Effect Of Brahmi On Different Diseases As Per Modern Research
Abstract
Ayurveda is a medical science that deals with the treatment of various diseases using plant products. There are lots of herbal plants and extracts that have been proven beneficial for improving memory, including Brahmi (Bacopa monniera). The cure for diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and amnesia is still evolving in the medical field. There are various medicines in allopathy for the treatment of these diseases, but they also have serious adverse effects. So the most common herbal drug, Brahmi (Bacopa monniera), has been used for a long time in India and China to treat various medical disorders. A few previous studies claimed that Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) was capable of treating Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. So, this article discusses detailed information about Brahmi (Bacopa monniera), such as chemical constituents, pharmacological effects on different diseases, and clinical studies.
Introduction
Brahmi (Bacopa Monniera) is a climbing plant of 2-3 feet in height. It belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae. As we know, Vata Dosha causes neurological disorders such as memory loss, anxiety, etc. In 1982, the importance of it in boosting memory was first published. After that, much research has been performed on animals to find out various properties of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera). Today, it is emerging in the treatment of memory dysfunction. There are various behavioral studies on rats, and these studies claimed that Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) boosted the rate of learning. It has many other pharmacological effects, such as Antiparkinson’s effect, antistroke, anticonvulsant effect, anti-inflammatory, sedative, anti-stress, anti-oxidant and many more.
Chemical Constituents
The fraction of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) contains bacoside-A and bacoside-B. Other chemical constituents are alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, etc. Bacosides are dammarane-type-triterpenoid saponins that enhance the transmission of nerve impulses. The bacosides upregulate neuron synthesis and kinase activity to repair damaged neurons. The transmission of nerve impulses plays an important role in promoting healthy mental functions such as attention, concentration, focus, memory, etc.
Pharmacological effects
Memory Impairment
Memory impairment means the disease or abnormalities that affect our thinking, language, and behavior and may lead to a disease like Alzheimer’s disease. To check the efficacy of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) in reversing memory loss, various studies have been conducted on animals and humans., and Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) significantly reversed the memory loss. It prevents the increased numbers of iNOS, pCREB, and MAP kinase molecules and also normalizes the nitrite level. It was also found that the levels of cAMP, total CREB, total nitrite, nitrate, and PDE were not affected.
In Lucknow, India, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. A group of 35 subjects aged greater than 55 years were enrolled in the trial. A neuropsychological test was conducted for comparison between treatment group and placebo group. Subjects were tested on numerous sub-test such as orientation, mental control, logical memory, digit forward, digit backward, visual reproduction, paired associate learning, etc. Each sub-test score was given, and by adding all the sub-test scores, memory score was calculated for each subject. The results appear remarkable; the treatment group shows improvement in total memory score. The route of administration was oral. This study indicates that Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) can be helpful in the treatment of memory impairment.
In Australia, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 81 subjects who were older than 55 years. A dose of 300mg/day was given for 12 weeks, and significant improvement was noticed in oral learning, memory acquisition, and late recall. So these studies show that it has an impact on memory impairment.
Antioxidant
They are compounds that slow down oxidation. As we know, oxidative stress is a very important factor in age-related illness and aging. The excessive formation of reactive oxygen species can injure or harm our brain. Many studies were conducted on animals, and they showed that Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) has antioxidant and free radical rummage action. A study was conducted in which rats were administered Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) for 21 days. The results showed a rise in activity of the superoxide dismutase enzyme, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase enzyme, Gpx, and striatum. In another study, diabetic rats were administered Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) orally for 15 days, and the results showed a rise in activity of the superoxide dismutase enzyme, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase enzyme, Gpx, and a fall in lipid peroxidation in the brains of the rats. Hence, its administration may cure age-associated memory and decline in AD.
Anti-Asthmatic
The extract of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) has relaxant properties. It also causes bronchodilation through the antipathy of carbachol-induced effects on expiratory and inspiratory stress.
Anti-Allergy
In a study, it was found that the methanolic extract of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) has strong mast cell stabilisers, which is helpful in allergic conditions.
Anti-cancer
The ethanolic extract of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) has bacosides A and B that hold antitumor properties. This plant has a component called “cucurbitacin,” which has strong anti-tumorigenic and anti-proliferative activity.
Anti-depressant
Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) has brain-stabilising properties. The methanolic extract of it has antidepressant properties.
Anti-nociceptive
Pain-relieving activity is possessed by the aqueous extract of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) via different pathways, such as beta-1-adrenergic, alpha-2-adrenergic receptors, and 5-HT receptors.
Adverse Reaction
There are only a few studies available that show the side effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) in animals and in human beings. The most common side effects are nausea and stomach upset. In a study, single doses (20-300mg) and multiple doses (100-200mg) of it were administered to 31 healthy male subjects for 4 weeks, and the results showed no serious adverse effect. A study showed that when a dose of 500mg/kg was administered to male rats, there was a decrease in appetite over time. The above studies indicate that Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) has some adverse effects, although there are not sufficient studies on humans to prove its safety.
Conclusion
The promising value of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) for memory impairment and antioxidants has been shown in various experiments, which are mentioned in the above paragraph. Various studies on animals show a promising effect on different diseases or abnormalities. There were no serious adverse effects in humans, but in animals, there were some. There are only a few experiments on humans, so we recommend a few more experiments on human subjects so that we will have enough evidence about Brahmi safety and efficacy.
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