Bacopa monnieri is a species of plant in the lepidopteran family. It is a popular herb used in herbal medicine, thanks to its high saponin content it is used in Ayurverda, or Indian medicine, among other things. Increasingly, extracts from this plant are also appearing as dietary supplements - due to their valuable medicinal components, they help to combat various diseases and ailments. This is why it is worth taking a closer look at the properties and effects of bacopa monnieri.
Bacopa monnieri - action and therapeutic properties
The plant contains many active constituents - these include steroidal saponins such as bacoside A or bacoside B, for example, as well as flavonoids and triterpenoid glycosides. All of these substances are extremely effective in treating diseases that affect humans.
In the classical view of Indian medicine, bacopa monnieri is an herb that acts on the brain and peripheral nerves - it falls into the Brahmi category of herbs, which are helpful in increasing the brain's intellectual capacity and overall functioning. As a result, it also has a significant impact on the human psyche, playing an important role in creative and vital activity.
The plant's effects are multifaceted, so it can be used for a variety of ailments and diseases. Most notably, bacopa monnieri has the following effects:
- diastolic,
- anti-epileptic,
- anti-anxiety,
- anti-stress (adaptogenic),
- antidepressant.
In folk medicine, the plant is also considered a diuretic herb and one that strengthens the human immune system, thereby reducing its susceptibility to disease.
In folk medicine, the plant is also recognised as a diuretic and as an herb that strengthens the human immune system, thereby reducing its susceptibility to disease.
Bacopa monnieri - occurrence
The plant grows naturally all over the world - from the temperate zone to the tropics and subtropics. It can therefore be found in Europe as well as in Asia, America and Australia. It is most often found near bodies of water and on sandy beaches - it prefers a moist substrate, which provides the best conditions for proper growth and flowering, which occurs between May and October.
Extracts and extracts of the plant are used in medicine - hence the growing popularity of tablets, capsules and powdered herb for making infusions of it, which are widely available in pharmacies and many herbal shops. It is there - in varying concentrations depending on the product - that the valuable properties of the plant can be found and thus incorporated into one's diet as a supplement.
Bacopa monnieri - uses
Extracts from the plant have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and brain function. In this way, they also improve all cognitive processes in the human mind - above all, they influence the processes of remembering, associating and reproducing information already remembered from short- and long-term memory. Thanks to these properties, bacopa monnieri can be used by all those who need support in the learning process and in the memorisation of information - both by younger and older people (especially as many studies prove that extracts from this plant are excellent against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease).
Bacopa monnieri supports the processes of tissue renewal and regeneration - therefore, it has a beneficial effect on all inflammatory conditions of the body, both internal and external (for example, in skin diseases).
In summary, the extract from the bacopa monnieri plant is widely used in the treatment of diseases and ailments, such as:
- prostate hyperplasia in men (prostatitis),
- stomach ulcers,
- ascites,
- enlarged spleen,
- inflammation of internal organs - for example, inflammation of the intestines, stomach
- atherosclerosis,
- weakening of the body due to various factors,
- depression,
- inflammation of the skin (including leprosy),
- disorders of libido,
- concentration problems,
- memory problems,
- neurodegenerative diseases.
Indications to start supplementation with products based on extracts from the plant include strenuous mental work and susceptibility to stress.
