Bacopa

Bacopa In Mild To Moderate Mental Deficiency:

B. monnieri was tested on men with mild to moderate mental deficiency. 172 persons received B. monnieri 500 mg of extract thrice a day while 114 persons received placebo for one year. At the end of study, there was improvement in concentration ability, memory span, and overall mental performance in individuals taking the extract as compared with placebo group.

There was improvement in the performance of school children with poor educational performance.

Alzheimer's Disease And Bacopa:

Loss of cholinergic activity in hippocampus was the primary cause of Alzheimer's disease. B. monnieri showed important antioxidant activity in many brain parts like hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex. Further studies showed its protective effect against DNA damage in astrocytes and fibroblast cells. All this suggest its important role in Alzheimer's and at least it could be useful in checking the progression of this disease to some extent.

Bacopa In Epilepsy:

Despite its mention as anti-epilepsy role it was found to exert this effect only on very high doses over long periods. The dose near LD50 showed effect against seizures. Research in India found hersaponin to exert some anticonvulsant effect. So it could better be used as an adjuvant in treatment of Epilepsy.

Anti-epilepsy drugs as Phenytoin have some side effects as cognitive impairment. Simultaneous administration of this botanical with phenytoin improved acquisition and retention of memory. B. monnieri extracts have corrective effect on phenytoin induced cognitive deficit.

Bacopa Improving Learning Skills:

In this research trial, the animals were trained in T maze. One group wasn't given any medicine, second group was given Diazepam and third, fourth and fifth group received this ayurvedic herb. After 10 days there was comparable memory and learning enhancement in the group treated with B. monnieri. Biochemical studies found the Serotonin content of B. monnieri groups to be more compared to control group and the other group.

All the anti-depressants - SSRI's, Tricyclic antidepressants and MAO inhibitors produce two effects - the augmentation of the effect of Norepinephrine and Seotonin by blocking their intracellular depletion. It is not clear how B. monnieri produced this effect of increasing Serotonin content. But in future as the understanding of these neurochemicals would grow, B. monnieri might emerge as the standard and natural treatment for anxiety and depression.

Bacopa In Stress:

In this study on rats, B. monniera showed the potential to be effective in stress. The response had been better in the group that was pretreated for one week with 20 to 40 mg/kg/daily of it even before exposing to stress.

The level of Hsp70 increases in brain as a response to stress. After giving B. monnieri for seven days, and then giving stress to animals, the Hsp70 was found in lower concentration in animals pretreated with Bacopa.

The two P450 enzymes respond differently to B. monnieri. These two enzymes EROD & PROD levels in pretreated rats were found more even before exposure to stress. Thus B. monnieri primed the brain for stress by stockpiling these useful enzymes even before stressful conditions. Our susceptibility to stress could be lowered by using this medicinal herb.

The SOD interpretation was difficult. Researchers concluded as "B. monnieri helps in coping with combined hypoxic, hypothermic and immobilization stress that could lead to onslaught of free radicals." Thanks to this ayurvedic herb for all such beneficial effects without asking any recognition.

Bacopa For Anxiety:

Research on rats as models of clinical anxiety showed the anxiolytic activity of  its extracts with 25 percent bacosides as comparable to Lorazepam. Plus there were no side effects of Lorazepam, like amnesia. Rather there was memory enhancing effect.

Another one month study on diagnosed anxiety neurosis patients, with syrup of this medicinal herb equivalent to 12 gm of crude powder, found significant reduction in anxiety symptoms, level of disability and fatigue. There was additional increase in immediate memory, decreased respiratory rate and decreased SBP or systolic blood pressure.

Bacopa For Depression:

The B. monnieri extract in the dose of 20 to 40 mg per kg was given once daily for five days and it was found comparable to standard anti-depressant drug Imipramine in anti-depressant activity in rodent animals.

Bacopa Potentiating Barbiturate Action:

Epilepsy patients who are taking Barbiturates can benefit from B. monnieri. It may potentiate the effect of Barbiturates so they are needed in lower dosage. Plus there would be relief from other side effects like behavioral abnormalities, diminution of intelligence, impairment of learning and memory, hyperactivity in children and mental confusion in older patients.

Bacopa & ADD Hyperactive Children:

Another double blind study at BRD Medical College, at Gorakhpur, India, on children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder)  showed benefit after 12 weeks of B. monnieri use in sentence repetition, logical memory and paired associated learning tasks. The children were given the test four weeks after the B. monnieri had been withdrawn and it affirms its lasting effect.

GABAergic Action Of Bacopa:

Researchers believe that, among its other mechanisms, Bacopa meditates the GABAergic system. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that has been shown to possess anticonvulsive, antinociceptive (prevention of pain due to hypersensitive nerve endings), locomotor, and sedative effects.