Bacopa monnieri (Linn.) Wettst.

No figures for its production from cultivated sources are available. From the wild sources the total annual production is about 3000 tons mainly from the states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The annual demand of brahmi was estimated to be about 3800 tons during 2001-2002 and keeping in view the 20% annual growth in its demand, it is likely to be more than 6600 tons during 2004-2005.

Brahmi has a good market especially for its "Brahmi oil" due to its high medicinal value. Rate of dried drug in retail market varies from Rs. 20-25/kg. However, 40% saponin extract of Bacopa monnieri ( Brahmi) of Indian origin is sold in the retail international market at 40 US$ per 100 g.

Collected from wild and also being cultivated at wet marshy localities. The majority of crude drug available in the Indian market is claimed to be from the cultivated sources. However, while procuring material from drug dealers, one can not be sure of the actual source of the material as the wild collections by the local people are also physically similar to the cultivated material. The plant grows well throughout India at wet marshy localities.

Collected from wild and is being cultivated at wet marshy localities throughout India.

Crude: The dried herb as such or in powder form is sold in the market.

Semi-processed: The dried herb is powdered and sold as such by some pharmaceutical firms manufacturing Ayurvedic OTC formulations. It is also used for the preparation of 'Brahmi ghrita'.

Processed: Mentat (MindCare), Mentat syrup, Anxocare, Brahmi and many other formulations are available in Indian market.

None

The information on cultivation, harvesting, pre and post harvest care, conservation and value addition is available with following research centres.  

• Central Institute of Medicinal Aromatic Plants, Lucknow

• Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu

Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu has also developed a complete protocol for the micropropagation of Bacopa monnieri.

Cultivars (including improved Varieties): Registration of two cultivars (1) PRAGYASHAKTI, (2) SUBODHAK and (3) CIM-JAGRITI have been made by CIMAP, Lucknow. The planting material of these two varieties is available from the Director, CIMAP, Lucknow.

(1). PRAGYASHAKTI: This is a selection from Orissa. The crop can be grown as perennial with at least two harvests per year. The yield of dry herb is 65 quintal/ha from which 118 kg/ha Bacoside A (1.8%) can be obtained in single harvest.

(2). SUBODHAK: This is another selection from wild collections. The crop can be grown as perennial with at least two harvests per year. The yield of dry herb is 47 quintal/ha from which 77 kg/ha Bacoside A (1.6%) can be obtained in single harvest.

(3). CIM-JAGRITI: A variety recently developed has the potential of producing average 85 kg/ha of bacoside A from an average dry herb yield of 40 quintal/ha.

(4). RRL, Jammu has also developed and standardized a selection of a better cultivar type of this crop. The same is likely to be released very soon and the planting material of the same can be supplied under the consultancy package to the prospective entrepreneurs. Depending on the stage of harvest and the season, it contains 1.8 - 2.2% Bacoside A.

Cultivation: It can be easily grown in damp areas, and can be propagated by seed as well as vegetatively using runners. Rainy season is an appropriate time for planting of this crop. For getting optimum yields, 100 kgN/ha is applied in three split dozes, whereas, 60 kg/ha of each of P2O5 and K2O are added to the field at the time of planting. A light irrigation is needed after the planting. After harvesting the crop is shade dried for marketing.

Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow has developed agrotechnology for cultivation of Bacopa monnieri in India.

Collection: The whole herb is generally collected after the rainy season in the month of September from the wild localities of its natural distribution near the water falls or marshy places. However, when under cultivation, it is harvested in October-November.

Bacopa monnieri is one of the plants among 32 medicinal plants identified for cultivation, conservation and development by the National Medicinal Plants Board.

A Bangalore based Foundation for the Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) is also working on the conservation of various useful medicinal plants including B. monnieri by growing them in home gardens.

Bacoside A is available as per demand from Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu. In addition standardized extract of B. monnieri with 20% Bacosides A and B is also sold by some of the herbal drug dealers.

A major problem in the process of producing bacosides is the difficulty of obtaining the final product in the from of a stable dry free flowing powder as the active constituents (bacosides) are highly unstable and hygroscopic. Patented process developed by Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow is able to produce extract of B. monnieri as a highly stable, dry, free flowing powder (Kahol et al., 2005).

The entire plant constitutes the well-known drug Brahmi which is extensively used to improve the intellect and as memory enhancer. The juice of the leaves is given to children for relief in bronchitis and diarrhoea. The paste of the leaves is used as a remedy for rheumatism. The leaves and tender stalks are reported to be eaten in the west Bengal. Its juice along with ginger juice, sugar and bark extract of Moringa oleifera is given to children in stomach disorders.

The drug is used for enhancing power of speech, arresting process of aging and overcome conditions of stress. It is employed in the preparation of Brahmi grita prescribed in cases of epilepsy and hysteria in Bengal. Small quantities of brahmi juice taken internally bring peace to the mind and also help in nourishing and strengthening of brain. Also in the case of insanity, epilepsy and biliousness its ghrita or medicated ghee is given with pushkaramul (Sauseria lappa root) and honey. Leaves of Brahmi fried in ghee are eaten to cure hoarseness of the voice.

Reports show that this drug (standardized plant extract) is an anti-anxiety agent having adaptogenic effect. It exhibits barbiturate hypnosis potentiation effect in albino rats. The saponin, hersaponin, is reported to possess cardiotonic, sedative and spasmodic properties. It produced a mild inhibitory effect on the respiration of rat brain tissue which was partially reduced by LSD-25 and potentiated by 5-HT. An alcoholic extract of the plant, in a dose of 50 mg/kg, produced a tranquilizing effect on albino rats and dogs but the action was weaker than that produced by chlorpromazine.

An ethanolic extract (50%) of the plant exhibits anti-cancer activity against Walker carcinosarcoma 256 in rats. Administration of aqueous suspension of an alcoholic extract (40 mg/kg, p.o.) for three or more days is reported to improve the performance of rats in various learning situations.

Nervine tonic for memory improvement
The authentication of the traditional claims of brahmi as nerve tonic for improvement of memory was done by investigating the effect of an alcoholic extract of this plant on acquisition, consolidation and retention of three newly acquired behavioural responses in albino rats viz.. a foot-shock motivated brightness discrimination response, active conditioned avoidance response and Sidman continuous avoidance response. The facilitatory effect of the brahmi extract (40 mg/kg, p.o. x 3d) was manifest in all the three learning responses as it augmented both the cognitive function and mental retention capacity. The chemical constituent responsible for the facilitatory effect of brahmi on learning schedules was identified as a mixture of two saponins designated as bacosides A and B.

Anxiolytic effects 
The current interest in the anxiolytic properties of standardized Brahmi extract (25.5% bacosides) assumes greater relevance in view of the fact that Bacopa monniera promotes cognition unlike the amnesic action of benzodiazepine anxiolytics. The effects of B. monniera extract at levels of 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg administered orally to rats were compared to those elicited by lorazepam (0.5 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally). The higher doses of this extract produced significantly greater anxiolytic effects compared to lorazepam.

Protectant
The protective effect of B. monniera on morphine induced liver antioxidant levels has been studied in rats. Oral administration of alcohol extracts of B. monniera induces a significant hepatoprotective effect. A significant increase of lipid peroxidation and a significant decrease in liver antioxidant enzyme levels is also observed. It is now well known that Bacopa monniera alcohol extract exerts a hepatoprotective effect against morphine induced liver toxicity.

The herb contains the alkaloids brahmine, herpestatine,(C34H46N206, m p 116-170C), and a mixture of three bases. The herb also contains saponins, monnierin (C51 H82021-3H20, m p 630C); hersaponin [m p 232-340C (decomp)], bacoside -A [C41H68013.4H20, m. p. 2500C (decomp.) and bacoside –B; [C41H68013.5H20, m. p. 2030C. Monnierin, on hydrolysis, gave glucose, arabinose and aglycone (C30H4804, m. p. 235-370C) whereas, bacosides A and B gave glucose, arabinose and bacogenines A, A2, A3 and A4; bacogenines A1and A 2.are epimers, and A4 is an ebelin lactone. Smith-de Mayo degradation of bacoside A gave jujubogenin and pseudojujubogenin. Bacosides A and B possess haemolytic activity.

Other constituents present plant are D-mannitol, betulic acid, b -sitosterol. stigma-sterol and its esters, heptacosine, octacosane nonacosane, triacontane, hentriacontane, dotriacontane, nicotine, 3-formyl-4-hydroxy-2H-pyran (C6H603), luteolin and its 7-glucoside. The presence of a -alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and serine is also reported. Isolation of apigenin-7-glucuronide and luteolin-7-glucuronide from leaves; a new minor saponin- bacoside A 1- isolated and characterised as 3-o-a -L-arabinofuranosyl (1-3)-a -L-arabinosyl-jujubogenin; isolation of another saponin - bacoside A3 - and its structure elucidated as 3-0-b -D-glucosyl( 1-3)-[o-(a -L-arabinofuranosyl(1-2) -0-b -D-glucosyI-jujubogenin; revision of structure ofcis -isomer of ebeline lactone, obtained during acid hydrolysis as another artifact of jujubogenin.

Analysis of the leaves and stalks gave: moisture, 88.4; protein, 2.1: fat, 0.6; carbohydrates, 5.9; crude fiber, 1.05; and ash, 1.9 g/100 g. calcium, 202.0; phosphorus, 16.0; iron, 7.8; ascorbic acid, 63.0; nicotinic acid 0.3 mg/100 g; and energy, 38 cal/100 g. The leaves contain a sterol C26H46O.H2O, m. p. 76° C).

Chemical markers: The drug is characteristically designated on the basis of its total bacosides content which are tetra cyclic triterpenoid saponins Bacoside A and B.

Dried, whole herb or herb without roots or only leaves and tender stem portions are available as crude drug. The dried crude drug is yellowish in colour with majority of leaves detached.

Brahmi possess no known side effects or toxicity at normal doses. In experimental studies, the saponin-rich highly potent extract of Brahmi did not show any endocrine, metabolic, gastrointestinal, anabolic or behavioural side effect.

Brahmine an alkaloid present in Brahmi, is highly toxic; when administered at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body wt of cat as it produces a fall in the blood pressure.

Clinical Studies in school children for over three years have not shown any adverse side effect. In healthy human volunteers multiple doses of bacosides (the active ingredient in Brahmi) have been well tolerated and are devoid of any untoward reaction or side effects.

Bacosides were also found to be safe in regulatory pharmacological and toxicological studies and were well tolerated by normal healthy male human volunteers in single dose (20-300 mg) and multiple doses(100 and 200 mg) administered for 4 weeks in double blind placebo controlled and non-crossover regulatory Phase-I clinical trial.

To date, no side effects have been reported with Bacopa monnieri.

• Powdered drug: 5 - 10 g per day
• Infusion: 8 - 16 ml per day

2N=64