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Bacopa
monnieri (Linn.)Wettst.
Nomenclature:
Botanical name: Bacopa
monnieri (Linn.) Wettst.(syn. Bacopa monnieri
Wettst. ; Herpestis monnieria (Linn.) H.B.
& K. )
 Common
Name:Brahmi
Vernacular names:
Sanskrit:
Brahmi,
Nira-brahmi;
Hindi: Brahmi;
Eng : Brahmi-sak;
Beng.- Jalanimba;
Kan: Nirubrahmi;
Mal.,Mar.&Tam.: Neer brahmi;
Tel: Sambrani chettu.
Maharashtra:Jalnaveri.
Family
: Scrophulariaceae
Habitat
A
genus of erect or spreading herbs, commonly growing in marshy
places throughout India, ascending to an altitude of 1,320 m.
Morphology
 A
small, creeping, glabrous, succulent herb, rooting at nodes.
Stem soft obtuse-angular, branches ascending; leaves short petiolate,
oblong-cuncate to obovate,0.6-2.5 cm x 3-9 mm; flowers solitary
axillary, blue or white in colour with purple veins.; capsules
ovoid.
Part used as crude drug
The
entire plant constitutes the well-known drug Brahmi. The
leaves are also useful as a diuretic and aperients.
Morphological
characteristic of drug
Dried, whole herb or herb without roots or only leaves and tender
stem portions are available as crude drug.
Cultivars
(including improved Varieties)
Registration of two cultivars
(1) PRAGYASHAKTI and (2) SUBODHAK have been made by C.I.M.A.P.,
Lucknow. The planting material of these two varieties is available
from the Director, C.I.M.A.P., Lucknow.
(i). PRAGYASHAKTI: This is
a selection from Orissa. The crop can be grown as perennial with
at least two harvests per year. The yield of dry herb is 65q/ha
from which 118 kg/ha Bacoside A (1.8%)can be obtained in single
harvest.
(ii). SUBODHAK:
This is another selection from wild collections. The crop can
be grown as perennial with at least two harvests per year. The
yield of dry herb is 47q/ha from which 77 kg/ha Bacoside A (1.6%)
can be obtained in single harvest.
(iii).
RRl, Jammu has
also developed and standardized a selection of a better cultivar
type of this crop. The same is likely to be released very soon
and the planting material of the same can be supplied under
the consultancy package to the prospective entrepreneurs. Depending
on the stage of harvest and the season, it contains 1.8-2.2%
Bacoside A.
Cultivation
It can be easily
grown in damp areas, and can be propagated by seed as well as
vegetatively using runners. Rainy season is an appropriate time
for planting of this crop.
RRL, Jammu has
developed and standardised the complete agro technology package
for this crop.
For getting optimum
yields, 100 Kg N/ha is applied in three split dozes, whereas,60
Kg/ha of each of P2O5 and K2
O are added to the field at the time of planting. A light irrigation
is needed after the planting. After harvesting the crop is shade
dried for marketing.
Collection
The whole herb
is generally collected after the rainy season in the month of
September from the wild localities of its natural distribution
near the water falls or marshy places. However, when under cultivation,
it is harvested in October-November.
Traditional
Knowledge (Ethnobotanical / Folk-lores / House hold remedies
/ Self help mode)
It
is astringent, bitter and cooling, and is reported to improve
the intellect. It is used in the indigenous systems of
medicine for the treatment of asthma, hoarseness, insanity,
epilepsy and as a potent nerve tonic, cardio tonic and diuretic.
The
juice of the leaves is given to children for relief in bronchitis
and diarrhoea. The paste of the leaves is used as a remedy for
rheumatism. The leaves and tender stalks are reported to be
eaten in the west Bengal. In Ayurveda, plant is used for dermatitis,
anaemia and diabetes. It is also used in boils and as blood
purifier, as a Brain tonic to sharpen dull memory; and also
used in cataract complaints. It is also a safe cardiac tonic;
gives relief to patients from anxiety neurosis; its juice along
with ginger juice, sugar and bark ext. of Moringa oleifera
is given to children in stomach disorders. Decoction
of leaves Is given in cough.
Chemistry
The herb contains
the alkaloids brahmine, herpestatine,(C 34H46N206,
m p 116-170), and a mixture of three bases. Brahmine
is highly toxic; when administered at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body
wt of cat as it produces a fall in the blood pressure. In therapeutic
doses it resembles strychnine. The herb also contains saponins,
monnierin (C5,H82021-3H20,
m p 630); hersaponin [m p 232-340'
(decomp.)], bacoside -A [C4,H6.013.4H20,
m p 2500 (decomp.)] and bacoside –B; [C4,H680,3.5H20,
m p 2030. Monnierin, on hydrolysis, gave glucose, arabinose
and aglycone (C30H4804, m p 235-370)
whereas, bacosides A and B gave glucose, arabinose and bacogenines
A, A2, A3 and A4; bacogenines A1and A 2.are epimers, and
A4 is an ebelin lactone. Smith-de Mayo degradation of bacoside
A gave jujubogenin and pseudojujubogenin. Bacosides A and B possess
haemolytic activity.
Other constituents
present plant are D-mannitol, betulic acid, b -sitosterol.
stigma-sterol and its esters, heptacosine, octacosane nonacosane,
triacontane, hentriacontane, dotriacontane, nicotine, 3-formyl-4-hydroxy-2H-pyran
(C6H603), luteolin and its
7-glucoside. The presence of a -alanine, aspartic acid,
glutamic acid and serine is also reported.
Isolation of apigenin-7-glucuronide
and luteolin-7-glucuronide from leaves; a new minor saponin-
bacoside A 1- isolated and characterised as 3-o-a -L-arabinofuranosyl
(1-3)-a -L-arabinosyl-jujubogenin; isolation of another
saponin - bacoside A3 - and its structure elucidated as 3-0-b
-D-glucosyl( 1-3)-[o-(a -L-arabinofuranosyl(1--2) -0-b
-D-glucosyI-jujubogenin;revision of structure ofcis -isomer
of ebeline lactone, obtained during acid hydrolysis as another
artifact of jujubogenin.
Analysis of the
leaves and stalks gave: moisture, 88.4; protein,2.1: fat, 0.6;
carbohydrates,5.9; crude fiber,1.05; and ash, 1.9 g / 100g.
calcium,202.0; phosphorus, 16.0; iron, 7.8; ascorbic acid, 63.0;nicotinic
acid 0.3 mg /100 g; and energy, 38 cal / 100 g. The leaves contain
a sterol C 26 H 46 O .H2O ,
m p 76 0 )
Chemical
Markers
The
drug is characteristically designated on the basis of its total
bacosides content which are tetra cyclic triterpenoid saponins.
These are Bacoside A & Bacoside B;
 |
Bacoside
A
R= Glu-Ara |
 |
Bacoside
A1
R=Ara(3 1) Ara
Bacoside
A3
R=Glu[(2
1) Ara](3 1)Glu
|
Molecular
Markers (Protein, DNA)
No
information available
Isozymes
No
information available
Pharmacology
Bioactivity
Clinical reports
show that this drug ( plant extract) is an anti-anxiety agent
having adaptogenic effect. It exhibits barbiturate hypnosis
potentiation effect in albino rats.
Hersaponin is reported
to possess cardiotonic, sedative and spasmodic properties. An
ethanolic extract (50%) of the plant exhibits anti-cancer activity
against Walker carcinosarcoma 256 in rats. Administration of
aqueous suspension of an alcoholic extract (40 mg/kg, p.o.)
for three or more days is reported to improve the performance
of rats in various learning situations.
(b) Toxicity
Brahmi
possess no known side effects or toxicity at normal doses.
In experimental
studies, the saponin-rich highly potent extract of Brahmi
did not show any endocrine, metabolic, gastrointestinal,
anabolic or behavioural side effect. No lethality was observed
on the oral administration upto 2150 mg/kg body weight in
rats and mice.
Clinical Studies
in school children for over three years have not shown any
adverse side effect. In healthy human volunteers multiple
doses of bacosides (the active ingredient in Brahmi)
have been well tolerated and are devoid of any untoward
reaction or side effects.
Formulation
The
drug forms an important ingredient of a number of Ayurvedic
preparations, such as Brahmighrit, Brahmi-rasayana, Sarasvatarisht
and Brahmivati.
General
usage
The drug is mainly
used as nervine tonic / memory enhancer. Other pharmacological
effects of the extract include sedative, antiepileptic, cardio
tonic, vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory activity.
Dose
Dosage
prescribed for the drug in different texts is as under:
Powdered drug :
5 - 10 g per day
Infusion
: 8 – 16 ml per day
Commercial aspects
(a). Production
No figures for
its production from cultivated sources are available. From the
wild sources the total annual production is about 3000 tonnes
mainly from the states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
(b) Demand
Estimated consumption
of this drug in India is 1000 tonnes per year.
(c) Market Trends (price)
Brahmi has a good market especially
for its "Brahmi oil" due to its high medicinal value.
Rate of dried drug varies from
Rs. 20-25/kg.
However, 40% saponin extract of
Bacopa monnieri ( Brahmi) of Indian origin is sold in
the retail international market at the following rates:
30g (1oz) = USD $18.00 ; 60g (2oz)
= USD $30.00 and 115g (4oz) = USD $50.00
(d). Trade resource
The crude drug
is readily available at the crude drug dealers in the markets.
Major users
Herbal Drug Industry
Patents
1. Nguyen,
Van Bich. Turmeric for treating skin disorders U.S. Patent 5,897,865
; April 27, 1999.
2. Nguyen;
Van Bich. Turmeric for treating health ailments U.S. Patent
6,048,533; April 11, 2000
3. Reddy,
M. S., Reddy, D. R. K. and Prasad, N.A.V. Herbal and pharmaceutical
drugs enhanced with probiotics. U.S. Patent 6,080,401; June
27, 2000
4. Singh,
Verma. and Shyam B. De.2001. Cosmetic preparations containing
extracts from Phyllanthus emblica and Centella asiatica
and/or Bacopa monnieri. U.S.Patent 6,261,605; July 17,2001.
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