Huperzine A

Common card · No. 360230

Huperzine A, a Lycopodium alkaloid, was first isolated in 1983 from Huperzia serrata, a plant used in Chinese folk medicine. Huperzine A also exists in other Huperzia species, including H. elmeri, H. carinat, and H. aqualupian with varying quantities. Huperzine A has been investigated as a treatment for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, but a 2013 meta-analysis of those studies concluded that they were of poor methodological quality and the findings should be interpreted with caution. Huperzine A inhibits acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh), and is also a weak NMDA receptor antagonist with poor affinity. It crosses the blood–brain barrier and is widely available as an over the counter nutritional supplement, marketed as a memory and concentration enhancer.

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