, Zhao-hui; Song, Yan-yan; Zhang, Lu; Chen, Hong-Zhuan (2009). Efficacy and safety of natural acetylcholinesterase inhibitor huperzine A in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: an updated meta-analysis. Journal of Neural Transmission 116 (4): 457.
7.) Sun, QQ; Xu, SS; Pan, JL; Guo, HM; Cao, WQ (1999). Huperzine-A capsules enhance memory and learning performance in 34 pairs of matched adolescent students. Zhongguo yao li xue bao = Acta pharmacologica Sinica 20 (7): 601–3.