[Research advances of Huperzia serrata (Thunb.) Trev]

Qiancengta, a traditional Chinese medicine produced from the whole plant of the club moss Huperzia serrata, has been used for a long history in China for treatment of a number of ailments, including contusions, strains, swellings, schizophrenia, myasthenia gravis and noworganophosphate poisoning. It has become known worldwide as a medicinal plant since Chinese scientists discovered huperzine A from it in the 1980s, which is reversible, potent and selective acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibitors by in vitro and in vivo pharmacological, and produce definite effects in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Now, Qiancengta is popular in all over the word for his famous pharmacological actions. For further exploitation this valuable resource under protection of nature environmental, its biological and ecological features, pharmaceutical active ingredients, artificial propagation and in vitro tissue culture, were reviewed, and the sustainable use of Qiancengta natural resource through plant biotechnology was put on the agenda.