2022 Volume 29 Issue 3 Pages 184-188
The crude drug “Sensoutou” is derived from a whole plant of the toothed clubmoss (Huperzia serrata). In 2021, “Sensoutou” was classified as “raw materials used as non-pharmaceuticals” in Japan and health food products, such as dietary supplements derived from toothed clubmoss, are sold commercially. Huperzine A, an alkaloid isolated from H. serrata, inhibits acetylcholinesterase and is expected to be a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s disease. However, there have been reports of health problems caused by foods containing Huperzine A. This study conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses using UHPLC-PDA-MS on 13 health food products related to toothed clubmoss. Qualitative analysis showed that Huperzine A was detected in 10 of the 13 samples. The maximum daily intake of Huperzine A calculated from the results of the quantitative study was between 7.83 and 691.68 μg/day. These products derived from toothed clubmoss may have health risks because the acceptable daily intake of Huperzine A calculated from a previous toxicity study was 3.03 μg/day. Incidentally, in Japan, “Sensoutou” was reclassified from “raw materials used as nonpharmaceuticals” to “raw materials exclusively used as pharmaceuticals” on February 25, 2022.
