According
to the fossil record, the Lycopods are some of the oldest
vascular plants to populate the earth's surface. Dating as
far back as the early Devonian period, some members of the
Lycopod family dominated the landscape as large trees, but
today they're only found lining the forest floor as common
club mosses. One of these club mosses, Huperzia serrata,
(reclassified recently by taxonomists, formerly Lycopodium
serrata) is gaining attention because of its positive
effects on memory. In clinical and pharmacological tests,
it has been found to be powerful enough to help patients with
Alzheimers disease.
Huperzia
serrata contains alkaloid constituents Huperzine
A and Huperzine B, as well as lycodine, lycodoline, serratine,
serratinine, serratanidine and tohogenine, among others. Huperzine
A is the alkaloid with principle memory enhancing activity,
3 times more powerful than next-in-line huperzine B.
An
Acetlycholinesterase Inhibitor
Huperzine A has been found to help boost levels of acetylcholine
in the brain. Acetylcholine is one of the primary neurotransmitters
in the brain responsible for facilitating synaptic connections
among neurons and is thought to be instrumental in the normal
functioning of memory. In other words, acetylcholine acts
as a chemical conductor between nerve cells in the brain,
making electrochemical connections between the cells possible.
It is essential in the proper functioning of the hippocampus,
the region of the brain responsible for long term memory.
Huperzine
A boosts acetylcholine by inhibiting brain levels of acetylcholinesterase
(AchE), an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine. AchE
functions as a chemical neuro-regulator, cleaning up excess
acetylcholine from the neuronal synapse after the cell-to-cell
connection has been made. Some types of mental impairment,
such as that found in Alzheimer's patients, are characterized
by degeneration of acetylcholine producing neurons, causing
a deficiency of acetylcholine in the brain. The result is
that fewer synaptic nerve connections are possible. It has
been found that inhibiting the AchE enzyme also inhibits the
breakdown of readily available acetylcholine, making more
of the neurotransmitter available. The build up and break
down of acetylcholine is a micro split second dance of chemical
reactions, but inhibiting its breakdown causes an overall
net increase in its levels.
Huperzine
A has been compared in studies to other pharmaceutical
AchE inhibitors like Tacrine and Physostigmine, that are in
current use in the battle against Alzheimers Disease, and
has been found to be longer lasting. In one test, Huperzine
A was found to provide an AchE inhibiting effect for 288 minutes
versus 20 minutes for Tacrine. Huperzine A has also been found
to have considerably lower side effects than these pharmaceutical
agents.
Although
Huperzine A cannot cure or even reverse the progression of
Alzheimer's Disease, it is thought to be able to slow its
progression significantly. And for unafflicted individuals
seeking to simply boost mental recall, Huperzine A can help
noticeably. Huperzine A was shown in animal studies to exert
a dose dependent increase in the levels of neurotransmitters
dopamine and norepinephrine (no affect on serotonin),
both of which play important roles in memory and learning.
In behavioral studies, it was shown that Hup A significantly
improved learning ability, enhanced memory, and improved cognitive
performance, and did so for a longer duration than either
Tacrine or Physostigmine.
Other
Uses
Does Huperzia serrata have other uses beside boosting memory
and learning? In TCM, the herb has a long history of use for
reducing pain, fever and inflammation, but is also commonly
used as a diuretic, antispasmodic, and hemostyptic. More recently,
research on other applications has been focused on the additional
cholinergic effects of Huperzine A.
Several
clinical studies have been conducted on the relationship between
Huperzine A and muscle health. The compound has been
found to improve muscle contractions and overall muscle tone
due to its positive cholinergic effects on motor nerve signal
transmission. Acetlycholine is the neurotransmitter responsible
for the transmission of motor nerve signals at the neuromuscular
junction between motor nerves and muscle cells.
Acetlycholine is produced in vesicles on the muscle cell at
the site of the nerve synapse, each vesicle storing up to
10,000 molecules. A large quantity of acetylcholine is needed
to bridge the synaptic gap and carry sufficient impulse to
create the electrochemical "action potential" for
muscle contraction. Because Huperzine A boosts acetylcholine
levels in the body, the neuronal connections between nerves
and muscles function better. One clinical study found that
Huperzine A could significantly improve muscle weakness associated
with myasthenia gravis, a condition characterized by extreme
muscular weakness due to problems in motor nerve transmission
at the neuromuscular junction. This research underscores Huperzia's
potential for use in muscle strengthening and body building
products.
Another
possible use of Huperzia serrata is in improving sexual
function in men. It turns out that because of its cholinergic
effects, Huperzine A can help men produce and maintain an
erection. Penile erection is controlled by the autonomic nervous
system. The flaccid state of the penis is maintained by smooth
muscular constriction of associated blood vessels controlled
by the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system. Erection
occurs when, through mental or physical stimulation, the parasympathetic
nervous system takes the upper hand causing a relaxation of
the blood vessels and a flooding of the corpus cavernosum
of the penis. The process of erection is mediated by nitric
oxide metabolism, and acetylcholine plays a role in penile
vasodilation leading to nitric oxide release.
Viagra® modulates nitric oxide release directly, and Huperzia
serrata does so through its effects on acetylcholine.
The herb is currently being used quite successfully in male
sexual enhancement formulas and has been well received. Compared
to herbal tonics that can take several days to facilitate
male sexual performance, Huperzia's effects are more
immediate.
Why
Use the Full Spectrum Herb?
Although purified Huperzine A is available on the market,
it is not as balancing as the whole herb, does not have the
long history of traditional human usage, is not yet approved
as a pharmaceutical agent, and is now fetching prices upwards
of several hundred thousand dollars per kilogram. Draco's
Full Spectrum Huperzia extract is a great natural
source of Huperzine A, and also contains AChE inhibiting Huperzine
B, as well as a complete balance of other beneficial alkaloids
and triterpenoids. Our extract is standardized by HPLC to
0.5% Huperzine A. With recommended dosage levels of Huperzine
A at 50-400 micrograms per dose, Draco's Huperzia Extract
is a very potent product providing Huperzine A at less than
1/10 of the price of purified compound.
For more details, please don't hesitate to call us!
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Get
Help with Kelp
Laminaria
Provides an Ocean's Bounty of Benefits
Laminaria
japonica is a common species of kelp that inhabits
temperate and cold waters in the northern hemisphere and temperate
waters in the southern hemisphere. It is known in China as
"Kun Bu" and in Japan as "Kombu".
One
of the major economic seaweeds, L. japonica has been
used for centuries in China as a dietary iodine supplement
to prevent goiter. In Europe, Laminaria has been a
main source of alginate in the industry for quite some
time. Alginates have been used in paints (for texture), film
(as base) and food products (as an emulsifier). The seaweed
was burned for its salt mixture content to be used in explosives
in World War I and was also used in raw form as a feed supplement
for horses during the same period. It is used as a food, principally
in Asian countries, where it is valued for its flavor, mineral
content, and health giving benefits.
Laminaria
has centuries of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine
and is listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. A cold, salty
herb, it is prescribed to cleanse heat, resolve phlegm, and
soften and disperse hard accumulations (goiters, for example).
It is often used to control edema, as an expectorant and antitussive,
and as a remedy for testicular pain and swelling. Despite
its salty character, the herb is slightly hypotensive.
As
a dietary supplement, Laminaria is rich in several
constituents that can be very beneficial to the health, aside
from being a great natural source of iodine for the thyroid
gland. It is high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron,
and trace minerals such as manganese, copper, selenium, and
zinc. It also provides chromium, which is instrumental in
blood sugar control, and vitamins B1 and B2.
Somewhat
more interesting are Laminaria's polysaccharides.
It contains alginates, laminarin, laminine, and fucoidan as
well as a number of other polysaccharides and simple sugars.
The alginates are adept at absorbing toxic heavy metals
and radioactive isotopes from the body by binding with them
in the gastrointestinal tract when they are present in the
bile. Levels of dangerous metals like mercury, lead and aluminum
can be significantly reduced in the body if Laminaria
japonica is consumed on a regular basis for at least 4 months.
This period of time is necessary, as it takes time for the
body to cycle accumulated toxins into the bile. Laminaria
has been used with great success in treating radiation sickness
in the victims of the Chernobyl, Russia disaster via this
mechanism.
Fucoidan,
a sulphated fucopolysaccharide constituent is the subject
of extensive research for its anticancer properties. Studies
have shown fucoidan to be effective in stopping the growth
of tumors, inducing cancer cell apoptosis (programmed cell
death) in leukemia, stomach and colon cancer lines, and in
interfering with metastasis by inhibiting interaction between
tumor cells and the host tissue basement membrane. Laminarin,
another constituent, has been found to assist with this process
via a tumor angiogenesis blocking mechanism.
Fucoidan
also has some beneficial effects on the immune system. It
enhances phagocytosis by macrophages, and helps to reduce
inflammation.
Last
but not least, Laminaria japonica is great for the
hair, skin and nails, taken either internally or applied
topically in masks and creams. Because of its high mineral
content and polysaccharides, the seaweed helps by adding important
nutrients to the skin, and by removing toxins. In its extract
form, this seaweed can be easily incorporated into a range
of skin care products to help give the skin a silky smoothness.
Draco's
Full Spectrum extract of Laminaria japonica
kelp is standardized to 1% iodine. Please feel free to
call us for more details.
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Draco
Extracts Facts