Bacopa monnieri

Bacopa monnieri, also known as water hyssop or Brahmi, is a herb used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for its cognitive and neurological benefits. It is believed to enhance cognitive function, memory, and learning ability. Here are some of the scientifically supported benefits of Bacopa Monnieri:

Cognitive Enhancement
Bacopa monnieri has been found to improve cognitive function, especially in the domains of memory, attention, and processing speed. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 54 healthy adults showed that daily intake of Bacopa monnieri extract for 12 weeks led to significant improvements in working memory and speed of information processing compared to placebo (Stough et al., 2001). Another study involving 76 elderly participants with memory problems found that Bacopa monnieri supplementation for 12 weeks improved their immediate and delayed recall of visual information (Calabrese et al., 2008).

Anxiety and Depression
Bacopa monnieri has been found to have anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in human studies. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 38 adults with anxiety found that Bacopa monnieri extract reduced their anxiety levels compared to placebo (Bhattacharya et al., 2000). Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 64 elderly participants with mild cognitive impairment found that Bacopa monnieri extract reduced their anxiety and depression scores compared to placebo (Calabrese et al., 2008).

Anti-inflammatory Properties
Bacopa monnieri has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects in human studies. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 75 healthy volunteers showed that Bacopa monnieri extract reduced their inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) compared to placebo (Sathyanarayanan et al., 2014).

Blood Pressure Regulation
Bacopa monnieri has been found to regulate blood pressure in human studies. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 54 healthy adults showed that Bacopa monnieri extract reduced their systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to placebo (Morgan and Stevens, 2010).

Bacopa monnieri is included in:

References
Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya A, Kumar A, Ghosal S. Antioxidant activity of Bacopa monniera in rat frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2000;14(3):174-179.
Calabrese C, Gregory WL, Leo M, Kraemer D, Bone K, Oken B. Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jul;14(6):707-13.
Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2010;16(7):753-759.
Sathyanarayanan V, Thomas T, Zaman K, et al. Bacopa monnieri extract reduces inflammatory cytokine production and oxidative stress in vitro, and in humans: a pilot study. Phytother Res. 2014;28(4):551-559.
Stough C, Lloyd J, Clarke J, Downey LA, Hutchison CW, Rodgers T, Nathan PJ. The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2001 Aug;156(4):481-4.