Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) is a perennial plant found throughout the World. Brahmi belongs to the Plantaginaceae family of plants, also called the plantain family. Common names for Bacopa monniera include bacopa, water hyssop, herb of grace and indian pennywort. The plant possesses succulent leaves and has a distinctive small purple or white flowers. The plant is usually found in watery environments, and is considered a weed in rice fields. The medicinal properties of the plant have been used by traditional Ayurvedic medicine throughout history, and in particular the plant may have useful properties as a memory enhancing tonic. However, Ayurvedic medicine also has uses for the herb as an anxiolytic agent. Ayurvedic medicine considers brami able to nourish neurones, which may explain its excellent safety record and the lack of serious adverse effect in those taking the herb for its medicinal effects. The possible active phytochemicals in brahmi, called bacosides, show minimal toxic effects at standard doses, for example.
A number of human clinical trials have been performed to evaluate the cognitive effects of brahmi. Generally these have used doses of brahmai between 300 and 650 mg extract per day. Evidence from these studies suggests that their are small benefits to cognition from taking extracts of brahmi, with 9 out of 17 memory tests showing improvements. An example of these small improvements can be seen in a study that investigated the cognitive effects of brahmi have in human subjects between the age of 40 and 65 years. Subjects took brahmi (300 mg for persons under 90 kg and 450 mg for persons over 90 kg, equivalent to 6 and 9 grams of dried rhizome, respectively) for up to 8 weeks. A number of cognitive tests were then performed throughout the supplementation period, to test various memory functions. The results showed that the subjects had small but significant improvements in the recall of words. However, for most tests the supplementation with brehmi did not significantly improve cognitive function.
In animal models, Bacopa monnieri has been shown to exert a significant anxiolytic effect. For example, mice fed a standardised extract of Bacopa monnieri have been shown to have a significant reduction in anxiety when exposed to stressful experimental conditions. These results were comparable to the use of the benzodiazepine drug lorazepam, which is used for it anxiolytic effects. Chemical analysis of Bacopa monnieri reveal a number of constituent phytochemicals that could be responsible for its cognitive and mood enhancing effects. Of these the bacosides. A group of triterpene saponins, are perhaps the most likely candidate for these effects. Bacosides are structurally similar to ginsenosides in ginseng, jujubosides in sour dates and julibrosides in mimosa. Triterpene saponins may have a general antioxidant effect in the brain, which may protect from lipid peroxidation. Triterpene saponins may also be able to reduce the release of stress hormones, increase neurotransmitter levels and affect energy metabolism in the brain. In addition, Bacopa monnieri contains a number of alkaloids including nicotine, brahmine and herpestine. These alkaloids may contribute to the health effects of the herb. Bacopa monnieri also contains the flavone apigenin, which is know to be able to interact with the benzodiazepine receptor. Apigenin is thought to be one of the phytochemicals responsible for the mild anxiolytic and sedative properties of chamomile.
One reason for the rather small improvements in cognition seen in human clinical trials to date may involve the type of subjects used. The subjects have tended to be healthy and free from both dementia and cognitive impairment. Therefore it might be expected that any improvements see would be relatively small. In fact those studies that have used older adults have shown greater effects that those who have used younger adults. This may be expected as the elderly might be expected to have a greater impairment to cognition. A number of mechanisms have been evidence that may explain the cognitive effects of brahmi and these include an increase in the levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain through inhibition of its degradation, and through activation of its synthesis. Brahmi may also significantly increase cerebral blood flow, reduce β-amyloid accumulation and increase monoamine neurotransmitter levels including serotonin and dopamine levels. Brahmi may also increase neuronal regeneration and growth.
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