Neurocognitive Herbal Support: Try Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi)

Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) herbal extract may provide nootropic, neurocognitive herbal support to help improve memory and learning.

Bacopa monnieri is a nootropic, an antioxidant, and an adaptogen. Saponin substances found in the plant, including bacosides, can enhance collaboration between brain chemicals engaged in cognition, reading, improving memory, and reducing inflammation in the brain.

Neurocognitive Herbal Support

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the elderly. Neurocognitive herbal support is increasingly being studied due to the biosafety profile of many all-natural herbs and their potential usefulness in addressing cognitive impairment.

A 2017 study published in Annals of Neurosciences reviewed Bacopa monnieri extract (Brahmi), an herbal nootropic (called Medhya Rasayana in Ayurveda). As the authors note, Bacopa extract “promotes free radical scavenger mechanisms and protects cells in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum against cytotoxicity and DNA damage implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.”

In the study, Bacopa extract was shown to protect the cholinergic neurons and reduce anti-cholinesterase activity similar to the following cognition-enhancing medications often used to help treat Alzheimer’s disease: donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine. Bacopa extract was also shown to reduce hippocampal β-amyloid deposition and stress-induced hippocampal damage.

The study’s subjects were tested on general information, orientation, mental control, logical memory, digit forward, digit backward, visual reproduction, and paired associated learning. Bacopa extract provided neurocognitive herbal support, improving the total memory score. Maximum improvement was seen in logical memory and paired associate learning in humans and reversed phenytoin-induced memory impairment in an experimental model.

As the study’s authors note, “While Bacopa monnieri shows potential to be a novel agent in Alzheimer’s disease, further human trials are recommended to verify the efficacy and rule out any side effects as evidenced by the experimental models.”

Bacopa Neuroprotective Properties

Alzheimer’s disease is an age-associated, irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by severe memory loss, behavioral changes, and a decline in cognitive function. This chronic and incurable condition mostly affects aging populations, causing progressive deterioration of neurons, sensory information transmission disruption, and movement control.

Neurocognitive herbal support may be an alternative direction for ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders associated with the overwhelming oxidative stress as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Bacopa monnieri has the potential to enhance brain function, prevent or postpone the development of neurological disorders and other aging-related conditions, and reduce chronic inflammation and other aging process symptoms.

Learn More About Bacopa monnieri

Bacopa monnieri is one of the small number of healthy herbal teas and extracts we sell. We sell Bacopa monnieri in sizes of 200 grams and up and as one of our smaller size Health Made Simple products, AHA! Memory Support. A good place to start is with the Bacopa FAQ.

Read the FAQ Buy AHA! Buy Bacopa