Blog · Ingredients
What Are Huperzine A and Vinpocetine Doing in SonoVive?
Huperzine A acts like a dementia drug, and vinpocetine began as a drug in Europe. Neither was tested for hearing. The vendor gives no reason for either and no amounts. FDA warns that anyone pregnant, or who could become pregnant, should not take vinpocetine, and huperzine A should not be combined with donepezil.
Written by the SonoVive editorial teamMedically reviewed by Dr. Tracey Lynch, Au.D, Audiologist · Review date Published and updated · 7 min read
Key facts
What are the key facts about huperzine A and vinpocetine?
- Both are on the vendor's named list. The sales page says "Huperzine-A and more!".
- Sponsored articles report 10 mcg of huperzine A and 2 mg of vinpocetine per capsule. The vendor has not confirmed either.
- Huperzine A comes from Chinese club moss and slows the breakdown of acetylcholine, as donepezil and rivastigmine do.(ADDF huperzine A)
- Vinpocetine is made in a lab from vincamine, a periwinkle alkaloid, and was first developed in Europe as a drug.(MSKCC vinpocetine)
- FDA says pregnant women and women who could become pregnant should not take vinpocetine.(FDA vinpocetine)
- Neither ingredient has been tested for ringing or hearing loss.
- SonoVive is a dietary supplement. It is not FDA approved, and no supplement is.
Huperzine A
What is huperzine A, and why is it in a hearing capsule?
It is a plant alkaloid that acts a lot like a prescription memory drug.
Huperzine A is taken from Chinese club moss, Huperzia serrata. Brain cells use acetylcholine as a messenger for memory and attention. An enzyme breaks it down, and huperzine A slows that enzyme. Drugs with the same action, called cholinesterase inhibitors, include donepezil and rivastigmine.
That is why it was studied in Alzheimer's disease and not in ear problems. The vendor gives no reason for placing it in a hearing product. The bottle's second claim, Supports Brain Function, is the closest link we can see.
Because it acts like a drug, it carries drug-like cautions. The ADDF advises against combining it with donepezil, rivastigmine or similar medicines, since two products with the same action may add up to more side effects.
The studies
What did huperzine A trials find?
A 2013 analysis pooled 20 trials with 1,823 people who had Alzheimer's disease. Doses were 200-800 mcg a day for 8 to 36 weeks. Scores on memory and daily-living tests were better, but the authors warned that study quality was poor.(Yang 2013 huperzine meta-analysis)
An earlier Cochrane review covered 6 trials with 454 patients. It found only one adequate study and called the evidence insufficient to recommend use.(Cochrane huperzine A)
Notice who took part. Every trial enrolled people with dementia. None enrolled otherwise healthy adults who just want a sharper mind, and none measured hearing. If the reported 10 mcg is right, one capsule holds 5% of the lowest dose in those trials.
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See today's price and guaranteeVinpocetine
What is vinpocetine, and is it a natural ingredient?
Vinpocetine is not an herb. A lab makes it from vincamine, an alkaloid found in the periwinkle plant. It was first developed as a drug in Europe, and in the U.S. it turns up in supplements sold for blood flow to the brain.(MSKCC vinpocetine)
The sales page says SonoVive has 100% natural ingredients. That wording sits poorly with vinpocetine, because FDA states that it does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient.(FDA vinpocetine) FDA first reached that view in a tentative form in 2016.
This is a regulatory point, not proof of harm. But it shows that the capsule's ingredient list is less simple than a row of herbs.
Side by side
How do huperzine A and vinpocetine compare?
| Point | Huperzine A | Vinpocetine |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Alkaloid from Chinese club moss | Lab-made compound from a periwinkle alkaloid |
| Reported per capsule | 10 mcg, unverified | 2 mg, unverified |
| Studied for | Alzheimer's disease | Dementia |
| Study dose | 200-800 mcg a day | 5-60 mg a day |
| What reviews said | Small gains, poor quality; evidence insufficient(Cochrane huperzine A) | Inconclusive in 3 studies with 583 people(Cochrane vinpocetine) |
| Tested for hearing | No | No |
| Main caution | Do not combine with donepezil or rivastigmine | Do not take if pregnant or able to become pregnant |
The ADDF notes that vinpocetine doses of 30-60 mg showed benefit in dementia trials while 15 mg did not.(ADDF vinpocetine) If 2 mg is the real figure, it is far below both.
The warning
What did FDA say about vinpocetine, and does it apply to SonoVive?
An FDA consumer page from 2019 links vinpocetine to miscarriage and harm to the unborn baby. It says pregnant women and women who could become pregnant should not take it.(FDA vinpocetine) Memorial Sloan Kettering adds that National Toxicology Program data also suggest harm in pregnancy.
Because SonoVive names vinpocetine, the warning applies to the capsule, whatever the true amount. A small dose does not cancel it, since FDA gives no safe dose.
If pregnancy is possible, skip SonoVive. St. John's wort in the same capsule can make birth control pills work less well, so the two warnings stack.
Anyone breastfeeding should also avoid it. And do not share a bottle with someone who might be pregnant.
Everyday safety
What other side effects and medicine clashes do these two have?
- Huperzine A: nausea, loss of appetite, dizziness, headache and blurred vision. Long-term safety has not been studied.
- Vinpocetine: flushing, rash, stomach upset and low blood pressure. A single serious drop in white blood cells has been reported.
- Blood thinners: vinpocetine may raise bleeding risk with anticoagulants, and ginkgo in the same capsule carries a similar warning.
- Blood-pressure pills: vinpocetine can add to their effect. Rise slowly from a chair if you feel light-headed.
- Dementia medicine: huperzine A acts the same way, so the two should not be combined.
A reaction can be reported to FDA MedWatch, online or at 800-FDA-1088.(FDA MedWatch)
Back to hearing
Does either ingredient help hearing or ringing?
There is no evidence that they do. No trial of either was run on tinnitus or hearing loss. NIDCD lists sound therapy, hearing aids and counseling as the ways to ease ringing, and lists no supplement among the proven helps.(NIDCD tinnitus)
If your main concern is hearing, a hearing test comes before any capsule. If it is memory, see a doctor, since new memory change deserves a proper check. In both cases, the pharmacist is the right person to read these two ingredient names against your medicine list.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is huperzine A in SonoVive?
It is one of the five named ingredients, a plant alkaloid from Chinese club moss. It acts like dementia drugs such as donepezil. The vendor gives no amount, and sponsored articles report 10 mcg.
Is vinpocetine in SonoVive safe?
FDA warns that anyone pregnant, or who could become pregnant, should not take it. It may also add to blood thinners and blood-pressure drugs. Ask a doctor before use.
Can I take SonoVive with donepezil?
Not without your prescriber's approval. Huperzine A works the same way as donepezil and rivastigmine, and combining them may add up side effects such as nausea and dizziness.
Is vinpocetine banned?
Not banned outright. FDA warns against use in pregnancy and states that vinpocetine does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient, a view it first reached in a tentative form in 2016.
Do huperzine A and vinpocetine help tinnitus?
No trial has tested either for ringing in the ears. They were studied in dementia, with weak or inconclusive results. NIDCD names no supplement as a proven help for tinnitus.
How much huperzine A and vinpocetine are in one capsule?
The vendor has not said. Sponsored articles report 10 mcg and 2 mg, which we could not confirm. Your bottle's panel is the only reliable source.
Our verdict
Our view
These two ingredients make SonoVive less gentle than a row of herbs suggests. One acts like a dementia drug. The other began life as a drug and carries a clear FDA warning for anyone who could become pregnant.
Neither has been tested for hearing, and the vendor does not explain their place in the formula. That is why we ask readers to bring the bottle and the ingredient names to a pharmacist before the first capsule.
If you are pregnant, could be, or take a dementia drug, the safer choice is to leave this product alone. We earn money when readers order through our links, and we would rather you read this section than skip it.
Related reading: vinpocetine and the FDA, who should not take SonoVive, SonoVive and brain function.
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This page is general information, not medical advice. SonoVive is a dietary supplement. It is not FDA approved, and no supplement is. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own health and medicines.