Huperzine A

• What other names is Huperzine A known by?
• What is Huperzine A?
• How does Huperzine A work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Are there any interactions with medications?
• Dosing considerations for Huperzine A.

What other names is Huperzine A known by?

HupA, Huperzina A, Huperzine, Huperzine-A, Selagine, Sélagine.

What is Huperzine A?

Huperzine A is a substance purified from a plant called Chinese club moss. People use it as medicine. Be careful not to confuse huperzine A, which is also called selagine with similar sounding medications such as selegiline (Eldepryl). Also be careful not to confuse one of the brand names for huperizine A (Cerebra) with the brand names for unrelated prescription drugs such as celecoxib (Celebrex), citalopram (Celexa), and fosphenytoin (Cerebyx).

Possibly Effective for...

• Improving memory, mental function, and behavior in people with dementia from certain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia, or senile dementia.
• Improving memory in healthy adolescents.
• Use by injection to prevent muscle weakness due to the muscular disorder myasthenia gravis.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Age-related memory loss, increasing alertness and energy, protection from agents poisonous to nerves, and other conditions.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).