Bacopa monnieri
Water hyssop
Bacopa monnieri, commonly known as Brahmi, is a perennial creeping herb revered in Ayurvedic medicine. Renowned for its potent nootropic properties, it enhances cognitive functions like memory, focus, and learning. Rich in bacosides, this adaptogenic plant also helps reduce anxiety and protects the brain against oxidative stress and inflammation.
- Scientific name: Bacopa monnieri
- Family: Plantaginaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Lamiales and the family Plantaginaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Bacopa.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Plantaginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Bacopa | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Bacopa monnieri, is recognized by various regional names across different languages and cultures. In Hindi, it is commonly referred to as ब्राह्मी जड़ी बूटी, while in Slovak, it is known as Bakopa drobnolistá. Its names in Chinese also reflect its botanical identity, appearing as 假马齿苋 in Simplified Chinese, 假馬齒莧 in Traditional Chinese, and 假馬齒莧 in the Cantonese usage of Hong Kong.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| hi | ब्राह्मी जड़ी बूटी | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 假马齿苋 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 假馬齒莧 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 假馬齒莧 | Wikidata |
| sk | Bakopa drobnolistá | Wikidata |
| he | פשטה שרועה | Wikidata |
| fi | pikkubakopa | Wikidata |
| de | Kleines Fettblatt | Wikidata |
| ja | オトメアゼナ | Wikidata |
| ml | ബ്രഹ്മി | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning multiple continents and diverse climates. In Southwestern Europe, its presence is documented in both Portugal and Spain. Moving toward the African continent, it can be found across Northern Africa in Egypt. Its range extends further into West Tropical Africa, specifically within Nigeria. Finally, the species is also located in West-Central Tropical Africa, notably in the Congo.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Congo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Equatorial Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gabon | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Socotra | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Bacopa monnieri, is a creeping perennial herb where the whole plant is frequently utilized in traditional medicine. The medicinal properties are concentrated primarily in the succulent, fleshy leaf structures, which are characteristically small and rounded. Anatomically, the plant consists of a prostrate stem that grows along the ground, often rooting at the nodes to form dense mats. Because the therapeutic compounds are distributed throughout the vegetative growth, practitioners often employ the whole plants or the aerial shoot systems to prepare various herbal decoctions and extracts.- Total parts
- 14
- Scientific sources
- 19
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| whole plants | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| whole plant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| shoot | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rhizome | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Bacopa monnieri has 129 reported phytochemicals identified across 244 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include bacoside A, bacopaside II, bacopaside I, bacoside A3, bacopasaponin C.
- Total chemicals
- 129
- Scientific sources
- 244
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bacoside A | 17 | ★★★★★ |
| bacopaside II | 13 | ★★★★★ |
| bacopaside I | 12 | ★★★★★ |
| bacoside A3 | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| bacopasaponin C | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| flavonoids | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Bacoside A | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cd | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cr | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Pb | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Activities
Bacopa monnieri has 16 reported activities identified across 45 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Nootropic, Memory-Enhancer, Neuroprotective, Sedative.
- Total activities
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 45
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| Nootropic | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| Memory-Enhancer | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Neuroprotective | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| Sedative | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Adaptogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticarcinogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidepressant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiepileptic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Bacopa monnieri has 103 reported medicinal uses identified across 205 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include memory, oxidative stress, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, anxiety.
- Total uses
- 103
- Scientific sources
- 205
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| memory | 17 | ★★★★★ |
| oxidative stress | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| Alzheimer's disease | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| Parkinson's disease | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| anxiety | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| dementia | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| cancer | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| epilepsy | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| neurological disorders | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| depression | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |