Bacopa monnieri is also
known by the common names Brahmi, Pennell, Herb-of-Grace, and Water Hyssop.
Bacopa is a small, creeping plant found in wetlands across India. Bacopa has
been frequently mistaken for
Gotu Kola. Traditional uses of
Bacopa include, cardiac and nerve tonic, insanity, headaches, scorpion stings,
snakebites, anemia, leprosy, liver ailments, skin conditions, and memory lapses.
In use for several thousand years in the Ayurvedic tradition as a brain nerve
tonic, Bacopa monnieri is now being recognized for its memory enhancing and
revitalizing effects. It also assists in heightening mental acuity and supports
the physiological processes involved in relaxation. Bacopa is the source of an
extract used in India for centuries. It has specific benefits for the brain, and
specialists in Ayurvedic medicine commonly use it to treat mental illness and
epilepsy. Bacopa appears to strengthen memory and improve concentration by
enhancing the conductivity of nerve tissue. It also has mild sedative and
antianxiety properties. Bacopa is often found in commercial formulas used for
memory symptoms.
