Deciphering the pharmacotherapeutic aspects of an ethnomedicinal plant Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi)

Indian Ayurveda is the birthplace of traditional classical medicines from ancient ages as it has vast reservoir of medicinal plants. Amongst all medicinal plants, Bacopa monnieri or Brahmi is an ethno-medicinal herb abundantly found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of India. This herb is composed of enormous bioactive phytochemicals like bacosides, alkaloids, glycosides, sterols and flavonoids. Bacosides are the most significant among all and bear enormous neuromedicinal properties and protect brain from neuronal damage and modulate the imbalance of neurotransmitter signalling. Extracts of Brahmi can prevent brain aging, enhance memory learning and perception ability. Notably, it’s reactive oxygen species (ROS) quenching, antioxidant properties, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, anti-depressant, anti-stress, gastrointestinal, endocrinological, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective features are experimentally proven in animal model. Administration of Brahmi extract can restore the cognition and other neuronal disorders in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients. To avoid few adverse effects of Bacopa, combination with synthetic drugs or formation of its nanoparticulate form may be recommended. The immense important pharmacological role of Bacopa will beconcised in this chapter.