In a recent publication that I subscribed to, I read about a study that was done in April 2004-07 for Huperzine A (HubA). If you’re not familiar with this supplement, it’s sold in health food stores and is used to improve brain function. Huperzine A is the active constituent found in a Chinese moss that is considered rare (Huperzia Serrata).Drugs that are used to treat Alzhimer’s work by increasing levels of acetylcholine. The study showed promising benefits that HubA increases brain function. The study went on to say that, HubA might have a disease-modifying affect on Alzheimer's disease.
This was a double-blinded study that consisted of phases and included 150 individuals male and females ages 55 and older. The dose that was given ranged from 200-400mg twice a day. Phase II was to determine whether a 200mg dose twice a day improved cognitive function in AD. The other part of the study was based on 400mg and was to determine whether HubA not only improved cognitive function in individuals with AD but also improved activities of daily living (ADL) and behavior. In addition, they wanted to find out the toxicity of HubA and determine the correlation between the blood levels of cholinesterase activity and mental function in people who suffered from AD.
The bottom line is HubA acts as a “natural cholinesterase inhibitor." This is a huge potential breakthrough for people with Alzheimer’s. For more information regarding this study visit http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00083590
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