Bacopa is also known as water hyssop or brahmi or herb of grace or Indian pennywort. It is an important herb native to India (Eastern and southern), Africa, Australia, America and Asia. It has been traditionally used for improving memory as well as for preventing neurological disorders.

Nutritional profile

• It contains significant amount of moisture (about 88%)
• It contains very less amounts of carbohydrates and also contains crude fibre
• It contains too some extent of proteins as well
• It contains negligible amount of fats
• It also contains several important micronutrients and especially rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B3, calcium, iron and phosphorus

Mechanism of action

• Bacopa is well known for its role on improving memory and it performs its action by increasing the production of acetylcholine, GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) and serotonin within body, which are closely related with promoting cognition, memory and mental health
• It has seen that body essentially requires acetylcholine for cholinergic activity, which helps to counteract fight-or-flight response. Acetylcholine is also accountable for enhancing intellectual capacities and cognition
• On the other hand serotonin improves mood and GABA is responsible for providing a feeling of calmness
• It is also associated with increasing dendrite branching that improves the transportation of nervous impulse and also enhances learning ability as well as memory

Biological property

Antioxidant activity

• Bacosides of bacopa have strong antioxidant activities that help to protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals
• It plays significant role in preventing lipid peroxidation as well that helps to decrease the generation of reactive oxygen species and reduces oxidative stress
• Its consumption is very effective for reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases

Detoxifying activity

• It plays vital role in eliminating toxins from body
• It helps to protect the entire neural system from the harmful effects of neurotoxins

Anti-inflammatory activity

• It has potent anti-inflammatory activities, which are associated with preventing inflammation by inhibiting the secretion of cytokines
• It plays significant role especially for preventing the inflammation of central nervous system, which helps to decrease the susceptibility of developing CNS disorders
• It has also seen that bacopa plays significant role in inhibiting those enzymes (like lipoxygenases, cyclooxygenases and caspases), which are related with inflammation
• It is an effective natural healer for swelling
• It also helps to reduce pain

Anti-carcinogenic activity

• Bacosides compounds of bacopa are considered as the strong anti-carcinogenic compounds that help to suppress the growth of malignant cells by inducing apoptosis
• It helps to prevent metastasis as well
• It is also associated with killing tumor cells especially brain tumor cells
• It is very effective for reducing the prevalence of skin, colon and breast cancer

Health benefits

Role on nervous system

• Its consumption is very effective for promoting brain functionality
• It is associated with regenerating brain cells as well as tissues and improves the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
• It helps to improve the general functions of neuron as well
• It plays significant role in improving short term as well as long term memory
• It is associated with improving attention, learning ability and cognitive functions
• It also helps to enhance the ability to process information
• Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should consume bacopa for improving their symptoms of ADHD
• It helps to prevent seizures by increasing the concentration of GABA in brain. It also helps to calm the excessive activities of brain, which is related with decreasing seizures

Role on mental health

• Bacosides of bacopa play imperative role in staving off the age related mental degradation

• It helps to enhance mental performance
• It helps to improve alertness as well
• It helps to relax the body as well as the mind, which aids in refreshment

Role on preventing stress

• It has seen that excessive stress or anxiety can affect the physical as well as mental health adversely and is associated with developing various anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or panic disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Consumption of bacopa is extremely helpful for decreasing stress and anxiety as it acts an effective adaptogen
• It helps to decrease the concentration of cortisol (stress hormone) within body, which is also related with decreasing the stress level
• It helps to prevent depression too as it is related with improving mood

Role on digestive health

• Consumption of bacopa is awfully useful for treating peptic ulcer as it accelerates the healing process by strengthening the mucous membrane of stomach
• It also helps to protect the digestive tract from oxidative and inflammatory damages
• It helps to decrease intestinal spasm by relaxing the smooth muscle of intestine
• Its consumption is very effective for improving the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease

Role on muscle

• Ecdysterone is an important compound found in bacopa, plays significant role in promoting the growth and development of muscle
• It helps to increase muscle mass
• It is also associated with enhancing muscle strength and endurance
• Strength training athletes should consume bacopa for better performance

Role on hair

• It plays significant role in promoting hair growth
• It has seen that massaging of bacopa oil on scalp is very beneficial as it is rich in numerous imperative biochemical compounds, which provide proper nourishment to hair roots and stimulate the growth of hair follicle
• It helps to improve the strength of hair as well
• It prevents alopecia
• It also helps to decrease dandruff

Role on hepatic health

• It helps to enhance the functionality of liver
• It helps the liver in the conversion process of toxic substances into harmless waste products thus facilitates detoxification

Therapeutic advantages

• It is extensively used as a natural preventive measure for insomnia. As mentioned above it is related with relaxing the body hence it helps to provide calmness, which induces proper sleep
• It helps to prevent hypertension
• It is also related with promoting cardiac health and decreases the prevalence of strokes, heart attacks, coronary artery diseases and congestive heart failures

• It helps to control the blood sugar level as well
• It has seen that consumption of bacopa is associated with bringing down body temperature hence its consumption is very beneficial during febrile condition
• Individual with asthma should consume bacopa as it helps them to breathe better by causing bronchodilation
• Post menopausal women should also include bacopa in their diet as it helps to rebalance the hormones and decreases the risk of developing postmenopausal symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness etc
• It has also seen that consumption of bacopa juice with cow milk plays significant role in treating irregular menstrual cycle

General consideration of using Bacopa

• Consumption of bacopa or its extract is very much healthy but it should be consumed moderately as it’s over consumption may cause nausea, stomach cramp, flatulence and dry mouth
• It can also develop fatigue if consumed in large amount
• It can increase the level of thyroid hormone in body hence individual with thyroid disorders should avoid it
• Excessive consumption of bacopa is associated with decreasing heart beat thus individuals who already have bradycardia should avoid bacopa consumption

Kean, J.D., Downey, L.A. and Stough, C., 2017. Systematic overview of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. dominant poly-herbal formulas in children and adolescents. Medicines, 4(4), p.86.

Morgan, A. and Stevens, J., 2010. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The journal of alternative and complementary medicine, 16(7), pp.753-759.

Nemetchek, M.D., Stierle, A.A., Stierle, D.B. and Lurie, D.I., 2017. The Ayurvedic plant Bacopa monnieri inhibits inflammatory pathways in the brain. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 197, pp.92-100.

Pase, M.P., Kean, J., Sarris, J., Neale, C., Scholey, A.B. and Stough, C., 2012. The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: a systematic review of randomized, controlled human clinical trials. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 18(7), pp.647-652.

Plus, G. and May, I., What is Bacopa monnieri?.

Simpson, T., Pase, M. and Stough, C., 2015. Bacopa monnieri as an antioxidant therapy to reduce oxidative stress in the aging brain. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine, 2015.

Sukumaran, N.P., Amalraj, A. and Gopi, S., 2019. Neuropharmacological and cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst–A review on its mechanistic aspects. Complementary therapies in medicine, 44, pp.68-82.