Huperzine A performs well in AD study

US biopharmaceutical company Neuro-Hitech says that the results of a study of the plant extract huperzine A, under assessment as an Alzhiemer's disease treatment, show that the drug may be more effective than other acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors in treating the condition. The findings were presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders conference in Madrid, Spain.

The data suggest that the extract more readily passes the blood-brain barrier than other agents, and is better tolerated than both AChE and N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists. The firm added that the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that the compound displays may be of use in the development of a disease-modifying treatment. A Phase II study is currently underway.