Huperzine A – CAS 102518-79-6 Lycopodium Alkaloid from Huperzia serrata(Qian-ceng-ta)

Product Identification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | Huperzine A; (–)-Huperzine A; Qian-ceng-ta alkaloid |
| CAS RN | 102518-79-6 |
| EC / MDL | Available on request |
| Molecular Formula | C₁₅H₁₈N₂O |
| MW | 242.32 |
| Alkaloid Class | Lycopodium alkaloid (tetracyclic, C₁₅N₂) |
| Botanical Source | Huperzia serrata(clubmoss), Lycopodiaceae |
| HS Code (ref) | 2939 (vegetable alkaloids) |
| Related (upstream) | Huperzia serrata extract 1%–10% HupA; Huperzine B (CAS 103555-74-6, precursor for semi-synth) |
Description
Huperzine A is a low-MW Lycopodium alkaloid first isolated from Chinese Huperzia serratain the 1980s, now the most-studied natural AChE inhibitor globally. Two commercial tiers:
- Extract grade (1% / 5% / 10% HPLC) – Huperzia serratawhole-herb extract, tan powder, DTC nootropic brands (“100–200 mcg HupA per capsule”, usually blended with Alpha-GPC / Bacopa / Lion’s Mane / L-tyrosine in “study stack”)
- Pure CAS 102518-79-6 ≥98% HPLC – R&D / pharma pilot / reference standard / premium mono-SKU capsule (100 mcg dose is typical — potency is high, µg not mg)
Four commercial buckets:
- Nootropic DTC / Study Focus – HupA is in the “nootropic Big 5” alongside Alpha-GPC, Bacopa, Lion’s Mane, Galantamine. DTC search clusters: “Huperzine A study focus”, “nootropic stack Huperzine A”, “exam brain supplement”. Exam season (Mar–Jun / Oct–Dec) search pulses in US/EU student demographic. Typical dose 50–200 mcg/capsule (NOT mg — potency high, mis-dosing is a real buyer question).
- Pharma R&D / AD & Neurodegeneration – HupA has been in clinical investigation (AD, vascular dementia, post-stroke cognitive impairment) in CN/US/EU historically; bulk 98%+ feeds CRO/CDMO. Search cluster: “Huperzine A AChE inhibitor AD clinical”, “Lycopodium alkaloid neuro R&D”.
- Healthy-Aging & BDNF-Adjacent – often stacked with Icaritin 118525-40-9 (BDNF) + Quercetin 117-39-5 (senolytic) + CoQ10 303-98-0 (mito) in “brain-aging” R&D stacks (claim language restricted, position as “natural Lycopodium alkaloid for cognitive-health R&D”).
- Reference Standard – 98%+ HPLC for Huperziaextract QC, stability, pharmacokinetics.
Applications

Nootropic / Study Focus DTC – 50–200 mcg/capsule, usually blended “Alpha-GPC + Bacopa + Lion’s Mane + Huperzine A” stack; exam-season pulse traffic
Pharma R&D / AChE Inhibitor Pipeline – AD, VaD, post-stroke cognitive; CRO/CDMO bulk 98%+; “Huperzine A clinical” B2B cluster
Healthy-Aging Brain R&D – stacked with Icaritin / Quercetin / CoQ10 in “cognitive-aging flavonoid + alkaloid” pilots
Traditional TCM Channel – Huperzia serrata(“Qian-ceng-ta”) TCM heritage positioning for CN-export brands
Reference Standard (98%+) – for Huperziaextract QC, HPTLC/HPLC quantification




