The Benefits of Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa Monnieri is a fatty plant used as a brain tonic in Ayurvedic medicine which considers it “the treatment for memory”. Let’s discover its therapeutic virtues in detail in this post.
Benefits of Bacopa (Bacopa Monnieri) and Hindu Mythology
The Indians call him Brahmi, a name derived from Brahma, the creator god who “created the universe with the power of his mind”, according to mythology.
Bacopa has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years.
Good to know: Bacopa monnieri grows mainly in Indian swamps. In the western continents, it is more commonly known as water hyssop.
Bacopa: components and benefits for memory
Bacopa contains alkaloids, sterols, flavonoids and triterpenoid saponins (bacosides A and B) as well as potassium.
These substances :
promote the transmission of nerve impulses;
boost memory and cognitive performance;
help concentration;
soothe anxiety.
Good to know: Ayurvedic medicine also uses bacopa to treat respiratory disorders.
Benefits of Bacopa and Ayurvedic Medicine
In Sanskrit “ayur” means life and “veda” means science or knowledge.
In India, Ayurveda is “a sacred therapeutic science, a philosophy and an art of living, dating back more than 5,000 years”. The Rishis, great sages of the Himalayas, observed nature and its five elements: water, earth, fire, air, space or ether.
Indian Ayurvedic medicine has an immense respect for the soul and the body and treats them according to the identity of each person according to his or her land, called dosha. There are three doshas :
vâta, the wind, is dry, mobile, light and rough;
Pitta, fire or bile, is hot, lively, liquid and fragrant;
kapha, phlegm, is smooth, soft, solid, heavy and slow.
Indian medicine seeks harmony with the basic constitution by discovering what helps to “stay healthy and be happy”.
However, bacopa is typically the plant that allows people to live longer in better shape because it “not only adds volume or quantity to the body, but improves its quality, supporting the optimal shape and function of the various organs, dhatus (tissues) and doshas of the body”.
Source: Dr. David Frawley, Dr. Vassant Lad, The Divinity of Plants, Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine, Turyia Editions, 2004, p. 114.
Enhancing the benefits of bacopa through science
Much current research is exploring the benefits of this Ayurvedic Indian plant. S.Schafer, naturopath, quotes:
Indian studies show that bacopa “promotes alertness and concentration”;
Australian studies show that “learning capacity increases”;
other studies show “an improvement in immediate memory as well as greater curiosity and intellectual availability in people aged 40-65”;
studies are looking for the usefulness of bacopa “in hyperactive children or in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s”.
Sources:Akhlaq A. Farooqui, et al. Ayurvedic Medicine for the Treatment of Dementia: Mechanistic Aspects”, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018 et al, “Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract”, J. Ethnopharmacol, 2014, DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.11.00.
In addition, bacopa :
– Protects the brain from free radical damage by stimulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes and it increases blood supply to the brain. Poor cerebral vascularization decreases brain performance and may promote the development of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
– Acts on sensitive areas of the brain: the hippocampus (area involved in memory), the striatum (where decisions are made) and the prefrontal cortex (area related to emotions and mood).
– Prevents inflammatory cytokines from being released in the brain (it reduces inflammation of the central nervous system and the disorders it causes.
– Promotes neuroplasticity which is linked to learning and memory mechanisms.
Bacopa: traditional way of use
The bacopa leaves and stems are pressed to extract juice and make tinctures, or they are dried and ground into powder for the preparation of capsules. It is generally recommended that two capsules be taken every morning for one month.
You can also prepare an effective brain tonic by making a decoction of bacopa (leaf, stem, flower or root) with 30 g of plant for 240 ml of milk and one litre of water. Bring the whole to the boil and wait until the water evaporates completely. So for 30 g of plants you have 240 ml of milk and 1 litre of water.
You can even make this preparation even more effective by combining it with ashwagandha and cinnamon, ginger or cardamom.
In India, cures are carried out for two to four months in times of anxiety.
Good to know: to increase the effect of bacopa, magnesium, B vitamins and omega-3 can be taken at the same time.
Bacopa: where to buy it?
You can find the tinctures and capsules on sale in :
mail order sites;
on the Internet.
If you are looking for a local drud store in Miami, Coral Gables, and South Miami, Regions Pharmacy is the place to go. Remember to write your comments below and share your experience.
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