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Details

Stereochemistry ABSOLUTE
Molecular Formula C15H18N2O.H2O
Molecular Weight 260.3315
Optical Activity ( - )
Defined Stereocenters 2 / 2
E/Z Centers 1
Charge 0

SHOW SMILES / InChI
Structure of HUPERZINE A MONOHYDRATE

SMILES

O.C\C=C1/[C@@H]2CC3=C(C=CC(=O)N3)[C@@]1(N)CC(C)=C2

InChI

InChIKey=JGPPGMFEKUOWLB-NSBUTGITSA-N
InChI=1S/C15H18N2O.H2O/c1-3-11-10-6-9(2)8-15(11,16)12-4-5-14(18)17-13(12)7-10;/h3-6,10H,7-8,16H2,1-2H3,(H,17,18);1H2/b11-3+;/t10-,15+;/m0./s1

HIDE SMILES / InChI

Molecular Formula H2O
Molecular Weight 18.0153
Charge 0
Count
Stereochemistry ACHIRAL
Additional Stereochemistry No
Defined Stereocenters 0 / 0
E/Z Centers 0
Optical Activity NONE

Molecular Formula C15H18N2O
Molecular Weight 242.3162
Charge 0
Count
Stereochemistry ABSOLUTE
Additional Stereochemistry No
Defined Stereocenters 2 / 2
E/Z Centers 1
Optical Activity ( - )

Description
Curator's Comment: description was created based on several sources, including: https://www.braintropic.com/nootropics/huperzine-a/ | https://www.drugs.com/npc/huperzine-a.html | http://medind.nic.in/daa/t11/i1/daat11i1p177.pdf

Huperzine A is a plant alkaloid derived from Club moss plant, Huperzine serrata, which is a member or the Lycopodium species. Huperzine-A is in phase III clinical trial in the USA (Alzheimer disease) and is available as a dietary supplement. It selectively and reversibly inhibits acetylcholinesterase. Huperzine A is also a NMDA receptor antagonist, which protects the brain against glutamate induced damage, and it increases nerve growth factor levels. Huperzine A is used for Alzheimer's disease, memory and learning enhancement, and age-related memory impairment. It is also used for treating a muscle disease called myasthenia gravis, for increasing alertness and energy, and for protecting against agents that damage the nerves such as nerve gases. It can cause some side effects including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, blurred vision, slurred speech, restlessness, loss of appetite, contraction and twitching of muscle fibers, cramping, increased saliva and urine, inability to control urination, high blood pressure, and slowed heart rate. Various medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions (Cholinergic drugs) interacts with Huperzine A.

Approval Year

Targets

Targets

Primary TargetPharmacologyConditionPotency
64.7 nM [IC50]
0.5 µM [IC50]
Conditions

Conditions

ConditionModalityTargetsHighest PhaseProduct
Primary
Unknown

Approved Use

Unknown
Palliative
Unknown

Approved Use

Unknown
Cmax

Cmax

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
2.59 μg/L
0.4 mg single, oral
dose: 0.4 mg
route of administration: Oral
experiment type: SINGLE
co-administered:
HUPERZINE A plasma
Homo sapiens
population: HEALTHY
age: ADULT
sex: MALE
food status: FASTED
AUC

AUC

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
2450.34 μg × min/L
0.4 mg single, oral
dose: 0.4 mg
route of administration: Oral
experiment type: SINGLE
co-administered:
HUPERZINE A plasma
Homo sapiens
population: HEALTHY
age: ADULT
sex: MALE
food status: FASTED
T1/2

T1/2

ValueDoseCo-administeredAnalytePopulation
716.25 min
0.4 mg single, oral
dose: 0.4 mg
route of administration: Oral
experiment type: SINGLE
co-administered:
HUPERZINE A plasma
Homo sapiens
population: HEALTHY
age: ADULT
sex: MALE
food status: FASTED
Doses

Doses

DosePopulationAdverse events​
0.4 mg 2 times / day multiple, oral
Highest studied dose
Dose: 0.4 mg, 2 times / day
Route: oral
Route: multiple
Dose: 0.4 mg, 2 times / day
Sources:
unhealthy, ADULT
Health Status: unhealthy
Age Group: ADULT
Sex: M+F
Food Status: UNKNOWN
Sources:
600 ug 1 times / day multiple, oral
Highest studied dose|Studied dose
unhealthy, ADULT
Other AEs: Seizure...
0.1 mg 2 times / day steady, oral
Studied dose
Dose: 0.1 mg, 2 times / day
Route: oral
Route: steady
Dose: 0.1 mg, 2 times / day
Sources:
unhealthy, ADULT
Health Status: unhealthy
Age Group: ADULT
Sex: M+F
Food Status: UNKNOWN
Sources:
0.2 mg 2 times / day steady, oral
Studied dose
Dose: 0.2 mg, 2 times / day
Route: oral
Route: steady
Dose: 0.2 mg, 2 times / day
Sources:
unhealthy, ADULT
Health Status: unhealthy
Age Group: ADULT
Sex: M+F
Food Status: UNKNOWN
Sources:
AEs

AEs

AESignificanceDosePopulation
Seizure serious, 28.6%
600 ug 1 times / day multiple, oral
Highest studied dose|Studied dose
unhealthy, ADULT
OverviewDrug as perpetrator​

Drug as perpetrator​

TargetModalityActivityMetaboliteClinical evidence
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no [IC50 >10 uM]
no
no
no
yes [Inhibition 10 uM]
yes [Inhibition 10 uM]
Drug as victimTox targets
PubMed

PubMed

TitleDatePubMed
The role of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in acetic acid-induced colonic inflammation in the rat.
2013-09-05
A combination of [+] and [-]-Huperzine A improves protection against soman toxicity compared to [+]-Huperzine A in guinea pigs.
2013-03-25
Coadministration of huperzine A and ligustrazine phosphate effectively reverses scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.
2010-10
BZYX, a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, significantly improved chemicals-induced learning and memory impairments on rodents and protected PC12 cells from apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide.
2009-06-24
Anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of traditional Chinese medicine for treating Alzheimer's disease.
2008-09-25
Protection of red blood cell acetylcholinesterase by oral huperzine A against ex vivo soman exposure: next generation prophylaxis and sequestering of acetylcholinesterase over butyrylcholinesterase.
2008-09-25
The combination of huperzine A and imidazenil is an effective strategy to prevent diisopropyl fluorophosphate toxicity in mice.
2008-09-16
Prolonged effects of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microsphere-containing huperzine A on mouse memory dysfunction induced by scopolamine.
2007-03
Effective countermeasure against poisoning by organophosphorus insecticides and nerve agents.
2006-08-29
Effects of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition on breathing in mice adapted or not to reduced acetylcholinesterase.
2005-01
Neuroprotective effects of huperzine A. A natural cholinesterase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
2005
Comparative effects of huperzine A, donepezil and rivastigmine on cortical acetylcholine level and acetylcholinesterase activity in rats.
2004-05-06
Identification of cytochrome P450 1A2 as enzyme involved in the microsomal metabolism of Huperzine A.
2003-02-14
Ginkgolide A, B, and huperzine A inhibit nitric oxide-induced neurotoxicity.
2002-10
Reversal of scopolamine-induced deficits in radial maze performance by (-)-huperzine A: comparison with E2020 and tacrine.
1998-05-22
Effect of huperzine A, a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, on radial maze performance in rats.
1995-06-01
Patents

Patents

Sample Use Guides

In Vivo Use Guide
Patients in the mimopezil arm received 1 mg mimopezil daily orally during the 1-month titration period, 9 mg mimopezil as s.c. implants in the 1-month maintenance I period, and 12 mg mimopezil as s.c. implants in the 4-month maintenance II period.
Route of Administration: Other
In Vitro Use Guide
The synthetic racemic mixture (+/-)-huperzine-A was 3 times less potent than (-)-huperzine-A in vitro (IC50s of 3 x 10(-7) M and 10(-7) M, respectively) because the former consisted of a racemic mixture of the compound in which the (+)-huperzine component was considerably less potent (IC50 = 7 x 10(-6) M).
Substance Class Chemical
Created
by admin
on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025
Edited
by admin
on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025
Record UNII
9F4GM58TAA
Record Status Validated (UNII)
Record Version
  • Download
Name Type Language
HUPERZINE A MONOHYDRATE
Common Name English
(5R,9R,11E)-5-AMINO-11-ETHYLIDENE-5,6,9,10-TETRAHYDRO-7-METHYL-5,9-METHANOCYCLOOCTA(B)PYRIDIN-2(1H)-ONE MONOHYDRATE
Preferred Name English
5,9-Methanocycloocta[b]pyridin-2(1H)-one, 5-amino-11-ethylidene-5,6,9,10-tetrahydro-7-methyl-, hydrate (1:1), (5R,9R,11E)-
Systematic Name English
Code System Code Type Description
FDA UNII
9F4GM58TAA
Created by admin on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
CAS
936244-10-9
Created by admin on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
PUBCHEM
139070639
Created by admin on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025 , Edited by admin on Wed Apr 02 14:28:31 GMT 2025
PRIMARY
Related Record Type Details
ANHYDROUS->SOLVATE
PARENT -> SALT/SOLVATE
Related Record Type Details
ACTIVE MOIETY