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Brahmi (Water hyssop)

Bacopa monnieri

Also calledBrahmi (Sanskrit/Hindi) · Water hyssop · Herb of grace

In older monographsBacopa monniera, Herpestis monnieria

A creeping wetland herb that Ayurveda ranks among the medhya rasayanas, remedies for memory and intellect. Standardised extracts have been tested in a handful of small trials of healthy adults, with modest gains on some memory and attention-speed tests after 12 weeks. No benefit has been confirmed in large, high-quality trials, and LiverTox states it has not been shown effective for any disease.

Full natural-history sheet →

What it is used for

  • A 2012 systematic review of six 12-week trials (300–450 mg extract daily) found Bacopa improved 9 of 17 free-recall memory tests; the authors called the evidence limited and other cognitive effects unproven. Trials in healthy older adults found better delayed word recall.2,4,5

  • A 2014 meta-analysis of nine trials (518 people) found faster performance on an attention test (Trail Making B, about 18 ms) and quicker choice reaction time. These are small effects, and the analysis was based on few studies.3

  • In one 12-week trial in 54 people over 65, anxiety scores fell with Bacopa and rose with placebo. Anxiety is a secondary outcome in a few small trials, with inconsistent results.4

  • The same small trial in older adults found depression scores (CESD-10) fell with Bacopa; this has not been tested in people with diagnosed depression.4

How it is prepared

dry extract / capsule

Standardised extract taken daily; effects in trials were measured after 12 weeks.

Trials in the 2012 systematic review: 300–450 mg extract per day for 12 weeks.

Memory and cognition · Attention and alertness

Amounts are as recorded by the named source, not a recommendation.

Safety

Pregnancy
Avoid
Breastfeeding
Insufficient data
Children
ESCOP (2025) includes indications for children and adolescents, but trials in children are few and small; no paediatric amounts are recorded here.

Interactions with medicines

  • thyroid hormones (levothyroxine)ModerateMay increase thyroid hormone levels (animal data); MSD Manual advises people on thyroid medicines not to take it.
  • fluoxetine and other serotonergic antidepressantsModerateReported confusion, agitation and changes in blood pressure or temperature with the combination.
  • warfarin, glipizide, diltiazem, losartanModerateMay raise blood levels of these drugs.
  • cholinesterase inhibitors (Alzheimer's drugs) and glaucoma medicinesMinorPossible interaction; MSD advises talking to a doctor first.
Interaction checker →

Do not use if

  • Slow heart rate
  • Stomach ulcers
  • Thyroid disease
  • Intestinal or urinary obstruction
  • Asthma or other lung disease

Side effects

  • Nausea, stomach cramps, more frequent stools and diarrhoea (the commonest effects in trials)
  • Fatigue
  • May slow the heart rate

Toxicity

LiverTox: not linked to liver enzyme elevations or to clinically apparent liver injury.

In the healing traditions

  • Ayurveda

    Brahmi

    A medhya rasayana (memory-enhancing rejuvenative) and aindra rasayana; used for memory and intellect, clarity of voice, complexion and mental disorders. The name refers to Brahmā, the creator in Hindu mythology.

  • Modern pharmacology

    Standardised Bacopa extracts (e.g. CDRI-08, BacoMind)

    Extracts standardised to bacosides, tested at 300–450 mg a day for memory and attention in healthy adults. ESCOP (2025) lists forgetfulness, cognitive ageing, mental fatigue and temporary anxiety in adults.

Active compounds

bacosides
a family of triterpenoid saponins (bacoside A and B) thought to account for most of its effects

History

Ayurvedic writers say Brahmi has been used since Vedic times, and classical texts class it among the medhya rasayanas for intellect. In the late 20th century India's Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow developed a standardised extract (CDRI-08), and Australian and American trials in the 2000s tested extracts in healthy older people, finding modest effects on memory.

Sources

  1. 1.LiverTox (NIH): Bacopa
  2. 2.Pase MP et al. The cognitive-enhancing effects of Bacopa monnieri: a systematic review of randomized, controlled human clinical trials. J Altern Complement Med 2012
  3. 3.Kongkeaw C et al. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. J Ethnopharmacol 2014
  4. 4.Calabrese C et al. Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med 2008
  5. 5.Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? J Altern Complement Med 2010
  6. 6.MSD Manual (Consumer Version): Bacopa
  7. 7.Brain enhancing ingredients from Āyurvedic medicine: quintessential example of Bacopa monniera, a narrative review. Nutrients 2013
  8. 8.ESCOP monograph: Bacopae monnieri herba (Bacopa), 2025

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.