| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fat Oxidation Higenamine is widely marketed as a fat-burning supplement based on its beta-2 adrenergic agonist mechanism, which theoretically promotes lipolysis. An analytical study (PMID:30188222) found higenamine doses up to 62 mg per serving in US weight-loss supplements, with none accurately labeled. However, no animal or human studies among available evidence directly measured fat oxidation or body composition changes. The fat-burning claim remains entirely theoretical and unproven. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured fat oxidation | ||||||
Supplement
Higenamine is a plant compound that switches on beta-adrenergic receptors, the same docking points adrenaline uses to speed and strengthen the heart. Lab and animal studies found it increased the force of heart muscle contractions, and in isolated mouse heart tissue it raised the heart rate too. The evidence is very limited, though: nearly all of it comes from guinea pigs, mice and cultured cells, with little human research to confirm it.
Sources: PMID 2724702; PMID 2903610; PMID 8593468
- Updated
- How we grade
- 10 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade D
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 6
- Graded outcomes
- 0006
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac Contractility Multiple in vitro and animal studies demonstrate higenamine increases cardiac contractile force (positive inotropy). In isolated guinea pig papillary muscle, higenamine shifted the calcium curve leftward and enhanced isoproterenol-induced responses. In porcine ventricular myocardial cells, it increased action potential amplitude and duration by activating slow calcium channels, and abolished potassium-induced conduction blocks. Additional studies in cultured rat heart cells and guinea pig heart failure models confirmed cardiotonic properties via beta-adrenergic agonism. No human data exists. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 5 studies | |||
Studies that measured cardiac contractility
| ||||||
| Heart Rate In isolated mouse right atria, higenamine produced positive chronotropic effects (increased heart rate) via beta-1 adrenergic receptor activation. Acetylcholine physiologically antagonized this heart-rate-increasing effect, with cholera toxin pretreatment accentuating the antagonism. Cultured rat heart cell studies also indexed chronotropic activity. All evidence is from animal tissue preparations with no human data. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 2 studies | |||
| Hemodynamic Support A single animal study examined the effects of demethylcoclaurine (alongside ginsenosides) on hemodynamic parameters in dogs under experimentally induced septic shock. The compound was classified as a cardiotonic beta-adrenergic agonist. No abstract or detailed results are available in English, and no human studies exist for this application. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured hemodynamic support | ||||||
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma cAMP Levels In mice, demethylcoclaurine affected plasma cyclic AMP levels, consistent with its beta-adrenergic receptor agonist mechanism. A separate study in rats and turkeys confirmed effects on both alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors and adenylyl cyclase metabolism. These mechanistic findings support the compound's sympathomimetic activity but all data is from animal models. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 2 studies | |||
Studies that measured plasma camp levels | ||||||
Body Composition
- Fat Oxidation: improves
Asthma
- Bronchodilation: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronchodilation As a confirmed beta-2 adrenergic agonist, higenamine has theoretical bronchodilator (anti-asthmatic) properties based on its established pharmacological mechanism. Beta-2 agonism is a well-validated pathway for airway smooth muscle relaxation. However, none of the available PubMed studies directly tested bronchodilation, and no human respiratory data exists for higenamine. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect |
Key findings
- Cardiac ContractilityImproves (the measure goes up)
- Heart RateChanges; see studies
- Plasma cAMP LevelsImproves (the measure goes up)
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- Grade D
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Studies cited
10 studies from PubMed
- The stimulant higenamine in weight loss and sports supplements
- Cholera toxin accentuates the antagonism by acetylcholine of higenamine-induced positive chronotropy in isolated right atria of mice
- Inotropic effects of (+/-)-higenamine and its chemically related components, (+)-R-coclaurine and (+)-S-reticuline, contained in the traditional sino-Japanese medicines 'bushi' and 'shin-i' in isolated guinea pig papillary muscle.
- Effects of DL-demethylcoclaurine on experimental heart failure
- Effect of dl-demethylcoclaurine on alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors
- Effects of ginsenosides and demethylcoclaurine on hemodynamics in dogs under septic shock
- Effect of higenamine on action potential of ventricular myocardial cells
- Effects of dl-demethylcoclaurine on electrophysiological properties of porcine myocardial cells
- Effect of dl-demethylcoclaurine on cultured rat heart cells
- Effect of dl-demethylcoclaurine on plasma cAMP in mice