| In Vitro | In vitro activity: (-)-Huperzine A is a novel alkaloid isolated from the Chinese herb Huperzia serrata. (-)-Huperzine A preferentially inhibits tetrameric AChE (G4 form). (-)-Huperzine A is more potent than tacrine, physostigmine, galanthamine, and rivastigmine with respect to inhibition of AChE activity, whereas HupA is the least potent BuChE inhibitor among the inhibitors. (-)-Huperzine A possesses the ability to protect cells against hydrogen peroxide, β-amyloid protein, glutamate, ischemia and staurosporine-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. These protective effects are related to its ability to attenuate oxidative stress, regulate the expression of apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bax, P53, and caspase-3, protect mitochondria, upregulate nerve growth factor and its receptors, and interfere with amyloid precursor protein metabolism. |
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| In Vivo | (-)-Huperzine A can ameliorate the learning and memory deficiency in animal models and AD patients. Its potentially beneficial actions include modification of β-amyloid peptide processing, reduction of oxidative stress, neuronal protection against apoptosis, and regulation of the expression and secretion of nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF signaling. (-)-Huperzine A significantly inhibits AChE activity in the cortex, hippocampus, striatum, medial septum, medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and hypothalamus of rats that are killed 30 min following the administration of (-)-Huperzine A at several dose levels compared with the saline control. |
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