Botanical Name

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst.

Family

Plantaginaceae (Scrophulariaceae).

Synonyms

Bacopa monnieri var. cuneifolia Michx., Bacopa monnieri var. micromonnieria (Griseb.) Pennell, Bacopa micromonnieria (Griseb.) B.L.Rob., Bacopa monnieria var. cuneifolia (Michx.) Fernald, Bramia micromonnieria (Griseb.) Pennell, Bramia monnieri (L.) Pennell, Bramia monnieri (L.) Drake.

Regional Name

English : Thyme Leaved Gratiola, Hindi : Manduka Parni, Urdu : Brahmi, Sanskrit : Sarasvati, Kapotavanka, Punjabi : Brahmibuti, Assamese : Brahmi, Gujrati : Neerbrahmi, Bamanevari, Kannada : Nirubrahmi, Valabrahmi, Ondelaga, Mandukaparni, Malayalam : Bhahmi, Marathi : Jalnam, Brahmi, Birami, Oriya : Brahmi, Tamil : Nirabrahmi, Brahmi vazhukkai, Telugu : Sambarenu, Sambrani.

Part Used

Whole Plant.

Description

Brahmi is a perennial glabrous, succulent, small, prostate or creeping herb native to the wetlands of southern and Eastern India, Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. Within India, it is said to be common in moist places throughout, ascending to an altitude of 1320 m. Roots are thin, wiry, small, branched creamish-yellow.Stems are thin, green or purplish green, about 1-2 mm thick, soft, nodes and internodes prominent, glabrous; taste, slightly bitter. Leaves are simple, opposite, decussate, green, sessile, 1-2 cm long, obovate-oblong; taste, slightly bitter. Flowers are small, axillary and solitary, pedicels 6-30 mm long, bracteoles shorter than pedicels.Capsules of fruits are upto 5 mm long, ovoid and glabrous.

Phytoconstituents

Brahmi include alkaloids, saponins, and sterols. The active constituents - contains – Brahmine, herpestine, saponins d-mannitol, hersaponin, monnierin, betulic acid, stigmastarol, beta-sitosterol, bacosides A and B and bacopasaponins.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Madhura, Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Sara, Vipaka : Madhura, Virya : Sita, Karma : Ayusya, Kaphahara, Medhya, Mohahara, Matiprada, Prajasthapana, Rasayana, Svarya, Vatahara, Visahara.

Ayurvedic Applications

Kustha, Jvara, Sopha, Pandu, Prameha, Manasavikara

Medicinal Uses

The whole plant of Brahmi is used for Alzheimer's disease, improving memory,  anxiety, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), allergic conditions, irritable bowel syndrome, and as a general tonic to fight stress. It is also used for treat insanity, epilepsy, asthma, ulcers, tumors,  paediatric diseases, inflammations, backache, fever, anaemia, hoarseness, mental disorders, joint pain, and sexual performance problems in both men and women.