Huperzine-A in capsules and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease

AIM: To compare the efficacy and safety between huperzine-A (Hup) in capsul es and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS: Using multicenter, prospective, double-blind, double-mimic, parallel, posit ive controlled and randomized methods, 60 patients meeting with the NINCDS- ARDRA criteria of AD were divided into 2 equal groups. Patients in the caps ule group received 4 capsules of Hup (each contains 50 mu g) and 4 tablets of placebo (lactose and starch inside); while the tablet group received 4 t ablets of Hup (each contains 50 mu g) and 4 capsules of placebo, po, twice a day for 60 d. All the patients were evaluated with a lot of related ranti ng scales, and physiological and laboratory examination. RESULTS: There wer e significant differences (P < 0.01) on all the psychological evaluations b etween 'before' and 'after' the 60-d trial of 2 groups, but there was no si gnificant difference between 2 groups by group t test (P > 0.05). The chang es of oxygen free radicals in 2 groups showed marked improvement. No severe side effect besides moderate to mild nausea was found in both groups. CONC LUSION: There is equal efficacy and safety between Hup in capsule and table t for treating patients with AD, and Hup can reduce the pathological change s of the oxygen free radicals in the plasma and erythrocytes of patients wi th AD.