Variation in huperzine A and B in Australasian Huperzia species |
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Authors: | Jason QD Goodger Anne L Whincup Ashley R Field Joseph AM Holtum Ian E Woodrow |
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Institution: | aSchool of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia;bSchool of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Australia |
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Abstract: | Huperzine A (HupA) and huperzine B (HupB) are alkaloids with acetylcholine esterase inhibitory activity and potential applications in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Both alkaloids were isolated in the 1980s from the Chinese lycopod Huperzia serrata (Thunb. ex Murray) Trevis., which has been used since the Tang dynasty as a traditional Chinese medicine. Most of the HupA currently used in herbal supplements and medicines worldwide is sourced from H. serrata which on average contains only 0.18 mg g−1 dry wt HupA and is experiencing a rapid decline in China due to over-harvesting. Eleven Australasian Huperzia species were surveyed and nine species were found to contain both alkaloids, with a significant positive relationship observed between HupA and the lower abundance HupB. An Australian Huperzia carinata plant had one of the highest HupA concentrations recorded for a plant (1.03 mg g−1 dry wt) and an Huperzia phlegmaria plant had the highest HupB value of all species surveyed (0.23 mg g−1 dry wt). Intra-specific variation in huperzine concentration was examined for H. phlegmaria and Huperzia phlegmarioides and both HupA and HupB varied substantially within each species, but this variation was unrelated to foliar nitrogen levels. |
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Keywords: | Alkaloid Alzheimer's disease Lycopod Survey |
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