Brahmi: Effect and application of the Ayurvedic medicinal herb

Brahmi is an Indian medicinal plant that is primarily intended to improve your cognitive abilities. We will show you how Ayurvedic medicinal herbs can help your brain.

Bacopa monnieri, also known as Brahmi, is an important part of Ayurvedic medicine. The herb, also known as “small fat leaf” in German because of its succulent leaves, has been used for centuries in India to cure or prevent various diseases, to increase brain performance or to reduce stress and anxiety.

Brahmi belongs to the genus of fatty leaves and to the plantain family. It grows in tropical, humid areas such as southern Africa, China, Taiwan, Australia and in Central and South America. Since Brahmi also grows under water, the swamp plant is also often used for aquariums.

The thick, green leaves of the plant are used medicinally.

Brahmi: what it contains and how it works

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The following active ingredients in Brahmi are mainly responsible for the fact that the medicinal plant works particularly well in various medical areas:

• Brahmin (alkaloid)
• Bacoside A and B (triterpenoid Saponins, a kind of “anti-seizure substance”, which is supposed to protect plants)
• Flavonoids (Luteolin and apigenin)

The abilities of Bacopa monnieri are varied and proven several times:

• Prevents cancer: Triggered by oxidative stress free radicals can cause cancer. According to an analysis of various studies, Brahmi with its rich antioxidants neutralize these radicals. The bacosides are proven to help, at least in the test tube Brain tumors, Breast cancer and Colon cancer.
• Prevents Alzheimer’s: When free radicals react with fat in the brain, the fat can oxidize and become a so-called lead to lipid peroxidation. This can trigger Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegernative diseases. The numerous Antioxidants in Brahmi can also have a preventive effect here. A study in rats with Brahmi confirms this hope.
• Improves brain performance: Various Trials on animals and confirm to people that Brahmi can improve memory performance. After taking 300 milligrams of Brahmi daily for several weeks, they were able to 46 healthy test subjects remember new things better and process visual information faster than a placebo group. This effect lasted for twelve weeks. Individuals over 60 who took 300 to 600 milligrams of Brahmi also showed improved brain performance in another study.
• Helps with ADHD: An Indian study on 31 children with ADHD (attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder) between six and twelve, who took 225 milligrams of Brahmi daily for six months, showed an improvement in ADHD symptoms. Restlessness, difficulty concentrating and learning, and impulsivity improved in 67 to 93 percent of the children. In comparison, commercially available medication affects an average of 70 percent of children.
• Reduces anxiety and depression: Brahmi works on rats similar like anti-anxiety drugs of the benzodiazepine group. It calms without side effects similar to high addiction potential or impaired memory function. Another human study resulted in similar positive results regarding anxiety and depressions.

In humans, the improved brain performance, a positive effect in children with ADHD and a reduction in anxiety and depression were demonstrated.

Use of the Brahmi herb

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You can buy Brahmi both as powder or in capsules.

• You can pour hot water over Brahmi as a powder and drink it as tea. Ayurvedic medicinal herbs are also suitable in smoothies.
• You can simply take the capsules like this, but you should pay attention to the dosage:

In the studies mentioned, Brahmi was administered in different amounts. With regular intake of 300 milligrams daily, scientists were able to demonstrate positive effects. One study even went up to 600 milligrams. To prevent side effects, you should an average of 450 milligrams as a precaution do not exceed. If you experience the following side effects, reduce the dose or prefer not to use Brahmi.

Side effects of Brahmi:

• Can Cause nausea, abdominal pain and more frequent bowel movements.
• May weaken the effect of other medications or interact with them.
• The Brahmin in Brahmi structurally similar to strychnine, which is used as a rat poison. From a dose of 25 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, Brahmi is fatal, at least in pigs and cats. That is also why you should avoid overdosing.

Important: If you are pregnant, you should refrain from Brahmi, as no study has yet been able to prove whether it is safe. This also applies to small children.

Grow Brahmi at home

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You can also plant Brahmi in your own garden or in the kitchen. It is important to have a warm and humid environment because the plant comes from tropical areas. It is therefore not worth growing Brahmi in the garden, as our winters are too cold for the medicinal plant. Only in the very hot midsummer you can put them out in a pot in the garden.

A heated mini greenhouse is worth it if you want to plant Brahmi permanently.

But it also feels good in ponds and hot water aquariums. You can either get seeds or get young plants in the garden center and multiply them:

1. Always keep the plant in a sunny place. The temperature should not fall below 17 to 20 degrees Celsius.
2. Sprinkle the seeds on the seed soil and press them in lightly.
3. Keep the earth constantly moist.
4. After about two weeks you should be able to observe the first seedlings.
5. Cut new shoots regularly, so the plant grows faster and you can root it again.
6. New rooting of the Brahmi plant: Place the new shoot in a container with water. After about 4 days it should have developed roots and you can plant it again.
7. You can pick and use the leaves all year round. You can crush them both freshly and dried into Brahma powder.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Triphala: Interesting facts about the Ayurvedic herbal mixture
• Ayurveda types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha
• Ayurveda recipes: For breakfast and dinner