HUPERZIA EXTRACT
Product No. P08025
Also known as Lycopodium serratum, Chinese Club Moss, Hup A, Qian Ceng Ta, Shuangyiping.
Huperzia is a type of moss that grows in China. It is related to club mosses (the Lycopodiaceae family).
Huperzia moss tea has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine - a particular type of club moss, called ‘qian ceng ta’ in China or ‘Chinese club moss’ in other parts of the world, is used to treat inflammation, fever, blood loss and irregular menstruation.
Traditionally, the whole moss was used in herbal formulations, but today’s modern preparations use only huperzine-A, an alkaloid found in huperzia that prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine, an important substance needed by the nervous system to transmit information from cell to cell, and it is concentrated in the brain, spinal cord, and red blood cells. Since loss of acetylcholine function is a characteristic of several disorders of the brain and it’s functions, huperzine-A is believed to be effective in stopping the spread of Alzheimer's disease. Huperzine-A may also protect brain tissue, further increasing its potential for helping reduce symptoms of some brain disorders. There is also evidence that suggests huperzine is effective in restoring and increasing memory.
Results from another study showed that huperzine-A may also improve symptoms of myasthenia gravis - a rare autoimmune condition. In this condition, the body produces antibodies that deactivate acetylcholine receptors on muscle cells and progressive muscle weakness develops – eventually resulting in paralysis and respiratory failure. By decreasing the amounts of acetylcholinesterase and thereby increasing amounts of acetylcholine, huperzine-A may allow the remaining acetylcholine receptors to function more effectively, thereby delaying the deterioration of muscle function.
Huperzine-A also shows some use in the prevention of poisoning from chemicals called organophosphates, which are often used as pesticides or in chemical ‘nerve gas’. These chemicals work by suppressing acetylcholinesterase permanently, and virtually eliminate its activity. As a result, nerve signals to the muscles are not interrupted and seizures result, which may result in death from uncontrollable seizures or from spasms of the muscles that control breathing. In several studies, small but constant doses of huperzine-A given before exposure to organophosphates prevented seizures and protected nerve tissue from damage.
To find out more about this product use our online quote form or get in touch with one of our sales team.