Bacopa
Memory Enhancing
Herb With Anti-Anxiety Action
Bacopa is a
great neurotonic, immuno-modulator, adaptogen, tranquilizing, memory
and learning enhancing, cerebral activator, anti-ulcer, antispasmodic,
anti-asthmatic ayurvedic herb. Other benefits are anti-allergic, free radicals
scavenging effect and as herbal supplement in Epilepsy, anxiety and depression.
Know its beneficial actions on brain, memory, mental deficiency, Alzheimer's
disease, learning skills, anxiety, depression, stress, epileps and ADHD
children.
The Effects Of
Bacopa Monnieri Approved By Clinical Research Trials
Bacopa Effects On
Brain Functions:
In a double blind randomized
placebo controlled research study in Australia, at University of Wollongong,
this ayurvedic botanical was found to be effective in tests for retention of new information.
In another similar study
mentioned in Neuropsychopharmacology (Aug.2002), its effects were documented for
several weeks and various memory functions were tested with levels of anxiety.
The study revealed the same - B. monnieri decreases the rate of forgetting of
newly acquired information, verbal learning rate and memory consolidation.
In yet another study, the
chronic (3 weeks to 12 weeks) administration of B. monnieri showed significant
improvement in speed of visual information processing by IT task, learning rate
and memory consolidation as compared to placebo. There was improvement in higher
order cognitive functions that depend on memory, learning and environmental
factors.
However the single dose of
this medicinal herb doesn't show any improvement in cognitive or memory functions. The dosage
in the above two studies was 300 mg of B. monnieri extracts daily.
Triterpenoid saponins and
Bacosides of B. monnieri play key role for enhancing nerve impulse transmission. Bacosides support the repair of damaged neurons by enhancing kinase activity,
neuronal synthesis, restoration and regeneration of synaptic activity resulting in nerve impulse
transmission. These effects make it a wonderful nerve tonic or nerve nourishing
agent as against the neuroleptic drugs that modulate the behavior.
In a study on this its effects
on children, it showed significant improvement in exploratory drive, improved
perceptual image of patterns and increased perceptual organization and reasoning
ability.
During International Brain
Research Conference in Australia 1996, CDRI scientists presented that B.
monnieri
reduced the time to learn specific task to six days while the control group took
ten days to learn the same task.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Bacopa Monniera
(Click Image)
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Use Bacopa For:
- Memory Enhancing.
- Aid In Learning Skills.
- Stress, Anxiety and Depression.
- Children with ADHD.
- Visit Bacopa related pages on this site to get more information about this
herbal supplement.
- You can take one tablet twice or thrice a day or as suggested by qualified
herbalist. Each tablet contains 225 mg of extract standardized for 20 % of
Bacosides (A+B).
Buying Information:
We recommend the interested visitors to get Bacopa Monniera
supplements from this place.
This is a good store, with reputable quality and one of the most reasonable
price. Get a bottle of 120 tablets.
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Bacopa Benefits As Per
Ayurvedic Medicine
Bacopa Dosage &
Biochemical Composition
Bacopa -Precautions &
Side Effects
About The Plant & Herb
Pictures Of Bacopa
Clinical Research
Resources About Bacopa
Benefits & Uses Of
Brahmi For Memory, Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Bacopa's Benefits
On Systems Other Than Brain & Nerves Functions
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