Huperzine A 1% | Huperzia serrata

Properties: Nowadays, it is difficult to find the exact point when we stop learning. Actually, we gain knowledge and experience throughout our lives. Learning is therefore a very important and necessary process. However, it requires a lot of energy and an efficiently working mind. This is where Huperzine A, obtained from plants of the Huperzia serrata species, gets in on the action. 

It turns out that this naturally occurring alkaloid has a positive effect on the ability to process information and associate various facts. This is because huperzine increases the activity of acetylcholine in our brain. With more acetylcholine it is much easier for us to concentrate, our brain remembers new data faster and recalls it better. Huperzine A also improves memory. It has been proven that it stimulates the formation of new neurons in those areas of the brain that are responsible for long-term memory. As a result, we can acquire new information faster. The speed of information processing is one thing, and a good mood is another. Even the most effective brains need inner balance and calmness in order to function properly. The active substances found in Huperzia serrata will help to achieve a better mood. This makes it much easier for us to calm down and collect our thoughts.

The research also indicates the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Huperzine A. It contributes to the removal of excess free oxygen radicals that have a destructive effect on neurons and accelerate the aging process. In addition, it helps to protect the nervous system against inflammation that could damage neurons. Huperzine A will be useful to anyone who wants to have a mind as fast as a machine. Both younger and older people will benefit from it, because efficiency and accuracy of thinking are necessary on every stage of our lives.

Occurrence: Huperzine A is a biologically active compound found in Huperzia serrata (synonym: Lycopodium serratum). It is a perennial green plant that belongs to the Lycopodiaceae family. The small plant, up to 32 cm in height, looks a bit like moss found in undergrowth. It grows naturally in humid places covered from strong sunlight in Southeast Asia. It is characterized by forked shoots that grow vertically.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Huperzia serrata has been used for a long time mainly to reduce and relieve swelling, as a medicine to lower fever and improve blood circulation. In Asian countries, the area of ​​natural occurrence, its name is Qian Ceng Ta.

Biochemistry: The substance that provides Huperzia serrata its properties is primarily huperzine A. From a chemical point of view, it is an organic compound from the sesquiterpenes group responsible for the nootropic properties of the plant. This water-soluble alkaloid is quickly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and effectively crosses the blood-brain barrier. In the body, it acts as an inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, i.e. it inhibits the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by this enzyme, and thus increases its concentration.

Fun fact: In Poland, there is only one species of the genus Huperzia – Huperzia selago, also called the northern firmoss or fir clubmoss. It can be found in the Tatra Mountains and the Sudetes, where it grows among rocks, in free places among dwarf mountain pine in pastures. It is a protected species.