Naveed Shuja


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INTRODUCTION

Bacopa monnieri is a perennial, creeping herb native to the wetlands of southern and Eastern Pakistan, India, Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America. It is known by the common names water hyssop, brahmi, thyme-leafed gratiola, herb of grace, and Indian pennywort2.Bacopa monnieri (BM), a perennial creeping plant belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae, is majorly found in wet, damp, and marshy areas throughout sub- continent3. BM popularly known as Brahmi, a name derived from the Lord Brahma, the creator god of the Hindu pantheon of deities, finds special mention in the Ayurvedic literature for its use in different mental conditions such as anxiety2,3, poor cognitive abilities, and lack of concentration. Studies have also documented its potential as a therapeutic candidate for mental illness and epilepsy. Major active constituents of BM include v saponins such as d-mannitol and hersaponin, acid A, and monnierin. Bacoside A also possesses enhanced antioxidant defense system and memory-enhancement activity as well as could be utilized as nootropics2,9. These herbals work through activation of various pathways to improvise memory and learning abilities that may bring some symptomatic relief to Alzheimer’s patients following dementia in the early stages of the disorder2.



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