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Huperzine-A in capsules and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease
Xu SS, Cai ZY, Qu ZW, Yang RM, Cai YL, Wang GQ, Su XQ, Zhong XS et al.. Zhongguo yao li xue bao = Acta pharmacologica Sinica, 1999-06-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Aim To compare the efficacy and safety between huperzine-A (Hup) in capsules and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods Using multicenter, prospective, double-blind, double-mimic, parallel, positive controlled and randomized methods, 60 patients meeting with the NINCDS-ARDRA criteria of AD were divided into 2 equal groups. Patients in the capsule group received 4 capsules of Hup (each contains 50 micrograms) and 4 tablets of placebo (lactose and starch inside); while the tablet group received 4 tablets of Hup (each contains 50 micrograms) and 4 capsules of placebo, p.o., twice a day for 60 d. All the patients were evaluated with a lot of related ranting scales, and physiological and laboratory examination. Results There were significant differences (P 0.05). The changes of oxygen free radicals in 2 groups showed marked improvement. No severe side effect besides moderate to mild nausea was found in both groups. Conclusion There is equal efficacy and safety between Hup in capsule and tablet for treating patients with AD, and Hup can reduce the pathological changes of the oxygen free radicals in the plasma and erythrocytes of patients with AD.
Key findings
- Results There were significant differences (P 0.05).
Why it matters
This small trial compared huperzine-A capsules with tablets in 60 patients with Alzheimer's disease and found equal efficacy and safety between the two forms. It does not show that huperzine-A cures or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants60
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, senior author's track record and institution's track record, so those were left out: it earned 41 of the 89 points we could judge it on, which is 46 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Zhongguo yao li xue bao = Acta pharmacologica Sinica) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1999 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 60 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 81 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.8 citations a year over 29 year(s) since 1999 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | PubMed indexes it as a multicentre study |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10678137) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 41 / 89 | Scored on 17 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 41 of the 89 points we could judge it on is 46 out of 100. |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. This record has no DOI, so the citation leaves it out. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Xu, S. S., Cai, Z. Y., Qu, Z. W., Yang, R. M., Cai, Y. L., Wang, G. Q., et al. (1999). Huperzine-A in capsules and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease. Zhongguo yao li xue bao = Acta pharmacologica Sinica.
Vancouver
Xu SS, Cai ZY, Qu ZW, Yang RM, Cai YL, Wang GQ, et al. Huperzine-A in capsules and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease. Zhongguo yao li xue bao = Acta pharmacologica Sinica. 1999. PMID: 10678137.
BibTeX
@article{xu1999-10678137,
author = {Xu, S. S. and Cai, Z. Y. and Qu, Z. W. and Yang, R. M. and Cai, Y. L. and Wang, G. Q. and Su, X. Q. and Zhong, X. S. and others},
title = {{Huperzine-A in capsules and tablets for treating patients with Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Zhongguo yao li xue bao = Acta pharmacologica Sinica},
year = {1999},
pmid = {10678137}
}
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