Snowdrop (Galanthus)

These are hardy bulbs, originally from Europe and Asia Minor. Two or three straplike leaves, dark green in color, grow from each bulb. The white flowers are usually borne singly, mostly in early spring but sometimes in mid to late winter, which makes them the earliest flowering bulb

Uses:

• Galantamine acts as a powerful cognitive enhancer, helping to prevent Alzheimer’s-related memory loss. And, as a cholinergic agonist, it’s an effective antidote to cholinergic antagonists.Galantamine (Reminyl), one of the FDA-approved cholinesterase inhibitors, was originally derived from the snowdrop Galanthus nivalis, although it is now made synthetically.
• Galantamine is also known to be a muscle stimulant (it counteracts the effects of the muscle relaxant curare, for example).
• In a recently issued United States patent, it is claimed that galantamine is effective in combating jet lag.3 To reset the body’s biological clock, the recommended procedure is to take galantamine at a time early in the “day” (i.e., the period during which one wishes to be awake) in the time zone to which the person is going to travel, starting several days in advance and continuing for several days after the trip. The typical preferred dosage for this purpose is about 10­-35 mg per day, but the optimal dosage depends on the traveler’s metabolism, the number of time zones to be crossed, and the time at which the galantamine is taken. Another useful application of this ability to reset the body’s biological clock is for shift workers who are switching from a day shift to a night shift, or vice versa. Not only can this make the transition easier to bear, but it can lessen the risk of on-the-job injuries caused by impaired alertness.
• To combat fatigue syndromes, it is typically administered in doses of about 30­40 mg per day for several months.
• In yet another United States patent, the claim is made that galantamine is effective in treating physiologically caused impotence, without the side effects of other substances that have been used for this purpose.Galantamine is a remarkable substance, some of whose benefits have been known and appreciated for thousands of years.