Improve memory with bacopa: this herb could help you remember more and worry less - Herb Brief

PRACTITIONERS OF THE ANCIENT INDIAN system of medicine called Ayurveda have prescribed this herb for more than 3,000 years as a primary nervous-system strengthener, but Americans have only recently discovered it. Ayurvedic doctors call it "brahmi" after Brahma, the Hindu creator of the universe.

How It Works

Two chemicals in bacopa, bacosides A and B, improve the transmission of impulses between nerve cells in your brain. These bacosides regenerate synapses and repair damaged neurons, making it easier for you to learn and remember new things. Bacopa also increases your level of serotonin, a brain chemical known to promote relaxation. The herb's ability to boost brain function while reducing anxiety may explain why it helps treat ADHD.

Evidence

Bacopa's effects on memory and anxiety have been widely tested in India, but research on bacopa for ADHD is limited. Few human trials on this herb have been conducted in the West.

A 21-day rat study in Phytotherapy Research in 2000 compared the effects of bacopa and deprenyl, a drug used to boost mental function in Parkinson's patients. Bacopa increased activity in the memory-storing region of the animals' brains, while the drug did not.

In an Australian double-blind study in Psychopharmacology last year, researchers gave 46 healthy adults either a 300 mg dose of bacopa daily or a placebo. After 12 weeks, learning and memory rates were 13 percent higher in the bacopa group than in the placebo group. The bacopa group's anxiety levels were 27 percent lower than the placebo group's.

An unpublished double-blind study conducted in India in 1998 examined bacopa's effects on 8- to 10-year-old children with ADHD. In it, 19 children took 100 mg of the herb daily while 17 took a placebo. After 12 weeks, those who used the herb performed significantly better on learning tests than the placebo group.

How to Take It

Bacopa is available in pill and powder forms. It's so new to this country that only a few natural food stores carry it. Some websites that sell it include www.ayush.com, www.himalayausa.com, and nutraceutical.com.

Mix 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of the powder in 1 cup of water and drink it three times a day, recommends David A. Frederick, Ph.D., N.D., an Ayurvedic doctor and naturopath in Lancaster, Pa. Or take 60 mg of bacopa pills three times a day, says Elisa Lottor, Ph.D., N.D., a naturopath in Los Angeles.

You should notice results within two to four weeks. You must take bacopa regularly to get results.

Caveats

Bacopa has no known side effects. But consult your health care practitioner before giving it to a child or taking it if you are pregnant.

Health Claims

Proponents believe that bacopa (Bacopa monniera) improves memory, decreases anxiety, and lessens the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The Bottom Line

Bacopa's long history of use and apparent safety make it an appealing herb to use to enhance memory and treat anxiety and ADHD. However, more clinical studies are needed to confirm its benefits.

Libby Ellis is a freelance writer in Boston.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Weider Publications
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