Bhrami - A Natural Brain Booster Plant

Bacopa monnieri or Brahmi is a perennial, non-aromatic, creeping herb with succulent leaves. It belongs to the family Plantaginaceae and is native to the marshy areas throughout Asia, especially India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, and Vietnam, as well as South America. It is also known by the other common names such as water hyssop, thyme-leafed gratiola, herb of grace, and Indian pennywort. Brahmi is a well-known Ayurvedic medicinal herb used to treat memory-related disorders. Its therapeutic potency is reported both in Indian and traditional Chinese medicine. Brahmi has a significant role in improving memory and learning skills. Various studies have been conducted on animals and humans to determine the medicinal properties exhibited by Brahmi. Many studies evaluate the potential of Brahmi in shielding neuronal structure and function. The present review represents the chemical composition and molecular & pharmacological effects of Brahmi.

Chemical Composition of Brahmi

Although many chemical compounds have been isolated from Brahmi, the active fractions of this medicinal plant contain compounds like dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins called bacosides. Bacoside A is the most researched and potent constituent of Brahmi. Brahmi also includes several other phytochemicals such as alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, etc. Apart from apigenin, hersaponin, D-mannitol, plantainoside B, monnierasides I-III, and cucurbitacin, the alkaloids brahmine and herpestine have also been isolated from Brahmi.

Pharmacological Effects of Bhrami

Memory Booster in Alzheimer's disease and Schizophrenia Brahmi has been used as a memory enhancer for many years. Brahmi can be used to treat Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia as it reverses amnesia and prevents memory loss. These observations suggest Brahmi's promising potential for developing alternative approaches to treat Alzheimer's disease. Due to its neuroprotective effect, Brahmi is a novel frontier for preventing memory impairment in schizophrenia.

Anti-Parkinson's Effects of Brahmi

Apart from enhancing memory, Brahmi plays a significant role in treating Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder marked by dopaminergic neurons' loss in the substancia nigra (a critical brain region for the production of dopamine) and accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein in the form of inclusion bodies known as Lewy bodies. More precisely, alpha-synuclein's aggregation is associated with the degeneration and dysfunction of neurons in Parkinson's disease. Studies suggest that Brahmi attenuates behavioural deformities, reduces oxidative stress, and prevents neuronal cell death in the brain. These data suggest Brahmi be considered as a possible anti-Parkinsonian medication.

Anti-Stroke Effects of Brahmi

The role of Brahmi in treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease has already been established. Studies also show a protective role of Brahmi in reducing infarct size in the ischemic brain and improving memory dysfunction. Furthermore, brain ischemia reduces blood flow in cerebral arteries due to the lack of oxygen supply. Brahmi increases cerebral blood flow without affecting blood pressure. These findings further confirm Brahmi's efficacy in treating neurological disorders.

Anti-Epilepsy & Anti-Convulsant Effects of Brahmi

Brahmi can be used as an anti-epileptic agent as it reduces the dopamine levels of dopaminergic neurons in the frontal cortex region of the brain. Epileptic seizures are a cardinal feature of epilepsy, and Brahmi alleviates nervous function, enhances memory, and reduces convulsions and inflammation. These findings suggest a neuroprotective role of Brahmi in epilepsy.

Anti-Depressant Effects of Brahmi

Brahmi plays a vital role in the central nervous system and is a useful adjunct to cure depression and other illnesses. Brahmi shows antidepressant activity due to bacosides, bacopasides, and bacopasaponin present in it. Brahmi suppresses the behavioral changes and attenuates the protein content of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to normal in the hippocampus and frontal cortex areas of the brain, confirming its antidepressant effect. Brahmi also inhibits the withdrawal effects of morphine-induced depression.

Anti-Anxiety Effect of Brahmi

Brahmi possesses antianxiety effects and normalises the levels of cortisol hormone, which are imbalanced due to acute and chronic stress. It also brings the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors (5-HT), noradrenaline (NA), and dopamine in the cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain to normal. Brahmi improves cognitive abnormalities produced by neurotoxins such as colchicine and ibotenic acid. Brahmi also regulates norepinephrine hormone levels in the brain's hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and hypothalamus region. Brahmi relieves anxiety to a greater extent, which is comparable to lorazepam, a standard drug used to treat anxiety.

Anti-Oxidant Effects of Brahmi

Antioxidants protect the body against free radical-mediated oxidative stress and prevent cell damage, which leads to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and many more health problems. Brahmi and its main active ingredients, bacosides, neutralise free radicals and prevent fat molecules from reacting with free radicals that cause lipid peroxidation, which is linked to neurodegenerative disorders. Brahmi improves neuronal damage and physiological changes. It regulates the acetylcholine esterase activity, lipid peroxidation, and brain neurotransmitter levels. Brahmi also enhances antioxidant enzyme concentration and mitigates the levels of proteins to normal. These findings suggest the neuroprotective and antioxidant role of Brahmi. Studies indicate the effectiveness of Brahmi in regulating stress biomarker levels and supporting the brain to combat stressful conditions.

Anti-Cancer Role of Brahmi

Brahmi is a valuable supplement in the treatment of cancer and tumours. Studies show the effects of Brahmi in the chemoprevention of liver cancer. Brahmi recovers the enzyme levels to normal, suppresses lipid peroxidation, and enhances antioxidant status suggesting chemoprotective potential in treating liver cancer.

Anti-Diabetic Role of Brahmi

Studies prove that blood glucose levels go down with Brahmi supplementation. Weight also recovers to normal with Brahmi treatment which was lost during diabetes.

Gastrointestinal and Hepatoprotective Effects of Brahmi

Brahmi exerts a hepatoprotective effect by alleviating antioxidant enzymes. Brahmi helps to treat several gastrointestinal disorders. It decreases the frequency of defecation, suggesting its role as an anti-diarrhoeal herb. Also, the fresh juice of Brahmi prevents the formation of ulcers. The extract also possesses antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori infection. Studies show that Brahmi also helps to treat irritable bowel syndrome.

Endocrine Effects of Brahmi

The potential of Brahmi in treating endocrine-related abnormalities has been documented in various studies. Brahmi has been shown to alter thyroid hormone secretion; particularly, the synthesis of the T4 hormone is increased.

Anti-Inflammatory and Painkiller Effects of Brahmi

Brahmi is known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. It acts by selectively inhibiting the cyclo-oxygenase-2 enzyme and consequently reducing prostaglandins synthesis. Triterpenoids and bacosides found in Brahmi inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha synthesis.

Relaxant Effect of Brahmi on Smooth and Cardiac Muscles

Brahmi can potentially relax cardiac and smooth muscles, and it ameliorates left ventricular contractility, coronary blood flow, and heart rate. Brahmi also relaxes bronchial smooth muscles, pulmonary arteries, aorta, and trachea. The mechanism of action of Brahmi on the cardiac muscles is quite similar to that of the antiarrhythmic drug quinidine.