Bacopa Monnieri (Thymeleafed gratiola, Water hyssop, Herb of grace, Indian pennywort) is a very good remedy for nerve weakness. In other words, it is very good for nerve palsy. It is a remedy for the weakness that may be sudden.
Bacopa Monnieri is a plant that grows in water. It is the principal ingredient of classical Ayurvedic nootropic formulation like Brahmi Ghritam and Brahmi Rasayanam. Its leaves are succulent, long and 4-6mm thick. The leaves are arranged opposite on the stem. Its flowers are small and white in color with 4-5 petals. It is a plant that grows in water. Propagation of this plant is through cuttings.
It grows best near flowing water and wetlands in plains and foothills. It is seen abundant in monsoon. The flowering of this plant occurs September-October, sporadically throughout the year. Fruiting of plants occurs simultaneously with flowering. It grows in clayey loam which is best for its development. In North India, it can grow in a wide range of temperatures (15–40 degrees C) and soil pH (5–7.5). However, it can even grow well in soils with pH 7.5 or even more. It becomes dormant during the winter months except when grown near running water
It is described around the 6th century A.D texts like Charaka Samhita, Atharva-Veda, and Sushruta Samhita as Medhya Rasayana, class herb taken to sharpen intellect and attenuate mental deficits. It was used by ancient Vedic scholars to memorize sacred hymns and scriptures. As the brain is the center for creative activity, any compound that improves brain health is called Brahmi. It also means bringing knowledge of the supreme reality. It is also known as Medhya Rasayana, a drug used to improve memory and intellect (Medhya).
It is a creeping herb that is found in southern and Eastern India, Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America. Brahmi is also a name given to Centella Asiatica.
It contains various alkaloids like nicotinine, herpestine, bacosides A[3-( α-L-arabinopyranosyl)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside-10, 20-dihydroxy-16-keto-dammar-24-ene], triterpenoid saponins, saponins A, B and C, betulinic acid, D-mannitol, stigmastanol, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol. and pseudojujubogenin glycoside.
- Availability: Online and at medical stores
- Type of medicine: Proprietary Homeopathic Medicine
- Main Indication: nerve weakness
- Contraindications: No known contraindication
- Interactions: No known interaction
- Side-effects: No known side effects
Taxonomy of Bacopa Monnieri
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Subkingdom: Viridiplantae
- Superdivision: Embryophyta
- Division: Tracheophyta
- Subdivision: Spermatophytina
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Subclass: Asteridae
- Superorder: Asteranae
- Order: Lamiales
- Family: Plantaginaceae
- Genus: Bacopa
Common Names Bacopa Monnieri
- Arabic: Farfakh
- Assamese: Brahmi
- Bengali: Aaghabini
- Chinese: Jiǎ Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn
- English: Water Hyssop
- German: Kleines Fettblatt
- Hawaii: Aeae
- Hebrew: Psheta Sru’a”
- Hindi: Brahmi Jalanimba
- Kannada: Timare
- Malayalam: Kodakan
- Sinhalese: Lunuwilla
- Tamil: Neerbrahmi
- Thai: Phak Mi
- Vietnamese: Rau Đắng
Bacopa Monnieri Health Benefits
- It is a brain tonic that is given to improve memory. It is well established Indian medicine used as a nerve tonic.
- It helps in removing anxiety.
- It has a beneficial effect on cerebral amino acid levels.
- It helps in improvement in learning.
- It is a very good remedy for children.
- It exerts radical scavenging and a protective effect on DNA cleavage.
Bacopa Monnieri Important Therapeutic Uses
- Anemia
- Ascites
- Asthma
- Enlarged spleen
- Epilepsy
- Gastroenteritis
- Inflammation
- Insanity
- Leprosy
- Loss of movement
- Loss of sensation
- Nerve weakness
- Tingling
- Tumors
- Ulcers
It is a very useful remedy for Alzheimer’s disease.
It has an action on various parts of the body:
- The central nervous system helps in memory enhancement.
- It helps to fight depression
- It helps as an anticonvulsant.
- It helps in the cure of parkinsonism.
- It acts as an antioxidant.
- It acts on gastrointestinal.
- It acts on the endocrine gland and helps in the stimulation of hormones.
- It helps as an anti-inflammatory.
- It helps to relieve pain.
- It has a relaxant effect on smooth muscle and on the heart.
- In traditional times it is used to treat nervous system disorder. It helps as a brain tonic to increase memory. It also helps in learning and concentration.
- It is helpful in the treatment of digestive complaints and in skin disorders.
- It helps to improve motor learning. He helps to retain memory.
- Bacosides A and B, bacopasides I and II, and bacopasaponin C, and the extract of Bacopa monniera exhibited antidepressant activity. So it helps in the treatment of depression.
- It helps to cure acute and chronic stress.
- It helps to reduce alpha-synuclein aggregation. It also prevents dopaminergic neurodegeneration and restores the lipid content. So it is very useful in the treatment of Parkinson’s.
- It has neuroprotective effects during seizures in any type of convulsion. So it is useful in the treatment of convulsion.
- It acts as a protector of the liver.
- When taken fresh Bacopa monniera juice it helps to cure ulcers. It is very useful in the treatment of stomach ulcers.
- It helps in the stimulation of thyroid hormones.
- It also helps to reduce the contraction of the left ventricle. It lowers the heart rate and blood flow in the heart. It has a relaxant effect on arteries, aorta, trachea, and bronchial smooth muscles.
Bacopa Monnieri Dosage
- Each Schwabe Bacopa Monnieri 1X tablets contains 250 mg of Bacopa Monnieri 1X
- Unless otherwise prescribed by the physician, 1-2 tablets thrice daily.
- Children should be given one tablet thrice daily and when symptoms improve 1 tablet a day. If complaints are not relieved, consult a specialist.
Contraindications, Interactions, Side-effects, and Suggestions
- It has no known side-effect.
- It has no known drug interaction.
- It is completely safe to take this medicine in recommended doses.
- Homeopathic medicines should be taken after cleaning the mouth and preferably on an empty stomach.
- Please do not eat strong-smelling food items such as onion, garlic, etc. within half an hour before and after taking the medicine.
- In case white globules have turned yellow, or sediments appear in the liquid form of medicine, do not take.
- Do not take tobacco in any form.
During homeopathic treatment, no other medicines should be taken, unless suggested by a qualified homeopathic doctor.
Keep the medicines:
- Away from strong smelling substances like camphor, menthol, etc.
- In a cool, dry place away from direct exposure to sunlight.
- Away from the reach of children.