title: Treatment with Huperzine A improves cognition in vascular dementia patients.
abstract: In the present study, we tested the efficacy and safety of Huperzine A in treatment of mild to moderate vascular dementia (VaD). This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study with 78 patients with mild to moderate VaD. The participants were randomized to receive either vitamin C (100-mg bid) as placebo (n = 39) or Huperzine A (0.1-mg bid) (n = 39) for 12 consecutive weeks. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE), clinical dementia rating (CDR), and activities of daily living (ADL) scores were used for the assessment of cognition. The assessments were made prior to treatment, and 4, 8, and 12 weeks of the treatment. The adverse effects of the treatment were also recorded. After 12 weeks of treatment, the MMSE, CDR, and ADL scores significantly improved in the Huperzine A group (P < 0.01 for all comparisons), whereas the placebo group did not show any such improvement (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). No serious adverse events were recorded during the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Huperzine A can significantly improve the cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate vascular dementia. Further, the medicament is safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Daping, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiao-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.lastname: Juan-Wu
authors.forename: Yuan-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Xia
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-Jiang
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015990:Placebo Effect; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D001205:Ascorbic Acid