Huperzine A: A promising anticonvulsant, disease modifying, and memory enhancing treatment option in Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia. Besides cognitive deterioration, patients with AD are prone to seizures - more than 20% of patients diagnosed with AD experience at least one unprovoked seizure and up to 7% have recurrent seizures. Although available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may suppress seizures in patients with AD, they may also worsen cognitive dysfunction and increase the risk of falls. On the basis of preclinical studies, we hypothesize that Huperzine A (HupA), a safe and potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor with potentially disease-modifying qualities in AD, may have a realistic role as an anticonvulsant in AD.