title: Huperzine A from Huperzia species--an ethnopharmacolgical review.
abstract: Huperzine A (HupA), isolated originally from a traditional Chinese medicine Qiang Ceng Ta, whole plant of Huperzia serrata (Thunb. ex Murray) Trev., a member of the Huperziaceae family, has attracted intense attention since its marked anticholinesterase activity was discovered by Chinese scientists. Several members of the Huperziaceae (Huperzia and Phlegmariurus species) have been used as medicines in China for contusions, strains, swellings, schizophrenia, myasthenia gravis and organophosphate poisoning. HupA has been marketed in China as a new drug for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment and its derivative ZT-1 is being developed as anti-AD new drug candidate both in China and in Europe. A review of the chemistry, bioactivities, toxicology, clinical trials and natural resources of HupA source plants is presented.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Changheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Dayuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gang
authors.forename: Peigen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D002681:China; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D032501:Huperzia / Q000737:chemistry*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C508413:ZT-1 compound; C050426:huperzine A